The Demographic Policy Debate in the USSR

Abstract

The limited proposals in the Soviet Unions Basic Guidelines for the 11th Five Year Plan (1981-1985) endorse the regional approach to demographic policy. The proposals which call for increasing assistance to mothers and children in the form of maternity grants partially-paid maternity leave and child allowances and for improving working conditions and social amenities for working women are to be introduced gradually by region. The new measures will most likely be introduced 1st in a predominantly Slavic region where the regime has had difficulty stabilizing population. These proposals are considerably different from the effective and presumably comprehensive policy Brezhnev called for at the last Party Congress in 1976. The delay in announcing a policy is essentially due to caution in resolving the problem of declining national fertility. The regime has been hesitant to endorse a differentiated policy that might imply an attempt to control the size of its minority groups. Despite their limitations the proposals represent an acknowledgement on the part of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics that the demographic situation has continued to deteriorate. The slowdown in national population growth primarily a result of declining fertility continues. Between 1970 and 1979 the U.S.S.R. population grew at an annual rate of 0.9% compared to the 1.3% annual rate during the 1959-1970 period. Results of the 26th Congress make clear the regimes intent to pursue a regionally-differentiated policy to regulate fertility. The specific proposals indicate a continued dependency on financial incentives to stimulate fertility in the targeted regions. The new measures will probably have only marginal effect on fertility levels.