Natalism in
public policy typically seeks to create financial and social incentives for populations to reproduce, such as providing tax incentives that reward having and supporting children.
Singapore, and
South Korea, have implemented, or tried to implement, interventionist natalist policies, creating incentives for larger families. Paid
maternity and paternity leave policies can also be used as an incentive. For example,
Sweden has generous parental leave wherein parents are entitled to share 16 months' paid leave per child, the cost divided between both employer and
state. However, it appears not to work as desired.
Natalist awards Current •
Mother Heroine (Russia) Since 2022, to mothers who have given birth to and raised ten or more children. •
Altyn Alka (Kazakhstan) awarded to mothers who have raised at least seven children. •
Kumis Alka (Kazakhstan) awarded to mothers who have raised at least six children.
Former •
Mother Heroine (Soviet Union) 1944–1991 •
Order of Maternal Glory (Soviet Union) 1944–1991 •
Cross of Honour of the German Mother (Nazi Germany) 1939–1945 •
Mother Heroine (Albania) 1940s •
Glory to the Mother (Albania) honorary award given to mothers with nine children; this was later lowered to seven children
Postcommunist , Poland
Russia Natalist thinking was common during Soviet times. After a brief adherence to the strict Communist doctrine in 1920s and attempts to raise children communally, coupled with the government-provided healthcare, the Soviet government switched to
neo-traditionalism, promoting
family values and sobriety, banning abortions and making divorces harder to obtain, advancing natalist ideals that made mockery of irresponsible parents. When the expanded opportunities for female employment caused a population crisis in the 1930s, government had expanded access to child care starting at the age of two. After the
Great Patriotic war the skewed ratio of men to women prompted additional financial assistance to women who had children or were pregnant. Despite the promotion and long maternity leave with maintenance of employment and salary, modernization still caused birthrates to continue to slide into the 1970s. The end of the
USSR in 1991 was accompanied by a large drop in fertility. In 2006,
Vladimir Putin made demographics an important issue, instituting a two-pronged approach of direct financial rewards and socio-cultural policies. The notable example of the former is the maternal-capital program where the woman is provided with subsidies that can be spent only on improved housing or the education of a child (and can also be saved for the retirement). In August 2022, Russia revived the Soviet-era
Mother Heroine award for women with ten children. In November 2024, President Putin signed a bill into law that bans '
Childfree Propaganda’ to boost birthrates in Russia. Russia is the first nation in the world to pass such a law.
Hungary The Hungarian government of
Viktor Orbán in 2019 announced pecuniary incentives (including eliminating taxes for mothers with more than three children, and reducing credit payments and easier access to loans), and expanding day care and kindergarten access. The Hungarian government has introduced extensive family support measures, including tax exemptions for mothers with three or more children, subsidized housing loans, and lifetime income tax exemptions for mothers with four or more children. Despite these efforts, Hungary's fertility rate remains below the replacement level, with experts suggesting that financial incentives alone may not be sufficient to address the underlying demographic challenges. == Critics ==