Current Events > Germany BUCKS trend. Birthrate skyrockets while China/U.S plummet.

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UnfairRepresent
06/01/21 8:09:54 AM
#1:


China and the United States are grappling with falling birth rates but Germany has bucked the trend with a rise in births nine months after its first pandemic lockdown, testimony to recent family-friendly policies and higher migration.

Europe's largest economy used to have one of the lowest fertility rates in the region as conservative social norms and policies made it hard for women to reconcile families and work, crimping economic growth and compounding Germany's labour shortage as baby boomers retire.

That started to change as Chancellor Angela Merkel expanded parental benefits and state investment in childcare from 2005. Her 2015 decision to let in over a million mostly young refugees from Syria and elsewhere gave a further boost.

While data this month showed Chinese births fell 18% last year to their lowest since 1961 and the U.S. birth rate declined 4% to its weakest since 1979, births in Germany were down just 0.6%.

And a 0.8% yearly rise in births between December 2020 and February - nine months and counting from Germany's first COVID-19 lockdown - showed many would-be parents were not put off even by the pandemic that paralysed the economy.

"Germany used to be one of the laggards in Europe and now it is in the midfield of Europe," said Martin Bujard, deputy director at Germany's Federal Institute for Population Research.

"It was mainly driven by family policies like childcare to help to reconcile work and family, particularly for highly-educated women," he said, adding that the influx of migrants and strong economic growth before the pandemic had also helped.

Germany's fertility rate of 1.54 children per woman is still below the U.S. figure of 1.64 and short of the so-called replacement rate of around 2.1 seen as necessary to sustain rich-country population levels.

However, it is well above the 1.3 rate recorded in China last year - the level Germany was at in 2006 - and is now broadly in line with the European Union average, according to Eurostat. Its data shows less wealthy countries including Italy and Spain have the EU's lowest fertility rates.

Policies that have helped include the expansion of maternity and paternity benefits, investment in state-funded childcare and the extension of school opening hours into the afternoon. U.S. President Joe Biden has promised similar expansions of childcare and early years education.

Whereas the United States is almost alone among wealthy nations in not providing paid maternity leave at national level, the German state covers 14 months of paid parental leave, with two months reserved for fathers. The exact amount received depends on top-ups payable by employers.

In China, women are entitled to 98 days of maternity leave, including 15 days of pre-natal leave. But many couples say high living costs and the difficulty of combining parenthood and careers have deterred them from starting families.

After China missed a target of boosting its population to about 1.42 billion by 2020 even after easing its one-child policy - imposed in the 1970s to halt a population explosion - policymakers may decide to offer parents more incentives.

While other European countries have seen their birth rates fall during the COVID-19 crisis - births in Italy plunged 21.6% in December - Germany's positive trend looks set to continue.

In vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment jumped 9.3% in 2020 overall, even though the first lockdown closed many clinics. While experts estimate that IVF babies account for only about 3-4% of births nationally, that figure at least suggests many Germans have not been put off parenting.

The rise might be due to people having more time and money for fertility treatment after working from home and saving cash during lockdowns, the DIR organisation for IVF medicine said.

"The desire to have a child seems to be greater than the worry and concern about coronavirus for mother and child," said DIR's Jan-Steffen Kruessel.

Sales of products like pregnancy vitamins and baby cots have also jumped in recent months, according to surveys.

Germany's promptness in assuring people they would be paid by the state if they could not work while businesses were shut also helped encourage would-be parents, as did the relatively low number of deaths in the first wave of the pandemic.

"If it would have been difficult with our jobs due to the coronavirus, we might have decided differently," said Julia Schiebelmann, who gave birth to her second son in March.



Jeez who would have thought investing in childcare and encouraging immigration would be a good thing....

Oh wait fucking everyone who ever actually thought about it.

Pity the right wing doesn't do that.


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awesome999
06/01/21 8:12:32 AM
#2:


Why are we celebrating growing populations? Is the economy that important? The planet is overpopulated as is
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UnfairRepresent
06/01/21 8:16:28 AM
#3:


awesome999 posted...
Why are we celebrating growing populations? Is the economy that important? The planet is overpopulated as is
It's really not. We just don't use our resources propery.

But even ignoring the global population issues, on the surface of particular countries, declining birthrate + Rising lifespans does more damage than "just the economy"

You need a young workforce to support the population. Look at Japan to see how a country falls apart when you have a huge population but half of them are elderly.

I feel like you've been scaremongered into being afraid about issues but due to only seeing fear inducing articles only understand them skindeep.

A decline in birthrates in the US will do nothing to effect the global overpopulation issue, and the global 'over population issue' is not one caused by birthrates. Its caused by our weird society

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Were_Wyrm
06/01/21 8:25:41 AM
#4:


*Germany FUCKS trend

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teep_
06/01/21 8:35:28 AM
#5:


Good

Otherwise many people will enter retirement without anyone to pay their pensions
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Drpooplol
06/01/21 8:36:59 AM
#6:


awesome999 posted...
The planet is overpopulated as is
no it isn't. Stop posting this nonsense.

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MrDrMan
06/01/21 8:38:40 AM
#7:


I dont really want kids but when I told my girlfriend that she seemed really disappointed.

Will probably have one just for her eventually.

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awesome999
06/01/21 9:00:53 AM
#8:


UnfairRepresent posted...

It's really not. We just don't use our resources propery.

But even ignoring the global population issues, on the surface of particular countries, declining birthrate + Rising lifespans does more damage than "just the economy"

You need a young workforce to support the population. Look at Japan to see how a country falls apart when you have a huge population but half of them are elderly.

I feel like you've been scaremongered into being afraid about issues but due to only seeing fear inducing articles only understand them skindeep.

A decline in birthrates in the US will do nothing to effect the global overpopulation issue, and the global 'over population issue' is not one caused by birthrates. Its caused by our weird society

It's not about just us humans you know. Educated estimates say that 10000 species go extinct every year (https://wwf.panda.org/discover/our_focus/biodiversity/biodiversity/)
The more we add to the current population, the harder it becomes for the environment to cope, especially developed countries, since they're the ones contributing the most
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiDymEaAaC8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55DAOUmIaWw
Do we need more of this?
The planet is dying and it's all because we breed like rabbits and the ones who pay (at least at the moment) are poor people and animals
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ssjevot
06/01/21 9:03:11 AM
#9:


UnfairRepresent posted...
Germany's fertility rate of 1.54 children per woman is still below the U.S. figure of 1.64 and short of the so-called replacement rate of around 2.1 seen as necessary to sustain rich-country population levels.

The only relevant part of the clickbait article. Still well below replacement and below the US.

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#10
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Choco
06/01/21 9:07:36 AM
#11:


awesome999 posted...
Why are we celebrating growing populations? Is the economy that important? The planet is overpopulated as is
because i don't want to work until i'm 85 you fucking shitposter

if you had a functioning fucking brain you'd realize that this topic isn't even about "growing populations" but w/e

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teep_
06/01/21 9:08:27 AM
#12:


Th3Truth posted...
It's going to go back down once lockdown stops and people aren't stuck in their houses with nothing else to do.

Please don't dash my dream of making it to retirement with money to spare
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awesome999
06/01/21 9:10:20 AM
#13:


Choco posted...

because i don't want to work until i'm 85 you fucking shitposter

if you had a functioning fucking brain you'd realize that this topic isn't even about "growing populations" but w/e

Yes, that's more important than the health of the planet
God, I can't wait for the asteroid to come and wipe us the fuck out
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#14
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UnfairRepresent
06/01/21 9:13:43 AM
#15:


Th3Truth posted...
It's going to go back down once lockdown stops and people aren't stuck in their houses with nothing else to do.
I doubt it

it went down during lockdown

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Squall28
06/01/21 9:18:03 AM
#16:


The Earth is literally dying due to how many people there are.

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Choco
06/01/21 9:18:05 AM
#17:


Th3Truth posted...
or have kids to look after you
having kids so they can do x thing for you is fucked up and not even a good plan

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#18
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UnfairRepresent
06/01/21 9:33:32 AM
#19:


Th3Truth posted...
True, personally saving money is the best way. Although, technically this whole topic is about relying on other people's kids lol.
That's how society works dude

What did you think "Children are the future" meant?

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Biscotti
06/01/21 9:34:40 AM
#20:


dirty shaggers


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teep_
06/01/21 9:38:32 AM
#21:


Th3Truth posted...
teep_ posted...
Please don't dash my dream of making it to retirement with money to spare

I wouldn't say those dreams are dashed. You could always personally save up money or have kids to look after you.

I do plan on saving up money. By paying it into my compulsory "pension insurance". Like I've been doing for the past few years. Guess how it works:

Primarily, the statutory pension insurance is financed by a pay-as-you-go system. This means that the contributions of current contributors are paid out directly as pensions to current pensioners.

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RiKuToTheMiGhtY
06/01/21 9:40:50 AM
#22:


I doubt the native germans are the ones having all these children, its likely all the imported people they allowed in to support their welfare system.

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CeeJay171
06/01/21 9:41:34 AM
#23:


Squall28 posted...
The Earth is literally dying due to how many people there are.
More so due to how careless they are. How people make it to adulthood without learning that trash goes into the bins and not the highways is just baffling.

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JBaLLEN66
06/01/21 9:42:11 AM
#24:


MrDrMan posted...
I dont really want kids but when I told my girlfriend that she seemed really disappointed.

Will probably have one just for her eventually.

why don't you

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Choco
06/01/21 9:43:18 AM
#25:


teep_ posted...
I do plan on saving up money. By paying it into my compulsory "pension insurance". Like I've been doing for the past few years. Guess how it works:
i mean aren't you and i among the people least affected by this shit since we should get good enough jobs that we actually can save up money for when we're old >_>

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StarDestroyer
06/01/21 9:44:02 AM
#26:


Oh god.... the Germans are going to need more room and land.
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1337toothbrush
06/01/21 9:49:37 AM
#27:


"births in Germany were down just 0.6%."

So births were still down but not as much as the others? Not very impressive considering their birth rate was already low. Dumb article.

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Fazeo13
06/01/21 9:50:13 AM
#28:


RiKuToTheMiGhtY posted...
I doubt the native germans are the ones having all these children, its likely all the imported people they allowed in to support their welfare system.


Yup, welcome to the new United kingdom of islam baybee!
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UnfairRepresent
06/01/21 9:51:36 AM
#29:


Fazeo13 posted...
Yup, welcome to the new United kingdom of islam baybee!
I don't even know where to begin with this sentence.


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#30
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Kolibri X
06/01/21 9:54:54 AM
#31:


Syrians buck trend.

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teep_
06/01/21 9:55:08 AM
#32:


Choco posted...
i mean aren't you and i among the people least affected by this shit since we should get good enough jobs that we actually can save up money for when we're old >_>
That's true. But not everyone is that lucky

UnfairRepresent posted...
I don't even know where to begin with this sentence.
Begin and end by not even engaging but rather reporting
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JBaLLEN66
06/01/21 10:00:41 AM
#33:


StarDestroyer posted...
Oh god.... the Germans are going to need more room and land.

You shouldn't joke about this

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StarDestroyer
06/01/21 10:02:05 AM
#34:


JBaLLEN66 posted...
You shouldn't joke about this

RIP Czech Republic
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Returning_CEmen
06/01/21 10:11:07 AM
#35:


UnfairRepresent posted...
Jeez who would have thought investing in childcare and encouraging immigration would be a good thing....

Oh wait fucking everyone who ever actually thought about it.

Pity the right wing doesn't do that.
Implying that overpopulation thats taxing the planet is a good thing

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Squall28
06/01/21 10:11:19 AM
#36:


CeeJay171 posted...
More so due to how careless they are. How people make it to adulthood without learning that trash goes into the bins and not the highways is just baffling.

Even when people try to be green, they're still an overall net negative for the Earth. They still generate trash and emissions. They still consume the Earth's resources. Just because they're not as bad as Gas Guzzler Gary over there, doesn't mean they're someone not a negative contributor.

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Choco
06/01/21 10:28:47 AM
#37:


Squall28 posted...
Even when people try to be green, they're still an overall net negative for the Earth. They still generate trash and emissions. They still consume the Earth's resources. Just because they're not as bad as Gas Guzzler Gary over there, doesn't mean they're someone not a negative contributor.
i agree that your existence is overall a net negative

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Squall28
06/01/21 11:37:52 AM
#38:


Choco posted...
i agree that your existence is overall a net negative

Sorry for pissing in your cereal bud.

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MrDrMan
06/01/21 2:35:01 PM
#39:


JBaLLEN66 posted...
why don't you

Im always open to help people but I dont want to ever feel responsible for another person 24/7.

I like to feel wanted but not needed. Thats not the case with a child. Having someone that has 24 hour access to you does not sound fun to me.

My dad always said if youre gonna do something then do it right. Im not in a stage mentally or financially to give a child what I would deem right. I could do an ok job Im sure but I dont want to do OK. I want to be the best dad ever if I ever decide to do so.

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awesome999
06/01/21 10:14:48 PM
#40:


This topic is a good thing to show to your children once the planet is on fire and nothing can be done anymore, that people could've done something but they were more worried about muh retirement
Y'all better ask to be cremated so nobody can shit on your graves and you get to stick it to the CO2 levels one last time
Tragedy of the commons at its peak
Die Deutschen schlafen, ich muss das spter stoen
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UnfairRepresent
06/02/21 2:42:12 AM
#41:


awesome999 posted...
This topic is a good thing to show to your children once the planet is on fire and nothing can be done anymore, that people could've done something but they were more worried about muh retirement
Y'all better ask to be cremated so nobody can shit on your graves and you get to stick it to the CO2 levels one last time
Tragedy of the commons at its peak
Die Deutschen schlafen, ich muss das spter stoen
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yw7dlXrkrEU

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teep_
06/02/21 3:44:11 AM
#42:


awesome999 posted...
This topic is a good thing to show to your children once the planet is on fire and nothing can be done anymore, that people could've done something but they were more worried about muh retirement
Y'all better ask to be cremated so nobody can shit on your graves and you get to stick it to the CO2 levels one last time
Tragedy of the commons at its peak
Die Deutschen schlafen, ich muss das spter stoen

https://earth.org/global_sustain/germany-ranked-6th-in-the-global-sustainability-index/

As you can see, we're not the ones fucking up the world (as much). And since this article was written, we've taken ever more strides, like Fridays for Future successfully suing the government into rewriting their climate action plan to have higher targets
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PsychoVision
06/02/21 3:45:31 AM
#43:


Its weird how our birthrate is down when were basically the land of immigrants.
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UnfairRepresent
06/02/21 4:00:19 AM
#44:


PsychoVision posted...
Its weird how our birthrate is down when were basically the land of immigrants.
There is zero incentive or support for having kids in America

So only the rich, the stupid and the mistakes tend to produce the majority of them

Surprise surprise thats not sustainable

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Kloe_Rinz
06/02/21 4:03:12 AM
#45:


Overpopulation isnt a good thing. Its an uncomfortable topic that needs to be addressed. China is doing the wrong thing by revoking their 1 child only policy
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Choco
06/02/21 9:50:27 AM
#46:


Kloe_Rinz posted...
China is doing the wrong thing by revoking their 1 child only policy
jesus fucking christ

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UnfairRepresent
06/04/21 6:07:49 AM
#47:


He's a sigless user

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