The Peter Zeihan Podcast Series The Demographic Crisis in Russia || Peter Zeihan
Jun 12, 2025
Russia is grappling with a severe demographic crisis, driven by declining birth rates and lasting historical impacts from leaders like Stalin. Urbanization and industrialization have reshaped family dynamics and contributed to stagnant growth. Compounding issues like drug addiction and alcoholism threaten the population further. Proposed legislation aims to encourage larger families, but will it be enough to reverse the trend? A deep dive into the interconnected social, economic, and structural factors paints a concerning picture for Russia's future.
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Urbanization Curtails Birth Rates
- Russia's demographic decline links closely to forced urbanization and collectivization under Stalin and Khrushchev.
- Small living spaces and loss of farming incentives dissuaded people from having more children.
Drug Epidemic Devastates Population
- Russia's heroin crisis worsened demographics with about 10 million addicts in a population under 150 million.
- Hard drugs and alcohol fueled high death rates and low birth rates post-Soviet Union.
Economic Decline Deters Childbirth
- Economic stagnation and decline discourage Russians from having children due to bleak future outlooks.
- Russia's high abortion rates reflect deep demographic anxiety about the future.