Pronatalist Demographic Policy in the Eyes of the Population: Ten Years Later[Пронаталистская Демографическая Политика Глазами Населения: Десять Лет Спустя]

Pronatalist demographic policy in Russia has started in 2007 and now, 10 years after, there is an acute discussion about its further development. The aim of this article is the analysis of the attitude to the pronatalist policy in Russia in general and also to the definite demographic measures. Another goal of the study is to trace the changes in this attitude since 2011 up to the year 2017. The research is based on the data of the survey “Person, Family, Society”-2017. The survey includes in-depth interviews, the results of which are also included in the study. In order to make temporal comparative analysis authors use data of the survey “Parents and children, men and women”-2011, which is part of the international Generations & Gender Programme. The results of both surveys demonstrate high support of the pronatalist measures in Russia. Two thirds of respondents vote for prolongation of the maternal capital program in the unaltered way, others would like to change it into benefits to poor families with children. The second option is more favorable for people with low level of income and education, and residents of rural areas. The study also reveals the dissatisfaction with the health system of parents with small children. Respondents with more than 2 children evaluate the impact of the maternal capital program on their reproductive intentions higher than respondents with fewer children. The positive attitude of the population to the measures of the current pronatalist policy and especially maternal capital as well as the current socio-economic and demographic situation are unfavorable for the termination of the maternal capital program.