China is ending a decades-long tax exemption on contraceptives to push up its birth rate. Experts say the change could leave women and young people more vulnerable.
Archived version: https://archive.is/newest/https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-12-04/china-add-tax-on-condoms-and-contraceptives-to-boost-birth-rate/106097254
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36 years of government policy with harsh penalties for having more than one child doesn’t disappear quickly (1979-2015). They’ve trained two generations not to have kids, and the looming global climate disaster affects everyone worldwide. And while I haven’t looked into it, I think it’s a safe bet that in large Chinese cities the cost of living has also outpaced wages, like in nearly every other major city in the world. None of that is conducive to wanting to have kids.
Capitalisms only solution to problems is to continue the beating until morale improves, as long as it’s deemed the most profitable.
Literally no government is actually trying to improve the quality of life of its people in any tangible way that addresses the reasons they choose to not bring a child into this world.