Is it true that more newborns are born in communist countries?

The “15 most endangered countries” ranking published by Z. Prilepin contains strange numbers and the writer’s comment:

“Note: no socialist countries. Only sovereign shitty capitalist countries that escaped from under the heel of the red empire.

Of course, I feel sorry for the Serbs. The breakup of Yugoslavia seems to have broken them.

They Americanize them as much as they can. And increased Americanization, as we can see from the graph, is death”– wrote Z. Prilepinas in a comment published next to the schedule.

These statements, along with the “extinction rating,” spread and on the social network Facebook.

Neither Z. Prilepinas nor his supporters indicate how and who compiled this list, where the information came from, what sources are relied upon.

Distorted numbers

Because extinction is there in the first place biological conceptmeaning the gradual decline in the number of a biological species (or its population in a certain area), it is logical that the birth rate is the main focus when assessing extinction rates.

The latest statistics from the World Bank show that, that birth rates in countries labeled as “most endangered” are generally not high. However, there is no reason to believe that the situation is better in socialist countries.

For example, in Cuba, which is officially socialist and has long been under the monopoly control of the Communist Party, in 2021. the total fertility rate SGR (average number of children born per woman of reproductive age) is 1.4.

In the People’s Republic of China, which is also socialist and also ruled by the Communist Party, this figure is even lower at 1.2.

Socialist Vietnam and North Korea fared slightly better at 1.9 and 1.8 respectively.

At that time, Bulgaria, which leads Z. Prilepin’s extinction ranking, has a total birth rate of 1.6, which is more than China or Cuba.

In Lithuania, this indicator is really low – 1.3 (but still higher than in China).

In Latvia – 1.6. The level is the same in Croatia, which is higher than, for example, Poland (1.3), which for some reason took the last line in Z. Prilepin’s list.

It is clear that there is no direct (and indirect) connection between a higher birth rate and a socialist system. Conditionally capitalist (Marxist terminology) the position of the countries in this respect it is clearly better than Cuba or China.

Unsplash photo/Mother with baby

Not always a sign of successful development

Population growth cannot be directly linked to the state’s level of economic well-being, security or cultural development.

For example, in 2017 to the top five countries announced by the World Bankin which the population increased the most during the year, were Somalia and Niger (fourth and fifth places).

The largest population decline captured in South Sudan, and among European countries – in Moldova and Lithuania.

photo from Wikipedia/Zachar Prilepin

Colorful personality

The 47-year-old writer joined pro-Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine in 2014 and fought on their side.

This Chechen war veteran, who regularly travels to eastern Ukraine, is an active supporter of Russian President Vladimir Putin and his February 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

He is famous with scandalous statements about the fact that the Baltic countries must “return to the arms of Russia”, in Ukraine villages and cities should be “burned” and “Ukrainian children should be killed”.

Z. Prilepinas is always proud of his achievements on the battlefield.

For example, given interview To Russian journalist Alexei Pivovarov, he boasted that the battalion in which he served as deputy commander had killed more people than any other unit.

“After reviewing all the documents, the investigators will see that most people died where my battalion was stationed,” Z. Prilepin said.

“My battalion raised a real hell,” he boasted during the interview.

Zakhar Prilepin (left) interviews Alexei Pivovarov

15min verdict: manipulation. So, in addition to the fact that Z. Prilepin’s ranking of the “most endangered” countries is factually incorrect, it is also given a propaganda context.

The publication was prepared in 15 minutes in partnership with Metait aims to stop the spread of misleading news on the social network. More about the program and its rules – here.