Sex for Money

A central tenet of the ideology of the Nazi party was the role of the family. The structure of social control in Nazi Germany was an aggregation of social groups, with the basic “building block” being the nuclear family: Mum, Dad, the kids. Any role outside of that family group therefore represented a threat, hence persecution of homosexuals and socialists preceded the more well documented abuses of Gypsies and Jews by that regime.

A central tenet of the ideology of the Nazi party was the role of the family. The structure of social control in Nazi Germany was an aggregation of social groups, with the basic “building block” being the nuclear family: Mum, Dad, the kids. Any role outside of that family group therefore represented a threat, hence persecution of homosexuals and socialists preceded the more well documented abuses of Gypsies and Jews by that regime.

Towards the end of World War II, facing increasing man-power shortages due to the human cost, Hitler issued a command that all German maidens were to mate with any available German males in order to rebuild the race of ubermenschen. The order was, of course, ignored without identifiable comment by the German population and served as indication of the failing grip of the Nazis on the German population as the war turned against them.

I mention such history in the context of the ridiculous, sexist and frankly fascist imploring by the Australian government to procreate “for the good of the country”. This even includes a AUD$3000 bribe by the treasurer if women surrender their careers and cash in their opportunities for years of unpaid slavery raising children (the treasurer helpfully suggests having three children). This act is argued to counteract the falling birth rate and ageing population.

Such theatrics represents the religious grip (notably Catholic) that exerts itself on the Australian political elite (in contrast to the Australian population in general which is one of the most atheist countries in the world). It more pointedly shows the wilful ignorance and racism of the current government.

As noted by several demographers (for example, Emmanuel Todd’s “After the Empire”), birth rate is well coupled with literacy. Increasing education levels in populations lead to diversity in lifestyle choice which allows women more roles than child raising. Merely waving three grand at girls to take the condom off is not going to work. Half the population is not going to fundamentally change philosophy back to the slavery their mothers and grandmothers endured.

Off the agenda of the Howard government is to make universal childcare readily available, thereby really addressing the issue of child raising and as a side benefit increasing infrastructure and employment benefits in the pre-school educational industry.

But the real demonstration of government ignorance is to avoid acknowledging that Australia’s immigration policies have been historically, and are currently, fundamentally racist. It ignores that the “White Australia Policy” for most of last century purposefully restricted immigration to a small Anglo-Saxon population which has reduced our cultural and intellectual diversity and therefore opportunities for development.

It ignores the incredibly restrictive current immigration policies which do not even allow much intellectual capital to enter Australia, compared to the U.S. or Europe. Australia still does not meet it’s U.N obligations to accept 1% of it’s population as refugees and here we have the treasurer urging Hitler-like for (mostly white) Australians to go forth and multiply to rebuild the Australian race. Australian immigration policies are skewed to allow an open door policy to those of the corporate class, those importing large sums of money, to enter, thereby skewing immigration towards wealthy supporters of the anti-people policies of the Howard government.

Simply meeting U.N obligations, and matching immigration policies to that of other first world countries would address many problems we may face of ageing populations and low birth rates. However, if the Australian government truly wants to encourage an increase in birth rate amongst its existing WASP population, rather than offering money, they need to offer one thing: hope.

As a confirmed bachelor (and hetro if that matters), when I see the Pentagon itself predicting global warfare around 2020 due to climate change, I fear for my retirement package, let alone what sort of world I would inflict on any children I would have that would outlast me. Until successive governments can demonstrate some sustainable future, the fuck stops here.