Yes. Consumerism really raised its ugly head under the Coalition government although it has slowed down a little over the past year or so. Capitalists are under the mistaken belief that a good economy means that we need to produce enough to satisfy the whims and wants of everyone - hence the GFC and the continual rise in CO2 emissions.Mattus wrote:The government wants you to breed, because the economy is based on increasing consumer demand, and that requires more consumers. Therefore both parties wish to incentivize breeding.
Abbott has realised that a baby bonus only seems to incentivize junkies and dole bludgers to breed. He would prefer more successful people were out breeding, hence the salary adjusted maternity payments. But this is doomed to failure too.
Big business needs consumers and they also control our government/s. While third world countries struggle to eat and obtain basic necessities, the developed countries encourage wanton waste all in the name of feeding the multinationals and their shareholders.
As far as salary adjusted maternity payments - women who are on lower incomes tend to be the ones who are forced back to work fairly quickly after giving birth through necessity. This scheme is to ensure that the plebs are kept in their place.
I don't know why we're being encouraged to breed so prolifically. It is the lower socio-economic demography which tend to have the larger families and raise them on welfare. Many of them will not be fit for the workforce due to the lack of education facilities, larger class sizes and low standard of teaching in many schools.If the government wants us to breed, then foster the conditions of nesting. Give us peace, prosperity, and job security. No govvie hand out is going to make up for a lack of these in getting successful people enthusiastic about starting a family.