Russia is currently going through a demographic crisis unprecedented for any industrial country in peacetime. Though the past year has seen a slight increase in birth rates and a decline in mortality, far fewer Russian citizens would have to die than be born for the population to grow or even hold steady.

The reasons for this, of course, are not the same as those that have led to declining demographics in Italy or Germany, where middle- and upper-class families were deciding to have fewer children. Rather, it is the result of the immiseration that has been the lot of the bulk of the population over the past decade. While most Russians, according to polls, believe the ideal family size has two children, for many people this would be a financial burden difficult or impossible to bear. It is often hard enough to make ends meet even for one or two persons, let alone more.

The way to alleviate this disastrous situation is, ultimately, a drastic improvement in the economy and a concomitant rise in living standards that would make it feasible for families to support more dependents. Unfortunately, economic improvement, while it is taking place, is moving forward at only a fraction of the necessary rate. Accordingly, short-term solutions must be found.

Over the past few years, the demographic decline has been partly alleviated through immigration, primarily from other countries in the C.I.S. However, immigration has largely abated, and as a result the rate of population decline seems set to increase.

Nevertheless, there are still many Russians in the other former Soviet Republics - 25 million of them - many of whom would gladly return to their native region if given a chance. Russia might well consider enacting some variant of Israel or Germany­s right of return laws, according to which Jews or Germans throughout the world have the right to acquire citizenship in those countries. Then, perhaps, some of the short-term effects of democratic decline may be alleviated.