China’s One Child Policy

Billboard in China

Facts about China

• 25% of the world’s population• 7% of world’s arable land• 8% of the world’s water supply

China vs. America

China’s Current Population: 1,338,299,500

America’s Current Population: 307,006,550

One Child Policy• LAWS: 1979 – One child policy

*1980s – parents in rural areas may have 2 children if the first is a girl.

*1990s – city parents may buy a permit (costing one year’s wages) for a second child

*Punishment: abortion, mothers held in detention centres, sterilization, fines, eviction from home

History of the One Child Policy

• 1950s: In the early 1950s the philosophy of the Chinese government was ‘a large population gives a strong nation’. The government wanted many children to be born.

• 1959-61: Up to 20 million people died in a famine including many children.

• 1960s: There was a population boom. The population increased by 55 million during the decade (roughly the total population of the UK)

• 1980s: Asking families to have fewer children during the 1970s had not worked so in 1979 the One Child Policy was introduced.

• 1990s: The policy has been deemed a failure. At a meeting in Peking in 1989 delegates were told there would be around 120 million more Chinese people than had been planned.

• 2000: Policy has been relaxed, but you are still fined heavily is you have more than one child.

Government Propaganda for the One Child Policy

For those with one child:

1. Free Education for your one child.2. An extra months salary per year until

your child is 14.3. A house normally reserved for a family of

4.4. Pension benefits.

1. No free education2. No allowances

3. No pension benefits4. Payment of a fine to the state from

earnings5. Demotion at work, or even

unemployment

To Help Families:

1. Women must be 20yrs old before they can marry.2. Men must be 22yrs old before they can marry.3. Couples must have permission to marry.4. Couples must have permission to have one child.5. All hospitals have family planning officers.6. Family planning is available at work.7. Country people are encouraged to move to towns.

Effects of the One Child Policy

• Birth control measure seem to be working in the cities.

• In the Shaanxi Province there are 145 males born for every 100 females born.

• This leads to large numbers of unmarried men.

• The baby boom of the 1950s means China has a large greying population.

Effects of the One Child Policy

• The policy means there are low numbers of younger people to support the old.

• Children with no brothers and sisters receive a great deal of attention – spoilt.

• In rural areas problems have risen as they need the children to help on the farm. They go to great lengths to ensure the first child born is male. If the first child is a girl the child may be disposed or killed (female infanticide)