One Child Policy

Why was it introduced?

To reduce China's birth rate and to slow the population growth

What is it?

Policy that allowed couples just one child to control population growth in urban areas within China.

When was it established?

1979

Exceptions to the policy...

In some areas, if you had a girl or a child with disability's you could try for another baby. Also if both parents were single children they can have another child.

Problems with the policy...

- Those who had more than one child didn't receive benefits and were fined

- Policy was resisted in rural areas as it was traditional to have large families

- Moral issues with sterilizing women and forced abortions

- For every 117 boys there are 100 girls (sex ratio is uneven)

- Demographic problem; 4-2-1

- Little Emperors (Spoiled Children)

Benefits if you followed the policy...

- Increased access to education for all

- Free healthcare

- Parents got monthly stipend and 10% wage increase

- Extra pensions

- Extra land allowances

- Free water and homes

Sanctions for not following policy...

- Forced abortions

- Compulsory sterilization and birth control

- Fines and lower pay

- No schooling for children

- No grain rations

- Peer pressure from society; if family in village had more than one child, others can't get license for more = hated and shunned from society

How effective was the policy?

- Reduced Birthrate

- Some said it did nothing because as the country developed people would have stopped having as many children anyway

- Authority's claim policy prevented 250-300 million births

- 2011; allowed couples to have more children anyway

- Policy only effected a 3rd of China

Criticisms of the Policy..

- 4-2-1 problem

- Sex ratio

- Limited human rights

- Little Emperors

- Fertility rate would have dropped naturally. Was the policy really necessary?

Controversy of the Policy...

- Hong Kong and Macau are exempt from the policy

- Moral problems; forced abortions and sterilization

- Girls made homeless or killed