ONE CHILD POLICY

Explain the term "Overpopulation"

When a country has too many people and not enough resources to meet the needs of the people.

OCP- What policy did the Chinese government introduce in 1979 to combat the growing population?

The One Child Policy of 1979

What was the One Child Policy?

A government introduced policy to slow down the growing population. This meant than couples were only allowed one child. Only in certain situations couples were allowed more than one child.

What allowed couples to have more than one child?

A couple reasons such as in rural farming areas more children was needed to run the farms, mainly boys. If you were a farmer and conceived a girl, you were allowed to birth another child. Also, if you (the parents) or the baby was disabled, you were allowed another child to help support you or the baby. Lastly twins allowed you to bypass the one child limit.

How did the government enforce this law?

Couples need permission try for a baby

Having one child got you benefits such as healthcare and free education

Having two children got you a fine(4x farmers annual wage) and no benefits

Men had to be 22 and women 20 to get married.

Women offered and some forced sterilisation to prevent become pregnant again

Family planning officials tried to persuade women to abort baby No.2

Policy WAS successful

Birth rate has fallen and growth of population has slowed

400 million possible births prevented

Some rural areas and ethic groups (such as Han Chinese) allowed second child

Policy WAS NOT successful

Policy not popular in rural areas where more children needed for farming work

Men seen as family carrier, so women were aborted or killed at birth causing a gender unbalance with 30 million more men that women.

China now facing an ageing population which costs the government and the family more money

4-2-1 meant 1 child,2 parents,4 grandparents. This was burden on the "1" financially.