China One-Child Policy Case Study

1⃣ Q: When was China's One-Child Policy introduced?
A: 1979.

2⃣ Q: What was the main goal of the One-Child Policy?
A: To curb population growth due to fears of overpopulation and resource scarcity.

3⃣ Q: What was China's population growth rate before the policy?
A: The population was increasing by 55 million every five years.

Causes of the Policy

4⃣ Q: What major event led to concerns over population growth in China?
A: The Great Leap Forward (1958–1962), after which China's population surged to 975 million by 1979.

5⃣ Q: What was China's projected population without intervention?
A: Over 1.5 billion by 2025.

6⃣ Q: How did rapid population growth affect China's economy?
A: It stretched education, healthcare, and housing systems, leading to concerns of resource scarcity.

7⃣ Q: What percentage of China's land is arable?
A: Only 12% of China's land is suitable for agriculture.

8⃣ Q: How did the Chinese government have the power to enforce the policy?
A: Centralized control allowed strict policies to be implemented nationwide.

Characteristics of the Policy

9⃣ Q: What were the main restrictions under the One-Child Policy?
A: Couples were restricted to one child, with exceptions for ethnic minorities and rural families if the first child was a girl.

🔟 Q: What incentives were given for complying with the policy?
A: Subsidized education, priority housing, and healthcare benefits.

1⃣1⃣ Q: What were the penalties for non-compliance?
A: Heavy fines, loss of employment, and denial of social benefits.

1⃣2⃣ Q: How did the government enforce the One-Child Policy?
A: Through neighborhood committees and family planning officials who monitored pregnancies.

1⃣3⃣ Q: What were some extreme measures taken to enforce the policy?
A: Cases of forced abortions and sterilizations, particularly in rural areas.

1⃣4⃣ Q: What gender imbalance resulted from the policy?
A: 114 boys for every 100 girls by 2020, compared to a global average of 105:100.

Effectiveness of the Policy

1⃣5⃣ Q: How many births did the One-Child Policy prevent?
A: Approximately 400 million births.

1⃣6⃣ Q: How did the fertility rate change due to the policy?
A: It fell from 5.8 in 1970 to 1.7 in 2020.

1⃣7⃣ Q: What economic benefit did China gain from the policy?
A: A demographic dividend with fewer dependents and a larger working population.

1⃣8⃣ Q: How did the policy affect China's economic growth?
A: It contributed to China's rise as the second-largest economy globally.

1⃣9⃣ Q: What environmental impact did the One-Child Policy have?
A: Slower population growth reduced environmental strain in urban areas.

Impacts of the Policy

2⃣0⃣ Q: What percentage of China's population will be over 65 by 2025?
A: 20%.

2⃣1⃣ Q: What is the 4-2-1 Problem?
A: One child is responsible for supporting two parents and four grandparents, creating financial strain.

2⃣2⃣ Q: How many more men than women were there in China by 2020?
A: 33 million more men.

2⃣3⃣ Q: What major demographic shift began in China in 2012?
A: The working-age population began shrinking.

2⃣4⃣ Q: What policies replaced the One-Child Policy?
A: The Two-Child Policy in 2015 and the Three-Child Policy in 2021.

Conclusion

2⃣5⃣ Q: What were the main successes of the One-Child Policy?
A: Reduced population growth, economic development, and environmental relief.

2⃣6⃣ Q: What were the main long-term challenges of the policy?
A: Aging population, gender imbalance, and a shrinking workforce.

2⃣7⃣ Q: What is the main focus of China's population policy now?
A: Encouraging births to rebalance population structure and sustain economic growth.