One Child Policy - China
When and What
When~
- Until the 1960's, the Chinese communistic government promoted the breeding of large family units since this improved productivity and visibly show the signs of a healthy growing nation. The One Child Policy was introduced into China in 1979 by Deng Xiaoping when the Chinese government noticed that the rapidly increasing population had caused overcrowding and had caused their economy to become sluggish.
What~
- The One Child Policy is an Anti Natalist Policy, which is meant to decrease the total population. Couples are encouraged to have only one child and are given rewards if they acquiesced to their government's request. This would include:
- Retirement funds
- Priority in housing and schooling
- Higher wages
Those who would prefer to have more than one child would be penalized by the Chinese government in the forms of:
- Pressure to abort the child
- Dismissal from occupation
- Heavy fines (Can range from $370-$12,800)
It was greatly expected that every family would comply with this policy, although there is a variety of exceptions. Families living in rural areas, parents who have dangerous jobs, giving birth to children over seas, and having a disabled child are seen as acceptions to the policy. If any of these rules apply to you, congratulations! You may have more than one child!
Where and Why
Where ~
- The One Child Policy affects the citizens of the Peoples Republic of China in South-East Asia, which is composed of 23 provinces (If you include Taiwan), 5 autonomous regions, and 2 specially administered regions.
Why ~
- The One Child Policy went into affect due to the Chinese Government taking notice that China's population had accounted for one-fourth of the entire global population. This policy was placed in order for the chinese government to reduce population growth so that it could support its poplation with its given resources.
How
How ~
- The chinese government would impose very harsh penalties onto those would would otherwise go against the OCP. Similarly, those who would follow the policy would be heavily rewarded if they stick to the policy and only have one child.
Please refer to *Cube Side 1* if you would wish to see the how these penalties and payments would generally affect the chinese family.
Advantages of the One Child Policy
Advantages ~
- The OCP has proven to be very succesful since it lowered both the fertility rate and overall population of China. It has prevented an estimated 400 million births from the years 1979-2010. As stated on the previous side, thanks to the OCP, China's dwindling resource issue is now not as big of a concern as before.
Disadvantages of the One Child Policy
Disadvantages ~
- The main disadvantage and issue of the OCP is its apparant lack of human rights. It strips the rights of China's citizens and inforces abortions and sterilizations in certain situations. Since China now has an aging population, that one child born as a result of the policy will have to take care of his 4 grandparents and 2 parents. That one child just became the dependant of 6 individual people. Plus, since this is a male dominated society, the OCP prefers males over females. Because of this many female children are aborted or put up for adoption, for every 100 females born; 120 males are born.