Chinas one child policy Free Essays

In the mid-twentieth century, the Chinese government believed that a large population would turn China into a strong nation. The people were encouraged to have large families. However, this resulted in a population increase of 55 million every three years. We will write a custom essay sample on Chinas one child policy or any similar topic only for you Order Now With the massive population increase, the state realised that it might lead to famine as the food demand would exceed supply. To avoid a Malthusian disaster, the government decided to control the population growth by introducing the one-child policy. The limits each couple to bear only one child (with the exception of identical twins). In addition, the marriageable age for men was raised to 22, and for women to 20. This meant couples would bear a child later than it used to be. Couples who conformed were allowed free education for their child, priority housing and other benefits. On the other hand, those who did not were fined heavily. Unfortunately after the policy was introduced, infanticide occurred. From tradition, male decedents were always preferred as they carry their family names from generation to generation. As couples were only allowed one child, girls were quite often abandoned, or even killed so they could have another chance of getting a boy. This occurred more often in rural areas, where there were less control from the government, and also where traditions held stronger. The preference of getting a male child also meant a higher male to female ratio. As a result the population growth rate would decrease. Although it can be seen as a good thing and is the whole point of the policy, the fertility rate might lower to a point where reproduction occurred very rarely. Another problem the Chinese government faced was that it was quite easy for couples to hide their child. Many people had more than one child without the government knowing. These children were not registered and could not receive any benefits which were available for all other children – not even medical care or education. Later in life, there would be difficulty in obtaining permission from the government to marry as they were not registered. Having only one child per couple, parents could easily indulge their child. As a result, â€Å"little emperors were emerged†. It was also speculated that it would result in poor communication and cooperative skills amongst the younger generation due to the lack of siblings. Lastly, many people from the Western society criticised the policy as an assault on human rights. Women were often forced to abort the child if she already had one. Many people saw this as murder and violation in human right. Despite all these problems, the one child policy did reduce the population and a â€Å"Malthusian disaster† was avoided. In 2007, China’s population was roughly 1.3 billion; it was predicted to be 25% higher if not for the one-child policy. Population structure of China in 2000. The base of the pyramid is expected to be wider if the one-child policy was not in place. The decrease in population growth rate seems to have a positive effect on economic growth. There was less demand on natural resources to support the needs of the population, which in turn reduced the strains on the natural environment. There was less unemployment due to labour surplus. The individual saving rate was increased since the introduction of the policy. This was due to less money being spent on children, and in turn allows people more money to invest. It is also reported that women received better health care services. The number of women who died from pregnancy and the infant mortality rate had decreased. In conclusion, the one-child policy was not a perfect solution, but it was almost inevitable as China’s population was growing so fast that famine was bound to occur if it was not controlled. However, perhaps a more relaxed policy could have achieved the same results. I personally think that a two-child policy might have been better. It would stabilise the population, as well giving the people more freedom and possibly solve the problem of imbalance sex ratio. How to cite Chinas one child policy, Papers ChinaS One Child Policy Free Essays Victor Acosta Argumentative Essay China’s One-Child Policy According to the U. S. Census Bureau the world’s population consists, of 6,908,497,829 people. We will write a custom essay sample on China?S One Child Policy or any similar topic only for you Order Now China resides as the world’s leading populated country with 1,336,718,015 people. Because, of this over population it maintained fears of their food, resources, and living spaces. The Chinese government then implemented the one-child policy. The one-child policy has prevailed effectively in slowing down the population growth, but it has caused great anguish among Chinese families. Matt Rosenberg explains how one of the problems facing China in recent years is overpopulation. The Chinese government needed to make a policy to cope with the growing numbers of Chinese citizens. China remains the only country in the world where it is illegal to have a brother or sister. China’s one child policy became established by the Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping in 1979 as a solution to stop the over population. The Policy states that parents who live in the city subsist to having only one child. When the One Child Policy was put into place in 1979 it had three goals in mind: control the population growth of China, improving the status of women, and eradicating of poverty. First, slowing population growth. One-child policy has effectively checked the trend of over-rapid population growth. In the 15 years from the founding of the People’s Republic to 1964, China’s population increased from 500 million to 700 million, and on average 7. 5 years were needed for the population to increase by 100 million. The 1964-1974 periods were one of high-speed growth where China’s population increased from 700 million to 900 million in ten years. In 1973, China began to promote family planning throughout the country. China has been through the third post-1949 peak period of births from the beginning of the 1990s, the community of women in their prime of fertility (aged 20 to 29) has exceeded 100 million each year on average, and such a huge child-bearing community has a great birth potential still. But, because China’s current population and family planning programs and policies have won understanding and support from the people, the fertility level of the population has steadily reduced and the trend of over rapid population growth has been effectively checked along with the country’s economic and social development. Compared with 1970, in 1994 the birth rate dropped from 33. 43 per thousand to 17. 7 per thousand; the natural growth rate, from 25. 83 per thousand to 11. 1 per thousand; and the total fertility rate of women, from 5. 81 to around 2. Now, China’s urban population has basically accomplished the change-over to the population reproduction pattern characterized by low birth rate, low death rate and low growth; and the rural population is currently in this process of change-over. According to statistics supplied by the United Nations, China’s population growth rate has already been markedly lower than the average level of other developing c ountries. According to calculation by experts, if China had not implemented family planning but had all along kept the birth rate at the level of the early 1970s, its population would possibly have passed the 1. 5 billion mark by now. Over the past two decades and more, China’s promotion of family planning has created a population environment conducive to reform and opening to the outside world and socioeconomic development as well as the population conditions for safeguarding the survival and development of China. Second, improving the status of women. One-child policy has further liberated the female productive forces and helped improve the status of women. One-child policy in China has extricated women from frequent births after marriage and the heavy family burden, further liberated and expanded the social productive forces latent in women, and provided them with more opportunities to learn science and general knowledge and take part in economic and social development activities, hence greatly promoted the improvement of the Chinese women’s status in economic and social affairs as well as in their families. Third, eradicating of poverty. One-child policy has accelerated the process of eradicating poverty in rural China. The Chinese government has taken an important step in giving support to the development of poor areas to alleviate poverty by promoting one-child policy, holding population growth under control, and raising the life quality of the population in those areas. Since 1978, the state has adopted a series of measures to make those living below the poverty line drop from 250 million to 70 million. However, the policy caused some side effects on the population. The results are imbalance between developed and undeveloped areas, unbalance of male and female, preference of bearing only male children and increasing of selective-sex abortions Conclusion, The positive impact produced by family planning on Chinese society is wide and profound. With the passing of time, the benefits of family planning, for the people and for posterity, are bound to be more apparent. When the One Child Policy was put into place in 1979 it had three goals in mind: control the population growth of China, improving the status of women, and eradicating of poverty. In 1949 when The People’s Republic of China was formed the population was mostly workers and families were paid to have babies. The problem was the population didn’t stop growing after that and by 1953 it had grown to about 583 million people. By 1964 the Chinese government realized they had a problem on their hands and came out with the Later Sparser Fewer Policy. The problem with this policy was that there were still too many people that even though families were having fewer children further apart and later in life the population was still grow. 979    Chinese government came up with an extreme plan of the One  Child Policy. This policy allows    citizens to pick up the birth before the birth of their child. 1980    The Birth Quota System was established to monitor  population growth. Target goals were set for each region of the country. Local government officials were responsible for enforcing the population control rules and making sure they did not excee d the the limit they were allotted. Government officials were punished by law and loss of privileges if the pre-established goals were not met. 1980    ( SFPC) Population and Information Research Center was founded. SFPC    was established so that different organizations could share information    regarding population control. They are responsible for assimilating information and providing it the Chinese government which in turns helps to form policies. China’s population is expected to rise to 1. 5 billion by the year 2025. 1983    Other population control methods were set up for families over two children by The Chinese government they included;    mandatory tubal ligations, vasectomies, and  abortions. These methods accounted for approximately 35% of the population control. How to cite China?S One Child Policy, Essay examples