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- One-Child Policy Introduction
- Debate #1: Sustainability and Resource Availability
- Debate #2: Policy's Impact
- Looking Forward
At the other end of the spectrum, the one-child policy has many costs associated with it including: a rising elderly population, unequal sex-ratio due to sex selective abortion, and high female and child mortality rates. Additionally, the policy has been strongly opposed by many citizens of China wishing to have a family without limitations. This side of the debate focuses on the policy’s impact on the demographic make-up of the population and the fervent opinion that it is a violation of the right to reproductive freedom.
Although the one-child policy helped to decelerate the increasing growth of China’s population, changing population demographics highlights several emerging negative impacts on the Chinese society that has subsequently caused wide-spread animosity towards the policy. For example, the sex ratio of men to women in China in 2001 was 1.16 (Hesketh, September 2005, Table 2). This is due to the nature of a nation that has been long known for a preference to having sons, which has led to disheartening outcomes for female babies. Although official statistics vary, sex-selective abortion, abandonment, and infanticide have contributed to 40 million“missing” girls (Torre, 2011). Social consequences of this sex imbalance which threaten the stability of China’s future include increases in crime, violence, and revolutions due to the natural aggression of males and has also left many men unable to marry and create a family. An estimate by the Chinese Academy of Social Services (CASS) stated that 24 million Chinese men might not be able to find a bride in 2020 (Wetzstein, 2010).
Although the one-child policy helped to decelerate the increasing growth of China’s population, changing population demographics highlights several emerging negative impacts on the Chinese society that has subsequently caused wide-spread animosity towards the policy. For example, the sex ratio of men to women in China in 2001 was 1.16 (Hesketh, September 2005, Table 2). This is due to the nature of a nation that has been long known for a preference to having sons, which has led to disheartening outcomes for female babies. Although official statistics vary, sex-selective abortion, abandonment, and infanticide have contributed to 40 million“missing” girls (Torre, 2011). Social consequences of this sex imbalance which threaten the stability of China’s future include increases in crime, violence, and revolutions due to the natural aggression of males and has also left many men unable to marry and create a family. An estimate by the Chinese Academy of Social Services (CASS) stated that 24 million Chinese men might not be able to find a bride in 2020 (Wetzstein, 2010).
Other drawbacks from the policy include, but are not limited to, an aging population, abortion, neglect, abandonment, and infanticide, especially to female infants. The aging population, for example, has left China’s future highly uncertain due to a growth in the elder population unsupported by birth rates of younger generations. China’s population over the age of 65 years was 7.5% in 2005 and was projected to rise to more than 15% by 2025. In comparison to other Asian countries such as Japan, where the proportion of people over the age of 65 years stands at 20%, China’s projected percentage seems insignificant; however, China’s economic structure is labor intensive and wage rates are minimal with no health-care or insurance packages (Hesketh, September 2005, pg. 3). Therefore, China will face a rapid decrease in labor supply and one child will be financially responsible for the care of their parents, especially health care. From these policy’s stated consequences, the government intervention in human reproduction has clearly generated feelings that it is a human rights violation especially regarding women.
While the one-child policy was historically implemented as an emergency measure to stem the population growth rate at the start of Chinese economic reforms, many families that I talked to during my trip discussed their ill-feelings towards the policy. This is not surprising as an immediate result is a “forceful alteration of China’s traditional family structure” (Feng, 2005, pg. 2). A few women indicated that they felt as if the policy violated their right to reproductive freedom, believing that they should have the right to control their own reproductive health and determine their own choices in regard to the number of they wish to have. One woman living in Beijing discussed the discouraging nature of this policy with an emotional point of view. She discussed her long time desire to create a large family just like her ancestors but the Government took this dream away from her with the establishment of the policy. She has repeatedly tried to appeal to the government to let her form the family she has always dreamed of, yet failed miserably at each attempt. Another woman described the policy as the “most devastating systematic attack on all mothers in China”.
While some sort of fertility policy may be necessary in controlling population growth and the difficulties associated with it, many believe that it is time for a new policy to be developed. China now has “low fertility; a new economic environment; a strong and persistent preference for two children among the Chinese population; and the recent success in reorienting the government’s birth control program away from coercion and toward service” (Feng, 2005, pg. 8). Previously under China’s planned economy system, the government or the collective provided food, shelter, and employment. With the shift in the planned economy system from government to family economic planning, Chinese citizens are beginning to plan their own social, economic, and reproductive lives. This requires parents to plan their own childbearing, as they will be responsible for the associated costs.
With China’s history and growing awareness and concern of the issues that are caused by a growing population, it is clear as to why the policy was originally developed. However, many of these families believed that reproductive health is a neglected freedom. China’s sustainable future also needs to address the expansion of freedoms that allow each individual to make their own life decisions without the use of force from the state. While residing in Beijing, I noticed a sign on one of their streets read: “Better 10 graves than one birth”. These types of messages are widely spread throughout the country and originate from the government. At some point, it is necessary to take a step back to look at the big picture and assess these types of messages that are being portrayed by leaders that are trusted to head the country, with the citizens’ best interest in mind.
Thirty-one years after the anniversary of the law that many feel is one of the greatest human rights violation in recent history, it will be interesting to see if oppression of more women and losses of millions of children continues, or if policymakers will adapt or eliminate the policy altogether, giving full freedom of choice to parents in their decisions regarding their lives.
While the one-child policy was historically implemented as an emergency measure to stem the population growth rate at the start of Chinese economic reforms, many families that I talked to during my trip discussed their ill-feelings towards the policy. This is not surprising as an immediate result is a “forceful alteration of China’s traditional family structure” (Feng, 2005, pg. 2). A few women indicated that they felt as if the policy violated their right to reproductive freedom, believing that they should have the right to control their own reproductive health and determine their own choices in regard to the number of they wish to have. One woman living in Beijing discussed the discouraging nature of this policy with an emotional point of view. She discussed her long time desire to create a large family just like her ancestors but the Government took this dream away from her with the establishment of the policy. She has repeatedly tried to appeal to the government to let her form the family she has always dreamed of, yet failed miserably at each attempt. Another woman described the policy as the “most devastating systematic attack on all mothers in China”.
While some sort of fertility policy may be necessary in controlling population growth and the difficulties associated with it, many believe that it is time for a new policy to be developed. China now has “low fertility; a new economic environment; a strong and persistent preference for two children among the Chinese population; and the recent success in reorienting the government’s birth control program away from coercion and toward service” (Feng, 2005, pg. 8). Previously under China’s planned economy system, the government or the collective provided food, shelter, and employment. With the shift in the planned economy system from government to family economic planning, Chinese citizens are beginning to plan their own social, economic, and reproductive lives. This requires parents to plan their own childbearing, as they will be responsible for the associated costs.
With China’s history and growing awareness and concern of the issues that are caused by a growing population, it is clear as to why the policy was originally developed. However, many of these families believed that reproductive health is a neglected freedom. China’s sustainable future also needs to address the expansion of freedoms that allow each individual to make their own life decisions without the use of force from the state. While residing in Beijing, I noticed a sign on one of their streets read: “Better 10 graves than one birth”. These types of messages are widely spread throughout the country and originate from the government. At some point, it is necessary to take a step back to look at the big picture and assess these types of messages that are being portrayed by leaders that are trusted to head the country, with the citizens’ best interest in mind.
Thirty-one years after the anniversary of the law that many feel is one of the greatest human rights violation in recent history, it will be interesting to see if oppression of more women and losses of millions of children continues, or if policymakers will adapt or eliminate the policy altogether, giving full freedom of choice to parents in their decisions regarding their lives.
References
Chen D., & Yang, D. (2004). Transformations in China’s Population Policies and Demographic Structure. Pacific Economic Review 9(3), 269-290.
Coale, A. (1981). Population trends, population-policy, and population studies in China. Population and Development Review, 7(1), 85-97.
Hesketh, T., Lu, L. , & Xing, Z. (2005). The Effect of China's One-Child Family Policy After 25 Years.New England Journal of Medicine, 353(11), 1171-1176.
Feng, W. (2005). Can China Afford to Continue Its One-Child Policy? East-West Center Asia Pacific, No. 77, 1-12.
Torre, S. (2011). Almost 40 Million “Missing” Girls Later, China’s One-Child Policy Is 31. The Heritage Network. Retrieved from http://blog.heritage.org/2011/09/28/almost-40-million-%E2%80%9Cmissing%E2%80%9D-girls-later-china%E2%80%99s-one-child-policy-is-31/
Wetzstein, C. (2010). With 1-child policy, China ‘Missing’ Girls. The Washington Times. Retrieved from: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jan/27/with-1-child-policy-china-missing-girls/?page=all
Coale, A. (1981). Population trends, population-policy, and population studies in China. Population and Development Review, 7(1), 85-97.
Hesketh, T., Lu, L. , & Xing, Z. (2005). The Effect of China's One-Child Family Policy After 25 Years.New England Journal of Medicine, 353(11), 1171-1176.
Feng, W. (2005). Can China Afford to Continue Its One-Child Policy? East-West Center Asia Pacific, No. 77, 1-12.
Torre, S. (2011). Almost 40 Million “Missing” Girls Later, China’s One-Child Policy Is 31. The Heritage Network. Retrieved from http://blog.heritage.org/2011/09/28/almost-40-million-%E2%80%9Cmissing%E2%80%9D-girls-later-china%E2%80%99s-one-child-policy-is-31/
Wetzstein, C. (2010). With 1-child policy, China ‘Missing’ Girls. The Washington Times. Retrieved from: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jan/27/with-1-child-policy-china-missing-girls/?page=all