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- One-Child Policy Introduction
- Debate #1: Sustainability and Resource Availability
- Debate #2: Policy's Impact
- Looking Forward
Loopholes
The one-child policy was originally designated for the main ethnicity group in China, the Han Chinese, which constitute 92% of the total
population who mostly congregate to urban areas for work. Therefore, significant portions of Chinese living outside of urban areas were exempt from this regulation; in particular, rural farming communities and smaller ethnicity groups. As seen in the graph, about 35.9% of the population are limited to having one child, 52.9% of the population are able to have two children given the first child is female. Also, about 11.2% of the population has the ability to have two children regardless of the sex of the first child located in other provinces because they are citizens in rural areas or minorities (Bristow 2007). Additionally, recent effects of the one child policy have allowed for a special provision that allows couples to legally have two children. This is due to the fact that millions of individuals without siblings are currently young adults. If both individuals in a couple are sibling-less, they are allowed two children of their own. Couples can also travel overseas and have their children abroad.
Many couples have been known to send the pregnant woman to stay with relatives until the baby is born or allege that the newborn baby was adopted and belongs to a relative or family friend. It is important to note that some choose to ignore the rules and face consequences of the government.
Although it is true that many loopholes exist in the complexities of the official government policy, the one child rule seems to be the standard in most families.
The one-child policy was originally designated for the main ethnicity group in China, the Han Chinese, which constitute 92% of the total
population who mostly congregate to urban areas for work. Therefore, significant portions of Chinese living outside of urban areas were exempt from this regulation; in particular, rural farming communities and smaller ethnicity groups. As seen in the graph, about 35.9% of the population are limited to having one child, 52.9% of the population are able to have two children given the first child is female. Also, about 11.2% of the population has the ability to have two children regardless of the sex of the first child located in other provinces because they are citizens in rural areas or minorities (Bristow 2007). Additionally, recent effects of the one child policy have allowed for a special provision that allows couples to legally have two children. This is due to the fact that millions of individuals without siblings are currently young adults. If both individuals in a couple are sibling-less, they are allowed two children of their own. Couples can also travel overseas and have their children abroad.
Many couples have been known to send the pregnant woman to stay with relatives until the baby is born or allege that the newborn baby was adopted and belongs to a relative or family friend. It is important to note that some choose to ignore the rules and face consequences of the government.
Although it is true that many loopholes exist in the complexities of the official government policy, the one child rule seems to be the standard in most families.
References
Bristow, Michael. (2007). Grey Areas in China’s One-child Policy. BBC News. Retrieved from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7002201.stm
Image Retrieved from: http://history.ocde.us/historyday/2008/2711/impactnow.html
Image Retrieved from: http://history.ocde.us/historyday/2008/2711/impactnow.html