One-child policy

One-child policy was a population control policy of the People's Republic of China which was introduced in 1979 and was officially phased out in 2015. The policy was enacted to address the growth rate of the country’s population, which the government viewed as being too high.

History

The one-child policy was introduced by Chinese leader Deng Xiaoping in 1979, who believed that population control was necessary for the economic development of China. The policy was enforced at the provincial level through fines that were imposed based on the income of the family and other factors.

Implementation

The one-child policy was implemented more strictly in urban areas than in rural areas, due to the difficulty in enforcing the policy in rural areas. In most rural areas, families were allowed to have two children if the first child was a girl. Furthermore, ethnic minorities were exempt from the policy.

Impact

The one-child policy has been credited with reducing China's population growth in the years since it was enacted. However, it has also been criticized for a number of negative social outcomes. One of the most serious of these has been the gender imbalance in China, caused by a traditional preference for boys and the use of sex-selective practices.

Criticism

The one-child policy has been criticized for violating human rights, particularly due to the methods used to enforce it, which included forced abortions and sterilizations. It has also been blamed for the current ageing population problem in China, as the country now has a high proportion of elderly people.

End of the policy

In October 2015, the Chinese government announced that the one-child policy would be ended in March 2016 and that all families would be allowed to have two children. This change was made due to the ageing population and the need for young people to provide for their elderly relatives.

See also

• Family planning in China
• Demographics of China
• Two-child policy