The one child family policy: the good, the bad, and the ugly. (2024)

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The one child family policy: the good, the bad, and the ugly. (1)

This ArticleThe BMJ

Abstract

Rapid population growth in China during the 1950s and '60s led to the "late, long, few" policy of the 1970s and a dramatic reduction in the total fertility rate. However, population growth remained too high for the economic targets of Deng Xiao Ping's reforms, so the one child family policy was introduced in 1979 and has remained in force ever since. The strategy is different in urban and rural areas, and implementation varies from place to place depending on local conditions. The policy has been beneficial in terms of curbing population growth, aiding economic growth, and improving the health and welfare of women and children. On the negative side there are concerns about demographic and sex imbalance and the psychological effects for a generation of only children in the cities. The atrocities often associated with the policy, such as female infanticide, occur rarely now. China may relax the policy in the near future, probably allowing two children for everyone.

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The one child family policy: the good, the bad, and the ugly. (2024)

FAQs

What are the bad things about the one-child policy? ›

On the negative side there are concerns about demographic and sex imbalance and the psychological effects for a generation of only children in the cities. The atrocities often associated with the policy, such as female infanticide, occur rarely now.

What happens if you have more than one child in China? ›

Families in China can now have as many children as they like without facing fines or other consequences, the Chinese government said late Tuesday. The move followed China's announcement on May 31 that families could now have three children each.

How did the one-child policy work? ›

The one-child policy was a program in China that limited most Chinese families to one child each. It was implemented nationwide by the Chinese government in 1980, and it ended in 2016. The policy was enacted to address the growth rate of the country's population, which the government viewed as being too rapid.

What movie is based on the one-child policy? ›

'One Child Nation' focuses acutely on the impact of the one-child policy on an individual level.

What were 3 negative impacts of the one-child policy? ›

The one-child policy has had three important consequences for China's demographics: it reduced the fertility rate considerably, it skewed China's gender ratio because people preferred to abort or abandon their female babies, and resulted in a labor shortage given the increasing proportion of the population who were ...

Why was the one-child policy controversial? ›

China's one-child policy was controversial because it was a radical intervention by government in the reproductive lives of citizens, because of how it was enforced, and because of some of its consequences.

What happens if you had twins during China's one-child policy? ›

What happened if a mother had twins? The one-child policy was generally accepted to mean one birth per family, meaning if women gave birth to two or more children at the same time, they would not be penalised. A weekly curated round-up of social, political and economic stories from China and how they impact the world.

Is the one-child policy still in effect? ›

In 2015, the government raised the limit to two children, and in May 2021 to three. In July 2021, it removed all limits, shortly after implementing financial incentives to encourage individuals to have additional children.

When did the one-child policy end? ›

Starting on January 1, 2016, all Chinese couples are allowed to have two children. This marks the end of China's one-child policy, which has restricted themajority of Chinese families to only one child for the last 35 years. The process of ending the one-child policy occurred in three steps over the past three years.

What are the unintended consequences of China's one-child policy? ›

When most families were restricted to one child, having a girl became highly undesirable, resulting in a rise in abortions of female fetuses (made possible after ultrasound sex determination became available), increases in the number of female children who were placed in orphanages or were abandoned, and even ...

What happens if you break the one-child policy in China? ›

In the past, the family was significantly fined for having a second child (more than a year's wages for those who lived in rural communities) and the second child would not be eligible for state provided medical care or education.

Who ended the one-child policy? ›

After years of hesitation, the Chinese government on Thursday finally announced the repeal of its controversial one-child policy, which will now be replaced with a two-child policy.

Is one child Based on a true story? ›

One Child is a memoir by American author and psychologist Torey Hayden.

What movie do mom and daughter have babies at the same time? ›

Father of the Bride Part II

In “Father of the Bridge Part II,” mom (the amazing Diane Keaton) and grown-and-married daughter are pregnant at the same time.

What movie is adoption 3 kids? ›

Instant Family (Also known as 'Apprentis Parents') is a 2018 American family comedy-drama film starring Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne as parents who adopt three siblings, played by Isabela Merced, Gustavo Quiroz, and Julianna Gamiz.

Did the one-child policy fail? ›

One thing the Chinese couldn't ignore though was that population numbers were still swelling. More than twenty years after its introduction, the Chinese admitted that the one child policy was a failure. The Guardian, 27 July 2002.

Why is the one-child policy a thing? ›

In spite of some criticism inside the party, the family planning policy, was formally implemented as a temporary measure on 18 September 1980. The plan called for families to have one child each in order to curb a then-surging population and alleviate social, economic, and environmental problems in China.

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