China's One-Child Policy Analysis

The Country of China accumulates over 1/5 the population of the world with a massive total of over 1.3 billion people. Having an immense population not only creates problems within the country, but also triggers some of the largest issues our world has faced today. Although China has released a One-Child policy to slightly limit the population rate, problems are continuing to grow at a constant rate. The most powerful institution in the nation of China is the Communist Party of China, otherwise known as the CPC. They set goals and policy that the government then sets in motion (Dramer). The Chinese government is generally thought to be repressive, while freedoms of speech, assembly, religion, and press are not well respected (“China”). In
1979, the Chinese Communist leader issued the One-Child Policy to limit the nation’s population (Harewood). There are also exceptions to China’s One-Child Policy. For instance, the policy applies only to the Han, who make up about 92% of China’s population. The Han are descendants of China’s first great dynasty. However, rural couples are allowed to have a second child if the first one was a female (Dramer). Many believe that this form of policy is unfair and can disturb the cultures of Chinese families. Years ago, China was once concerned for having had too many people to support.
As of today, the One-Child Policy causes the country to have too few children to support a rapidly aging country (Harewood). Also, because males are more valuable than females traditionally, the female population declines. If the ratio of men increases over women, then the population will also decline too fast (Harewood). Based on the July 2013 census, the population of China stands at about 1,349,585,838 and continues to grow (“One-Child Policy”). With several people living in urban areas, it is quite difficult for China’s government to force its population controlling policies (Harewood). Those who don’t follow the policy are penalized with heavy fines, destruction of home or possessions, political/physical harassment, and even loss of employment (“One-Child Policy”). Even with the policy, China’s population still continues to grow at a rapid pace. Some estimates show that nearly 1 million more births occur than deaths every 5 weeks (“One-Child Policy”). These problems will only continue to expedite adversely if a resolution does not develop
soon. There are several causes for the rapidly increasing population, but only a few present itself as the primary source.
One of the main factors is the fact that China has a high birth rate and a low death rate. This is due to a lack of family planning, a high level of infant mortality and increased sanitation. Some cultures also believe that it is unacceptable to use contraception’s (“China”). Other than the logical causes, there was also said to be an “Economic Project” which had increased the population to spark China’s economy. According to sources, “in 1978, China embarked on an economic project that liberated foreign trade and investment; encouraging the formation of rural and private businesses as an attempt to raise China's economy” (Harewood). This project ultimately led to people having more children as it was conducive to the
economy. The problem of overpopulation and the One-Child Policy affect China in several ways. Due to an immense population: pollution, crime, corruption, and rising unemployment are serious problems which continue to rise in China (“China”). The Chinese government neglected to protect its water, air, and land against pollution. Because of this, China is the world’s second largest producer of the dangerous greenhouse gases (Dramer). For the impacts from the policy, “Officials of China suggested that the immediate consequences of the policy shift would be relatively minor, although the government’s own demographic estimates showed that upwards of 10 million couples will be affected” (“One-Child Policy”). The average household size in China was also down to 3.1 people, from 3.44 in 2000. From an international standpoint, the One-Child Policy impacts the entire world by helping reduce the population. Although people around the world complained that the rule was extreme and unfair, the policy has, in some ways, been effective (Dramer). With China having a mass number of people living in such packed places, several people tend to immigrate to other countries, which can likely cause other problems within those countries as well (Dramer). Because China is the most populous country, China attracts several other multi-national companies to set up their businesses in areas holding the largest people. Examples of these companies include Coca Cola, Motorola and Volkswagen (Harewood). Because several companies set up their businesses in a variety of locations, China is ranked number one for having the fasted growing economy (“Dramer”). Solutions to improving the policy are slowly going into effect. After the policy, a system of benefits and penalties went into effect. Couples who signed the policy’s pledge were sometimes granted rewards including regular payments, easy access to healthcare, education, and even desired job categories for both the parents and the child (“One-Child Policy”). In the past year, China’s governing Communist Party released a document presenting policy changes in allowing couples to have an additional child if the mother or father was an only child (“One-Child Policy”). Because of the fact that the policy changes suit most people throughout the nation, the country of China may be able to become stable in the future without disturbing too much of the culture (Harewood). Although China has released a One-Child policy to slightly reduce the population, the changes they have made will allow the country to become stronger and more stabilized. Although the country of China still contains problems due to an immense population. The Communist Party of China is still in search for a greater solution to make their nation a better place for both China and the World.