Do You Agree with the One Child Policy?

Do You Agree with China’s One Child Policy?

China’s government had always had the problem of finding a way to provide for its large population. After the death of Mao in the 1970s, China finally realized that if the economy or the standard of living were ever going to improve, they would need to reduce China’s massive population. Thus, in the 1980s, the One Child Policy was introduced as a solution but did China make the right choice by limiting parents to only one child? After giving much thought to the subject, I do believe it was the right choice. The number one reason why China was so desperate for a solution was because of the lack of resources. In 1958, the Chinese Communist party (CCP) introduced The Great Leap Forward plan, it was suppose to modernize China’s industry and agriculture but the outcomes were a step backwards instead. It led to a famine now known as ‘The Great Chinese Famine’. An estimated number of 20 to 30 million people faced starvation and died. Schools in China were also getting bigger due to the large population and this is a problem because it is difficult for the child to receive a good education and once they graduate, it becomes even more difficult to get into a good college or get a job because of all the competition. So in 1979, the desperate Chinese government established the One Child Policy. The policy helped support the population with not only food and water but with other facilities such as healthcare, education, shelter, more job opportunities and power. It also helped reduce poverty. Another big advantage of the One Child Policy is that it helps reduce pollution, avoid climate change and save the environment because the smaller the population, the smaller demand for energy. Statistics showed that the number of births China avoided is equivalent to the population of the USA. In China, there are actually not that many suitable land for farming and the population has already experience water shortages. The policy has already decrease water pollution by 30.8 %. If the policy was not established, the standard of living in China wouldn’t be what it is today because to increase a standard of living would mean an increased of the amount of carbon that is being released. China’s ecological footprint would have been incredibly high if not for the reduction of birth rates. China’s mass population would have resulted in further reduction of the world’s natural resources and this would lead to more harm on the environment. The One Child Policy can be very beneficial to families, if they follow the rules. By abiding this policy, parents will receive a “one child certificate”, which grants them various social benefits such as longer maternity leaves, interest-free loans and other services such as health care, state housing and education for the child. The parents are also rewarded with an extra month’s salary each year until the child turns 14. However, if the parents disobey, all the benefits entitled to them would be stripped away and replaced by fines instead. The National population and Family Planning Commission of China (NPFPC) contributes too by offering free contraceptive, because of this, and estimated number of more than 87% of China’s married women use contraception. There are always two sides to an argument and that applies to the One Child Policy as well. One of the problems of the policy is the gender imbalance that it has created. Married couples usually long for a son than a daughter. They believe that only a son could properly carry on the family name as an heir. Female infanticide is an act of purposely aborting female fetuses, sometime even infants and is commonly done in China. The current ratio of boys to girls is around 120 boys to 100 girls. However, the practice of female infanticide is now illegal. China has also banned prenatal gender screening in 1994. However, it is still fairly easy to bribe the doctors. The desire to have a son instead has been part of the Chinese culture for a long time, however, there are evidence that the gender imbalance has been slowly improving. In 2009, a survey for 3500 parents was conducted in Shanghai and it said that 12% wanted a son and 15% wanted a daughter (the rest had no preference). Reasons behind these changed attitudes are because of the increasing education and career opportunity for women in China. It was also stated that girls are better caretakers when their parents come of old age. Lastly, due to the gender imbalance, there are so many men out there leaving the women with so many choices they have become finicky when choosing a partner. Parents who want to marry off their son feel pressured into buying them more expensive cars, their own apartment or house. These factors added up seem make the idea of having a son less charming. Another criticism about the One Child Policy is known as the “4-2-1” problem, four grandparents, two parents and one child. China has a large number of dependants in the country and according to an estimate, between 2010 and 2020, China’s work force between ages 20 to 24 will be cut by 50% and this problem is only going to get worse. By 2050, the median age in China will be 45, and a quarter of the population will be over 65. China needs more young labor workers. Demographers have argued that this problem can be easily solved because there are millions of people, especially in Southern Asia like Bangladesh, who are seeking a better life and would migrate to a “middle class” China for a better life. As China gets richer, international migration would contribute to the trade of international labor market. Countries like the USA have also welcomed millions of migrants from overseas over the years. I believe that the One Child Policy was a good decision, China’s population back then, due to Mao, was increasing dangerous. China had to find a solution for the current situation, yes, the One Child Policy may have its disadvantages, but that can be dealt with later in the future. If the One Child Policy hadn’t been introduced, there might not even be a future for China and its people, who knows what stage China might be in right now. If the crucial decision of the One Child Policy hadn’t been made, the consequences might have even affected the whole world.