ethan
N O R T H
A S I A
THE SOCIAL IMPACT OF CHINA’S ONE-CHILD POLICY
XUEFENG CHEN
A
s family is important to the socialization of children, it plays an important role in the development of children’s intellect and personality. In order to control the country’s population, the People’s Republic of
China has implemented the one child’s policy for the last two decade. Today, over 90% of all urban children, and over 60% of rural children have no brothers or sisters. What
74
Harvard Asia Pacific Review
is the effect of this historically rare policy? Researchers and citizens from both the East and the West have been concerned with this issue. In China, many news-reports have expressed the worry that single-child families would produce self-centered “little emperors” and “empresses.”
Theoretically, this concern is both reasonable and probable. However, at this point, such speculations have not
of their children, they would make a greater effort to mainbeen supported by any substantial evidence in research.
Western scholars Toni Falbo and Denis F. Polit (1986) tain good relations and be more supportive toward their have noted the three discrete discrepancies between only- children’s personal and academic endeavors. Researchers children and children with siblings. First, children with at China’s Center for Children Development showed in siblings often exchange amongst each other their respec- the 1980’s that parents of only-children, on the whole, tive academic and social experiences – an advantage that have a higher level of expectation for their children’s casingle-children lack. Second, single-children tend to be reer and academic achievements. Mercy and Steelman dominated more by self-seeking instincts, commanding (1982) have also reported that only-children spend more more attention in their individual homes. Third, because time with their parents than do non-only children. Lewis parents tend to treat their single-child the way
A S I A
THE SOCIAL IMPACT OF CHINA’S ONE-CHILD POLICY
XUEFENG CHEN
A
s family is important to the socialization of children, it plays an important role in the development of children’s intellect and personality. In order to control the country’s population, the People’s Republic of
China has implemented the one child’s policy for the last two decade. Today, over 90% of all urban children, and over 60% of rural children have no brothers or sisters. What
74
Harvard Asia Pacific Review
is the effect of this historically rare policy? Researchers and citizens from both the East and the West have been concerned with this issue. In China, many news-reports have expressed the worry that single-child families would produce self-centered “little emperors” and “empresses.”
Theoretically, this concern is both reasonable and probable. However, at this point, such speculations have not
of their children, they would make a greater effort to mainbeen supported by any substantial evidence in research.
Western scholars Toni Falbo and Denis F. Polit (1986) tain good relations and be more supportive toward their have noted the three discrete discrepancies between only- children’s personal and academic endeavors. Researchers children and children with siblings. First, children with at China’s Center for Children Development showed in siblings often exchange amongst each other their respec- the 1980’s that parents of only-children, on the whole, tive academic and social experiences – an advantage that have a higher level of expectation for their children’s casingle-children lack. Second, single-children tend to be reer and academic achievements. Mercy and Steelman dominated more by self-seeking instincts, commanding (1982) have also reported that only-children spend more more attention in their individual homes. Third, because time with their parents than do non-only children. Lewis parents tend to treat their single-child the way