Introduction
An old Chinese proverb says: “There are three kinds of lies: small lies, big lies and statistics.” Four years ago, six million people counted the Chinese population in order of the government. Before those people started their task, it was already obvious that the results would not be correct.
The three main reasons that the six million counters would give the wrong information to the Chinese government, is:
1. forbidden migration in China:
In China you may not decide for yourself where you want to live. Every citizen of China has a document, which also allows you to live only in a certain city. For the last few years there are many Chinese who illegally moved from the rural areas to the city.
2. the behaviour of local leaders:
The local leaders wants be in favour of the government. The government wants to have a one child policy, so the consequences are that the local leaders will give them the wrong number of citizens in their district. Even though this is not the true number, it will keep the government happy.
3. The most important reason is the one child policy, which I already mentioned. This is the topic what I am going to talk about from now on.
General information
China is the third largest country in the world, next to Canada and Russia. The population is 1.3 billion, the largest number of the world. (Without the one child policy this would have been 1.6 billion!) At this moment, every year the population grows with about 14 million people a year (this is comparable with the population of Norway and Sweden together). Experts think that the population will stabilize by 2050 at 1.6 billion; this is about 400 million more citizens than now.
China has a strict family planning program to prevent that her population will be an obstacle in the economic development of her country.
History
During the last 2000 years, the population of China varied between 60 and 110 million. After 1750 and in the Qing-dynasty (1644-1911), the population grew to 400 million people. Between 1950 and now, the population of China has DOUBLED.
Mao said there could not be too many Chinese; it is good for the productivity of the country. So the population of China increased from 1950 to 1970 with 300 million people. In the beginning of the 60s millions of people died because of famine, a consequence of a bad economic planning.
Political leaders got concerned about the growth.
In the 70s, the government began to take the issue seriously; it led to the “late, long, few” policy in the mid-‘70s. This policy called for later child bearing, longer spacing and fewer children. As a result the average number of children born to each woman dropped, but this was still too high.
One child policy
This is the reason why in 1979 the Chinese government introduced the one child policy.
The policy means that couples in urban areas can only have one child.
However, there are a few exceptions:
• If the first child has a defect (defects which are allowed are specifically defined)
• In case of remarriage if one partner has no child by the previous marriage
• If they belong to certain group of workers (such as miners)
• If both partners are themselves from one child families.
In rural areas some couples may have two children, especially when the first child is a girl or has a defect.
Some ethnical minority may have until four children and in Tibet they may choose how many children they would like to have.
The only child has many benefits: free medical care and education, vouchers for free food, pension advantages and preferential treatment for housing and jobs.
Future parents have to submit for a birth application before they start a pregnancy. After the allowed number of children is born, the women are expected to use contraceptive or being sterilise. It is also expected that women who become pregnant for a second time or outside marriage are expected to have an abortion.
The penalties for an “illegal” pregnancy vary, depends on the district where you live. The penalties vary from no penalty through to loss of benefits for the first child, fines, job loss, and seizure of possessions.
They are also rewards for those who take the One Child Pledge. For example, the family will receive a percentage of their wage as compensation or a preferential treatment when applying for housing.
Positive consequences
1) That China is controlling its population is clearly a benefit for the whole world; natural resources will be saved.
2) China finally maintains the evolution of her population. In this way China can prevent a disaster on different areas (ecologic, economic, cultural)
3) Children from a one-child family benefit from the increasing welfare. Girl children particularly, since families place all their investment in them, with no competition from sons.
4) Mothers have greater freedom to work outside home and to acquire skills and training.
5) The possibilities for abortion are improved. Easy access to safe abortion means that illegal abortion is a rare cause of death.
Negative consequences
1) Imbalance between men and women. The reason for the imbalance related to not reporting female births, female infanticide, sex selective abortions, and reported adoption of baby girls.
Because most parents prefer a son above a daughter, the proportion is 120 boys to 100 girls.
2) The support of elderly people, traditionally a responsibility of children. The number of elderly people will increase from 130 million at this moment to 439 million in 2050.
3) China‘s working population will be 900 million people in the next decennia, which will lead to an increase of unemployment.
4) Psychological consequences for children from a one child family. Children will possible have behaviour problems because they are so spoiled.
Relaxing of the policy
Since 2002 families may choose for a second child, especially those who are born in a one child family. Furthermore, sex selective abortions are forbidden and on high school it is forbidden to make difference between boys and girls. Abortions are less pushed nowadays.
Conclusion
The one child policy has her positive and negative sides.
According to the government the one policy is a success: the fertility (vruchtbaarheids) number is now 1.8 instead of 5 in 1970. It has reduced China‘s population by 3 million.
Experts find that the policy does not work; Chinese population still grows with 13 million people a year. This number will not diminish until 2050.
In fact, the one child policy does not exist in rural areas. 60% of people in this area have two children, which causes the biggest growth of the population.
The citizens of China accept this policy. This is not so surprising considering the overcrowded Chinese cities, cramped living conditions, the pressures of child care with two working parents and the high cost of raising children.
Statement 1
The one child policy has done more bad than good to the population of China.
Statement 2
The one child policy does not work, because of the many exceptions and relaxing of the policy. In this way, the government can better let people decide for themselves how many children they want to have.
An old Chinese proverb says: “There are three kinds of lies: small lies, big lies and statistics.” Four years ago, six million people counted the Chinese population in order of the government. Before those people started their task, it was already obvious that the results would not be correct.
The three main reasons that the six million counters would give the wrong information to the Chinese government, is:
1. forbidden migration in China:
2. the behaviour of local leaders:
The local leaders wants be in favour of the government. The government wants to have a one child policy, so the consequences are that the local leaders will give them the wrong number of citizens in their district. Even though this is not the true number, it will keep the government happy.
3. The most important reason is the one child policy, which I already mentioned. This is the topic what I am going to talk about from now on.
General information
China is the third largest country in the world, next to Canada and Russia. The population is 1.3 billion, the largest number of the world. (Without the one child policy this would have been 1.6 billion!) At this moment, every year the population grows with about 14 million people a year (this is comparable with the population of Norway and Sweden together). Experts think that the population will stabilize by 2050 at 1.6 billion; this is about 400 million more citizens than now.
China has a strict family planning program to prevent that her population will be an obstacle in the economic development of her country.
History
During the last 2000 years, the population of China varied between 60 and 110 million. After 1750 and in the Qing-dynasty (1644-1911), the population grew to 400 million people. Between 1950 and now, the population of China has DOUBLED.
Mao said there could not be too many Chinese; it is good for the productivity of the country. So the population of China increased from 1950 to 1970 with 300 million people. In the beginning of the 60s millions of people died because of famine, a consequence of a bad economic planning.
Political leaders got concerned about the growth.
One child policy
This is the reason why in 1979 the Chinese government introduced the one child policy.
The policy means that couples in urban areas can only have one child.
However, there are a few exceptions:
• If the first child has a defect (defects which are allowed are specifically defined)
• In case of remarriage if one partner has no child by the previous marriage
• If they belong to certain group of workers (such as miners)
• If both partners are themselves from one child families.
In rural areas some couples may have two children, especially when the first child is a girl or has a defect.
Some ethnical minority may have until four children and in Tibet they may choose how many children they would like to have.
The only child has many benefits: free medical care and education, vouchers for free food, pension advantages and preferential treatment for housing and jobs.
Future parents have to submit for a birth application before they start a pregnancy. After the allowed number of children is born, the women are expected to use contraceptive or being sterilise. It is also expected that women who become pregnant for a second time or outside marriage are expected to have an abortion.
They are also rewards for those who take the One Child Pledge. For example, the family will receive a percentage of their wage as compensation or a preferential treatment when applying for housing.
Positive consequences
1) That China is controlling its population is clearly a benefit for the whole world; natural resources will be saved.
2) China finally maintains the evolution of her population. In this way China can prevent a disaster on different areas (ecologic, economic, cultural)
3) Children from a one-child family benefit from the increasing welfare. Girl children particularly, since families place all their investment in them, with no competition from sons.
4) Mothers have greater freedom to work outside home and to acquire skills and training.
5) The possibilities for abortion are improved. Easy access to safe abortion means that illegal abortion is a rare cause of death.
Negative consequences
1) Imbalance between men and women. The reason for the imbalance related to not reporting female births, female infanticide, sex selective abortions, and reported adoption of baby girls.
Because most parents prefer a son above a daughter, the proportion is 120 boys to 100 girls.
2) The support of elderly people, traditionally a responsibility of children. The number of elderly people will increase from 130 million at this moment to 439 million in 2050.
4) Psychological consequences for children from a one child family. Children will possible have behaviour problems because they are so spoiled.
Relaxing of the policy
Since 2002 families may choose for a second child, especially those who are born in a one child family. Furthermore, sex selective abortions are forbidden and on high school it is forbidden to make difference between boys and girls. Abortions are less pushed nowadays.
Conclusion
The one child policy has her positive and negative sides.
According to the government the one policy is a success: the fertility (vruchtbaarheids) number is now 1.8 instead of 5 in 1970. It has reduced China‘s population by 3 million.
Experts find that the policy does not work; Chinese population still grows with 13 million people a year. This number will not diminish until 2050.
In fact, the one child policy does not exist in rural areas. 60% of people in this area have two children, which causes the biggest growth of the population.
The citizens of China accept this policy. This is not so surprising considering the overcrowded Chinese cities, cramped living conditions, the pressures of child care with two working parents and the high cost of raising children.
Statement 1
Statement 2
The one child policy does not work, because of the many exceptions and relaxing of the policy. In this way, the government can better let people decide for themselves how many children they want to have.
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