Comment: China's One-Child Policy – Dated and Done (by Anita Li)
              

"The longer the night lasts, the more our dreams will be." This old Chinese proverb can be interpreted in the following way: "The longer we stay in a disadvantageous position, the more risks we'll take". And this is precisely what will happen if China continues adhering to its one-child policy.

In 1979, The People's Republic of China introduced and enforced its one-child policy – a birth control strategy that limited a couple to having one child – therefore pacifying the threat of overpopulation. There is no denying the benefits to such a policy then. But now, China's implementation of a one-child policy proves not only futile, but also detrimental to its well being.

Now, the year is 2006 and it is time for a change. Chinese society is living in an increasingly industrialized, urbanized world that is advancing technologically, socially, and culturally. But do we want to hinder said advancement by continuing to advocate a stale twenty-seven-year-old policy?

Only one relatively successful outcome has resulted from China's one-child policy. Since its introduction, China's Total Fertility Rate has decreased to 2.5 children per woman in rural areas and 1.2 children per woman in urban areas. But the list of drawbacks to China's one-child policy outweighs its single benefit.

Severe violation of human rights

Forced late-term abortions—sometimes in the third trimester of pregnancy—and female sterilizations are an unfortunate testament to the policy's strictness. Such zealous determination to carry out the one-child policy is a severe violation of the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights in addition to principles four and eight outlined under the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD). These violations are reminiscent of a society clinging to the provincial ways of the past—not of a society looking into the future.

Infanticide

China's one-child policy has resulted in sex-selective infanticide of young female children and babies. Chinese orphanages are filled with unwanted baby girls—and those are the lucky ones. Some parents leave their children to suffer a slow, painful death of starvation in hopes that the one-child policy will allow them to have a chance to give birth to a boy in China's male-dominated society.

"China's Little Emperors"

"China's Little Emperors" is a term for the spoiled only-children—most notably boys—of Chinese couples. Because there is only one child for parents to dote on, the only-child becomes belligerent and lacks the self-sufficiency to perform tasks as simple as bathing upwards of age ten! Increasing obesity is another attribute of "China's Little Emperors", as feeding and doting go hand-in-hand.

Individualism

"China's Little Emperors" grow up to be selfish adults who place emphasis on the individual (themselves) rather than the collective (China). How can a group of selfish people contribute to the good of China, their country? The poor values that a one-child society perpetuates are another of its consequences.

Low female-to-male ratio

As a result of the aforementioned female infanticide, a low female-to-male ratio has transpired in China. According to the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, 120 boys are now born for every 100 girls—and that gap is increasing. What does this mean for China? It means fewer brides for their male counterparts as well as the fact that China is regressing to its patriarchal roots.

Decreasing Effectiveness

There is evidence of the policy's decreasing effectiveness. In rural China, there is an "unofficial, official policy" that farmers are allowed more children. This lenience is becoming more prevalent in urban areas as well. Government officials who take bribes as well as other means of escaping the one-child policy are common. What is the purpose of maintaining a policy that is not even being implemented?

Moving into a Post-Transition Phase of Demographic Transition

Above all, the fact that China is moving into the post-transition stage of demographic transition is reason alone to cease the implementation of China's one-child policy. A post-transition society's stagnant or possibly declining population renders the policy useless because China's population will eventually settle on its own.

As evident from the aforementioned arguments, China's one-child policy should categorically be laid to rest due its current and pending consequences as well as plain uselessness. The one-child policy is the "Achilles' Heel" of China's marathon runner. To remedy the heel is to rejuvenate the runner. Leaving it untreated, however, forces the runner to watch others dash by while dragging behind his burdensome foot.

If you wish to respond to an article or contribute to a future issue, please contact Hannah Renglich at editor@fiveminutestomidnight.org.

[ issue contents ] [ fmm home ] [ send feedback ] [ tell a friend ]