One-Child Policy Britannica Online

One-child policy

The one-child policy was a rule set by China's government in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Its main goal was to limit families to having just one child. This was to slow down the growth of China's huge population. The government decided to end this policy in 2016.

How the one-child policy started:

After China became the People's Republic in 1949, the government encouraged people to use birth control, but it wasn't until after Mao Zedong died in 1976 that they really focused on controlling the population growth. By the late 1970s, China was close to having a billion people, and the new leaders, including Deng Xiaoping, thought it was important to slow down this growth. At first, they suggested families have no more than two children, but soon they pushed for just one child per family. By 1980, the government wanted this one-child rule to apply to the whole country. Although there were some exceptions, like for ethnic minorities or if the first child had a disability, this policy was mostly enforced in cities better than in the countryside.

To make sure people followed this policy, the government used different methods like providing birth control, giving money or job benefits to those who followed the rule, and punishing those who didn't. Sometimes, they even forced people to have abortions or get sterilized.

Effects of the policy:

The one-child policy did lead to fewer children being born. However, it also caused some problems. For example, more boys were born than girls because families often preferred having sons. This meant there were not enough women for men to marry when they grew up. The policy also led to a larger number of older people, putting pressure on the younger generation to support them. Some families had more than one child and didn't report it, leading to millions of children without legal documents, making it hard for them to go to school or get jobs.

Ending the one-child policy:

The policy lasted into the 21st century, but in 2015, the government announced it would end. Starting in 2016, families could have two children. However, this change didn't cause a big increase in the number of babies being born. Many couples were worried about the costs and how having more children would affect their lives. In 2021, the government said families could have up to three children and promised to help with things like childcare and jobs to encourage more births.