CHINA’S ONE CHILD POLICY

     Some countries in the world implement a family planning policy on account of the rapid population growth. One of the most striking and well-known practises concerning this issue is China’s one child policy which allowed a family to have only one child . When the fact that the Chinese population makes up almost 20% of the entire world’s population is taken into consideration, the one child policy can be better understood . This policy that was established in 1979 has affected Chinese people’s lives both negatively and positively.    

First of all, there is no denying that the one child policy has had tragic consequences such as infanticides, abortions and sterilizations. Particularly Chinese people in rural areas consider boys more important than girls because of their money making potential and their ability to carry on the family name. As a result of this, they want to have a boy. If this does not happen, infanticide, which is a very dramatic situation, can occur although it is illegal. Abortion rates in China have been rising since the one child policy came into practice. On the other hand, the gender balance of the Chinese population has become distorded since 1979. There are 60 million more men than women in China today. It means that some men will never find a wife. Apart from these problems,  equally important, there is the problem called ‘’4-2-1’’ because there are four grandparents, two parents and one child. As a result of having an only child, all the attention is concentrated on one child and high expectations can lead to serious undesirable results such as depression and even suicide.

On the other hand, there are negative effects as well as positive effects of the one child policy. China’s main goal regarding this policy was to reduce the population growth rate and solve the over population problem. Thanks to this policy, China has largely reached   this target. The birth rate in China has fallen since 1979 and the poverty rate has also slowly begun to decline in the country. China’s free education and health care service have an important role in the declining rate of poverty. Another impact of the one child policy occurred in women’s lives. As a result of this policy, women’s opportunity to receive education and  participate in  the businessworld have increased.
     To sum up, the one child policy has caused damaging and benefitial changes in Chinese peoples’ lives. The rate of population growth is now 0.7 percent. In terms of  the dynamics themselves, China has too many old people, too many men and  few young people. Eventually, the Chinese government decided that this policy is unsustainable and announced that the two child policy would replace the one child policy which allowed couples/ families to have two children.If China’s experiences in family planning are considered, the correct steps will be taken in the future