CASE STUDY - China

Question 1

Define anti-natal.

Answer 1

Anti-natal: encouraging people to have less children

Question 2

China’s one-child policy is an example of an anti-natal policy. When and why was it implemented?

Answer 2

It was put in place in 1979 (started to formally phase out in 2015).

China had the largest population in the world, over 1.3 billion people. All couples were very strongly encouraged to only have one child.

Question 3

What benefits were given to couples with only one child? What happened to those with more than one?

Answer 3

Couples with one child were given benefits such as:

• longer maternity leave
• better housing
• free education

Couples that had more than one child didn’t get any benefits and were fined part of their income.

Question 4

Name 2 exceptions in the one-child policy.

Answer 4

• In some rural areas, couples are allowed to have a second child if the first is a girl or has a physical disability. This is because children are still needed to work on farms in rural areas.
• If one of the parents has a disability or if both parents are only children, then couples are allowed a second child so there are enough people to look after them.

Question 5

How effective was the policy? Name 4 impacts of it.

Answer 5

• It prevented up to 400 million births.
• The fertility rate dropped from 5.7 in 1970 to around 1.8 today
• The men now outnumber the women by 33 million as boys were more favourable culturally
• 98% of abandoned children were disabled and many girls were abandoned/aborted
• Only children become spoilt ‘little emperors’ which can be good as they have a higher quality of life but being spoilt is never a good thing really

Question 6

Some people thought that the one-child policy wasn’t necessary. What were their opinions?

Answer 6

• They believe that older policies, such as leaving a larger gap between children were more effective and sustainable
• They thought that Chinese people want fewer children anyway as they are becoming more wealthy

Question 7

PRACTICE QUESTION

Discuss the successes and failures of China’s population policy since the 1990s. (8 marks)
(Remember you get 3 SPaG marks too)

Answer 7

Successes: rate of population growth significantly slowed (c.1.9% 1950, c.0.7% currently); the demographic dividend of an educated and productive workforce aiding rapid economic growth; reducing concerns of over-population and resource imbalance associated with rapid population growth.

Failures: Human rights issues such as late-term and forced terminations aka abortions; rapidly ageing population; generation of spoilt children; the 4-2-1 problem aka 4 grandparents, 2 parents, 1 child; gender imbalances and associated social problems; loss of the burgeoning workforce;

(Taken directly from a mark scheme)