Case study: Population and the Environment, one child policy

Question 1

What were the strengths of the One Child Policy?

Answer 1

• significant decrease in birth rate
  > more in urban areas where it was easier to enforce
• low birth rate and low death rate
  > minimal national increase in population
• fewer children caused less unemployment
  > good for economic growth
• quality of life improved as less demand for key infrastructure

Question 2

What are the problems of the One Child Policy?

Answer 2

• gender inequality
  >for every 100 female births there is 118 male births
• Insufficient brides
  > increase in sex trafficking
• 49.9 million missing women by 2003 due to the preference for male babies
• High rates of abortion/adopting/dumping
• 4to1 problem
  > One child at the bottom supporting two sets of parents and grandparents