China Anti Natalist Country

Question 1

Reasons for the policy

Answer 1

1.Combat population explosion.
China has 7% of the world’s agricultural land and 23% of the world’s population.
2.To encourage economic development
Improving the standard of living for the population.

Question 2

Laws of the policy

Answer 2

Law introduced to limit the number of births applied to the Han majority (90% of the population)
Age limits and certificates for marriage.
Anyone housing more than one child lost benefits and faced financial penalties (generally 3× their salary).

Question 3

Incentives of the policy

Answer 3

Cash bonuses, improved housing and free education/medical care if couples limit themselves to one child.
Free birth control and family planning advice.

Question 4

Issues with demographic structure

Answer 4

Future ageing population and high dependency ratios.

Shortage of economically active age group.

Question 5

Issues with gender structure

Answer 5

Ratio of 117 males for every 100 females among babies from birth through children of four years of age.
By 2020, an estimated 30 million men will be unable to find a wife and have a child earning them the title “Bare branches”.

Question 6

Civil liberties and human rights issues

Answer 6

Women pregnant for a second time often coerced into having an abortion or sterilisation.
“Granny Police” were recruited in settlements to spy on people in their community.

Question 7

Amendments to the policy

Answer 7

In rural areas, if the first child is a girl then a couple can have a second child.
If the first child is unhealthy, a couple can have a second child.
If both parents are only children, they can have two children.

Question 8

Success of the policy

Answer 8

The rate of natural increase has declined to 0.5% from 2.2% in the 1970s.
It is estimate that without the policy there would have been an extra 400 million Chinese people born between 1970 and 2009.