China Fertility Policy

Question 1

What was the population in 1949?

Answer 1

540 million

Question 2

Present day population

Answer 2

Over 1.2 billion

Question 3

Optimum Population

Answer 3

800 million

Question 4

When was the Great Leap Forward?

Answer 4

1958

Question 5

What was the total fertility rate per woman?

Answer 5

6 children per woman

Question 6

What did the Great Leap Forward lead to?

Answer 6

A famine which caused approximately 30 million deaths and a fall in birth rate of 30-35%

Question 7

Later, Longer, Fewer - an early anti-natalist policy

Answer 7

non coercive (optional), some success in urban areas (largely neglible), in 1960s 2 children seen as appropriate, by 1970s couples discouraged from having more than 1 child

Question 8

When was the one child policy

Answer 8

1970s

Question 9

One Child Policy

Answer 9

coercive (forced), 1 child only, Increased population from 540 million in 1949 to 940 million in 1976, mortality rates fell and fertility rates decreased but more slowly then mortality rate

Question 10

Exceptions to the one child policy

Answer 10

Earthquake in 2008 - granted second child if first one died, some ethnic minorities were permitted more than one children, Families with a child with a severe disability were allowed a second child and Rural families could be granted permission for a second child

Question 11

How did it work? pt 1

Answer 11

Enforced across all of China but administrated at local level by communist party of China workers, Granny Police monitored all aspects of family life, People encouraged to spy on neighbors and report anyone breaking rules, permission required before couples could marry or conceive a child

Question 12

How did it work? pt 2

Answer 12

Couples rewarded for following rules-Rewards included educational opportunities, healthcare, housing, childcare, job security and pensions

Question 13

Impacts

Answer 13

Gender imbalance 120 males:100 females, increase in infanticide, ‘Little Emperor Syndrome’ children spoiled by 4 grandparents and 2 parents (4-2-1), ‘1-2-4 problem’ 1 child to care for 2 parents and 4 grandparents, Ageing population-Population over 60 increased from 7% in 1953 to 10% in 2000 and is predicted to reach 27% by 2050

Question 14

When was the One Child Policy ended?

Answer 14

Ended October 2015 - overall attitude change has led to 1 child still being seen as the norm