Despite the extraordinary political and social changes that occurred in China over the past 20 years, one thing remained unchanged, that is the One-Child policy, which was implemented in 1979 as a response to the rapid population growth, however all that might be over soon.
With a population of 1,339,530,000 China is the most populous country in the world. Fears over the social, economic and environmental consequences of the continued rapid population growth, in 1979 China’s one child family policy was introduced, which proved to be more successful in urban areas than rural areas.
As referred by the government, the one child per family policy requires that married urban couples can have just one child, with some few exceptions: rural couples, ethnic minorities and parents without any siblings.
Despite the controversies surrounding this policy (believed to stimulate discrimination against women), and the political and social changes that occurred over the past two decades, the one child policy managed to ease some pressures off rapid growing communities, reducing the population by at least 300 million.
While this policy had a positive impact on China’s health care system (improved health service for women), saving rates, economic growth (lower demand on natural resources), social services and conditions and the ecosystem (with lower waste volumes); there has been a negative impact as well.
The side effects of the most stunning demographic experiment in history emerged since this policy led to a rapidly aging population, a shrinking labor force, a higher sex-selective abortions, abandoning children and skewed sex ratio at birth (with many who desire a son abandoning and not reporting their baby girls).
While politicians from various parts of the globe start suggesting a limitation to the population growth, which is believed to save the world from the rising demand on natural resources and limiting the carbon emissions, China is about to abandon their one child per family policy.
The real threats to China’s economic and social structure may determine Beijing to abandon their one child policy as early as next year, after ending a nationwide census in November, according to USA Today, with large-scale experiments to start in 5 provinces (Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Zhejiang and Jiangsu).
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