One Child Policy

The one-child policy is the family planning policy is the population control policy of China.  The policy is controversial both within and outside China because of the manner in which the policy has been implemented and because of concerns about negative and positive consequences.

PROS

Social problem alleviation: The policy was introduced in 1979 to alleviate social, economic, and environmental problems in China.

Human rights violation and forced abortions: The one-child policy is challenged in principle and in practice for violating a human right to determine the size of one’s own family.  “Parents have a basic human right to determine freely and responsibly the number and the spacing of their children.” In 2002, China outlawed the use of physical force to make a woman submit to an abortion or sterilization, but it is not entirely enforced. In the execution of the policy, many local governments still demand abortions if the pregnancy violates local regulations.

Poverty eradication: In China’s poor areas, economic and cultural backwardness and too many births often interact as both cause and effect. The Chinese government has taken a step in giving support to the development of poor areas to alleviate poverty by promoting family planning, holding population growth under control, and raising the life quality of the population in those areas.

CONS

Human rights violation and forced abortions: The one-child policy is challenged in principle and in practice for violating a human right to determine the size of one’s own family. In 2002, China outlawed the use of physical force to make a woman submit to an abortion or sterilization, but it is not entirely enforced. In the execution of the policy, many local governments still demand abortions if the pregnancy violates local regulations, or even force abortions on women violating the policy.

Possible social problems for a generation of only children: Some parents may over-indulge their only child. The media referred to the indulged children in one-child families as “little emperors”. Since the 1990s, some people have worried that this will result in a higher tendency toward poor social communication and cooperation skills among the new generation, as they have no siblings at home. 

The “four-two-one” problem: As the first generation of law-enforced only-children came of age for becoming parents themselves, one adult child was left with having to provide support for his or her two parents and four grandparents. Called the “4-2-1 Problem”, this leaves the older generations with increased chances of dependency on retirement funds or charity in order to receive support. Most senior citizens would be left entirely dependent upon their very small family or neighbours for assistance.

I don't agree with China's One Child Policy. How would the child feel if they are the only child? They would probably be bored when parents are working, and hope that they have siblings. 

Being the only child, with no siblings to communicate and play with, they may develop poor communication skills. Also, parents would tend to indulge in the child and treat them as 'emperors' in the family. This can develop a selfish personality in the child and cause them not to be caring and think of other people's feelings, 

Furthermore, One Child Policy also adds to the child's burden. The child would have to take care of both his parents all by himself when he grows up. When he gets married, he would have to take care of another set of parents. This still does not include his wife and his children. When he does not have a sibling to share his burden of taking care of his parents, the child has to work harder and earn more money and this increases his stress level.

To conclude, although One Child policy can help to decrease the population in China, the disadvantageous impact on the child should be considered first.

-Hui Wen