The one child policy 2.doc

The one child policyThe full name of the one child policy is the one-child-per-couple policy. It is used to control the population problem of the Peoples Republic, since having the largest population impedes the development of China. However, it also brings some negative effects to the country, society and people. Therefore, China should not continue to implement the one child policy.At the end of 1960s, the government began to see rapid population growth as a potential threat to the nations economic development and food supply, so they commenced the one child policy (White 2). It slowed down the population growth from 11.6% in 1979 to 5.9% in 2005 and reduced the population by 250-300 million (NBSC). The reduction has eased some pressures on employment, social facilities, and the rest. Nevertheless, it also produces increased population aging, which causes a serious shortage of labor and increases the burden on the country. Furthermore, many families are structured as 4-2-1 (Hesketh 8), that is to say, a young married couple has to take care of four parents and one child without help from siblings. If the adult child has health or other problems, services and support from the country and society will be required. Then the government will need a more comprehensive social welfare to cater for the elderly.Meanwhile, it causes the unbalanced sex ratio. China has the “ traditional concept and deep historical roots” (Michelson 3) that males are superior to females and boys can inherit the familys career, promoting discrimination against female newborns. Therefore, female newborns may be abandoned, aborted, or unregistered, causing many “missing girls”. Those “missing girls” usually have disadvantages in access public education and social welfare, which are carried by a household registration. Over the 20 years implementation of the one child policy, the sex ratio of newborn boys to girls has risen from 108.5 in 1985 to 119 in 2005 (BBC). Ninety-nine cities had gender ratios higher than 125, among which the provinces of Hainan, Henan, Guangdong and Anhui had particularly higher imbalance (BBC). This causes a surplus male workforce but intense competition in female employment.The one child policy brings both benefits and harm to children. Traditionally, Chinese parents have great ambitions for their children (Becker). Now that couples in China can only have a child, they have even bigger dreams upon the single child. Generally speaking, the single children have sufficient source and support for their development and perhaps more advanced than those non-single children in competition and cognitive self-estimation, but meanwhile they have to face “loads of pressure at their early age” (Karen), which may causes mental illnesses. Since parents and grandparents are highly involved in raising the only children, causing the children to be more likely to become “Little Emperors” or “Little Queens” (Karen) who are conceited, obstinate and picky. When they leave home, they will find it difficult to take care of themselves. When they have troubles, they have no siblings to consult.Actually, population growth and life prolongation indicate the prosperity of a country. People should not put all the blames on the population growth. More importantly, whether to give birth to a baby is the right of humans, so the one child policy has infringed upon peoples rights. Although the one child policy has effectively controlled the population growth in the twentieth century (Karen), the traffic is still crowded, especially in Beijing and Shanghai (Yi 200); the competition of employment is still intense, especially in the east of China; there are still many people living a rather rough life, especially in the remote districts. If the country wants to be really prosperous, it should adjust the one child policy, respect the division of labor between sexes, value education, improve the marriage rate, etc( Yi 540).The preceding analysis suggests that the disadvantages of the one child policy outweigh the advantages, and it does harm to the country, society and people. It is not suitable for modern China, so China should stop implementing the one child policy. While one can not be sure what will happen to China in the future, China should face and solve the problem of the one child policy as soon as possible. Changes occur every second, and the country should adjust to it.Works CitedBecker, Gary. Ending the One-Child Policy. 2012China Warned on Gender Imbalance. BBC News 24 August, 2007.2007 Hesketh, Li Lu, and others. The effect of Chinas One-Child Family Policy after 25 Years. London: n.p., 2008.Karen, Chan. The One-Child Policy in China.2011 Michelson, Ethan. Family Planning Enforcement in Rural China: Enduring State-Society Conflict? Beijing: the Ford Foundations Beijing office, n.d n. pag. National Bureau of Statistical of China (NBSC). China Statistical Yearbook. Beijing: China Statistical