Why One-Child Policy in China works?

The case study about Bangladesh’s family planning program reminded me of a similar program in China. I was impressed by the different outcomes between the family planning program of Pakistani government in the early 1960s and China’s One-Child Policy. Both of them used coercive method to ensure the execution (Levine, 2007; Wang, 2011). As a result, however, Pakistani government collapsed since the program conflicted with the local needs, while tight One-Child Policy has been sustained for about thirty years since 1979 (Levine, 2007; Coale, 2011). One issue that attracts my attention is that why such a policy, which contributes to many negative consequences, has retained for a long period in China. There are global efforts in birth control since high fertility could increase obstetric risk and the number of maternal deaths (Ronsmans, & Graham, 2006). Thus, I think looking at the role of politics and other values in China’s birth control program can offer some lessons in global health intervention in family planning.

The “One-Child” policy restricts urban couples can only have one child, unless one of the couples is ethnic minority or couples are both only children themselves (Li, 1998). The Chinese government proposed this policy to relieve the pressure of social, economic, and environmental problems (Rocha da Silva, 2006). From early 1980s to 2011, as authorities claimed, the policy had prevented 400 million births in China (Han, 2011). How credible is it? I think it appears an over-generous assumption that magnifies the benefit of birth control program. Although some independent scholars dispute the measure, it is undeniable that the policy reshapes millions of lives (Alcorn, 2013). Nevertheless, undesired consequences also occur as the policy is being conducted, such as violent abuses, forced abortion, and sex-selective abortion (Wang, 2011). The policy is challenged for violating a human right of individuals’ reproductive freedom (Wang, 2012). However, the reality is that One-Child Policy has been retained for so long. Why the heavy-handed policy can be endured by one billion of Chinese population? Except for the tough approach which formulates that breaching the role carries a heavy financial penalty (Wang, 2012), I think there are several key elements for Chinese family planning policy.

First of all, the value system of the nation on the basis of Confucian emphasizes that people should put the prosperity of the country beyond individuals interests (Li, 1998). People are taught to take their social responsibility. I recall one slogan that is prevalently used in mass media to encourage people adhere to the policy: "For a prosperous, powerful nation and a happy family, please practice family planning." It has been a consensus, since reform of new China, that families and individuals would not live a happy life without the country’s prosperity (Alcorn, 2013). This ideology of dominant Party of China was deeply embedded in people’s mind (Wang, 2012).

Furthermore, an important contributor to the policy is that the support for safe, efficient, and free or low cost contraception is available at different level in national network (Li, 1998). More than 98% of contraceptive devices and medicine are provided broadly without charge. In addition, regular health service for couples receives increasing attention, and education programs are offered as well. Enlightened by our discussion in the class, I was thinking what role the cultural beliefs about “big family” play in the family planning program? Similar with many other counties, the Chinese believe more children bring happiness to the family. To deal with this traditional norm, the education programs claim that through birth control the family expends fewer time and money on children, and thus people have more money to invest and give the child a better future (Han, 2011). After criticism and slight loose in the recent years, it is claimed that the government will have a relax enforcement of the policy as the leadership has been shifted to new leaders since 2012 (Alcorn, 2013). I think it may be a hint which indicates the strong relationship between politics and birth control program. The government now looks at the benefits of population growth that may promote economic growth.

Reference:

Ronsmans,Carine, & Graham,Wendy J. (2006). Maternal mortality: who, when, where, and why, The Lancet 368, 1189-99.

Levine, Ruth (2007). Case Studies In Global Health: Millions Saved. Jones & Bartlett Learning.

Alcorn, Ted (2013). China's new leaders cut off one-child policy at the root, The Lancet 381, 23–29.

Wang, Feng. (2011). The future of a demographic overachiever: long-term implications of the demographic transition in China. Population and Development Review 37: 173–190.

Rocha da Silva, Pascal. (2006). The politics of one child in the People's Republic of China. University of Geneva. 22–8.

Coale, Ansley J. (2011).  Population Trends, Population Policy, and Population Studies in China. Population and Development Review 7 (1). 

Li, Wei-xiong. (1998). Family planning in China. Ethik Med 10: S26–S33

Han, S.S. (2011). 400 million births prevented by one-child policy. People's daily..

Wang, Feng et al,. (2012). Population, Policy, and Politics: How Will History Judge China’s One-Child Policy? Population and development review 38: 115–129