Policies:

• 1979 → one child policy because the population = 969 million
• No marriage until the late 20s
• Sterilized after the first pregnancy or abort future ones
• the citizens had to pay a fine if they had a second child, which was too heavy for many to bear - If unpaid, a child legally doesn't exist
• interest-free loans
• longer leave periods from a job during birth
• 5-10% salary rise for 1 child family
• 2016 → one-child policy became 2 child policy

Benefits: HOEFF

• improved health and welfare of women and children
• Reduced overpopulation - less pressure on services: waste disposal, housing and disease spread
• aided economic growth
• Reduction in the fertility rate from 3 to 1.3 births as of 2020.
• improved economic and overall status and well-being of families as they were rewarded with benefits.

Negative impacts:

• Social:
  • Children were spoilt, ruining their personality and character → China's little emperors
  • Men outnumber women by 32 million in 2022 → No spouses & social unrest [sex selected abortions]
  • the increased cost of adoption
  • violation of basic human rights
• Economic:
  • Ageing population → need for expensive healthcare
  • People over the age of 65 compared to working age is increasing rapidly which may leave China’s growing economy with not enough workers to support expansion.
  • one child policy caused a shrinking workforce, causing its economy to stagnate.
  • one child was responsible to care for 2 parents and 4 grandparents (4-2-1 problem)