2. OVERVIEW 1. The One-Child Policy began in 1979 when China was under the leadership of Deng Xiaoping. 2. The policy limits couples living in urban areas to having only one child. Although, implementation varies from location to location. 3. Couples in rural areas are allowed two children if their first child is female. Their second child must be subjected to birth spacing of 3-4 years.

3. OVERVIEW 4. Any couples having children beyond their limit are subject to fines or economic penalties. 5. Any ethnic minorities (not Han Chinese) are exempt from the One-Child Policy. 6. Some only have to pay a “social maintenance fee” to have more children. Other couples, if both have no siblings, are allowed to have a second child. 7. As a result, the overall fertility rate is 1.8 children per family.

4. BACKGROUND 1. During the Great Leap Forward, Mao Zedong encouraged peasants to have as many children as possible. Mao said, “The more people, the stronger we are.” 2. China’s population grew exponentially and a tremendous famine was the end result of the Great Leap Forward. 3. The success of the One-Child Policy has been questioned because the greatest drop in China’s birthrate occurred between 1970- 79 (before the implementation of the policy)

5. BACKGROUND 4. The drop in the birthrates during the early 1970’s was due to several factors: A. Population education B. The availability of cheap or free contraceptives C. A government campaign stating that, “One is good, two is okay, and three is too many.” 5. But the One-Child Policy has been estimated to have prevented 300 million births over the last 20 years.

6. CRITICISM 1. Critics have accused China of many human rights violations while implementing the One-Child Policy. 2. These violations include forced abortions, forced sterilization, gender- select abortions, infanticide, child abandonment and bribery. 3. It is estimated that there are 500,000 “missing girls” in China.

7. GENDER DISPARITY 1. Another criticism of the One-Child Policy is the disparity between the number of males born to the number of females. 2. The world ratio is 104:100 3. In China it is 130:100 4. There are three reasons for this ratio: A. The under-reporting of female births B. Sex-selective abortion (which is illegal in China) C. Illegal acts of child abandonment and infanticide

8. GENDER DISPARITY 5. There are several reasons why males are considered more desirous than females in China: A. They are more helpful in farm work B. Sons provide the primary financial support for parents when they retire C. Wives traditionally become part of the groom’s family

9. ONE-TWO-FOUR PROBLEM 1. One of the problems with having one child is that this child, when they become an adult, is expected to support two parents and four grandparents in their old age. This is known as the “One-Two-Four Problem”

10. FERTILITY MEDICINES 1. Wealthy couples are increasingly turning to fertility medicines to have multiple births. 2. This is their way of getting around the One-Child Policy.