The One Child Policy was introduced in 1979 in China to address overpopulation concerns from rapid population growth in previous decades. The policy aimed to limit couples to only one child and advocated for delayed marriage and childbearing. Those who complied received benefits while non-compliance resulted in penalties like fines or loss of employment. Exceptions allowed ethnic minorities and rural families to have two children. The policy reduced China's population by 300 million but also led to issues like sex-selective abortions and a skewed gender ratio. The policy ended in 2015.

1. One Child Policy1979History 420: Presentation by Michele Uemoto

2. Background
1940’s:
● Chinese govt. encouraged people to have large families
○ gain military strength
○ help w/ agricultural production
→ Led to overpopulation
1950’s & 1960’s:
● Chinese govt. encouraged people to have fewer children
→ But, population was still growing rapidly

3. One Child Policy (1979) - Deng XiaoPing
● Population Control
○ Prior to One Child Policy, Mao implemented the “Family Planning Policy”
● Help raise living standards
● Reduce strain on scarce resources

4. Persuasion to adhere to One Child Policy
Advocated:
● one child per couple
● fewer and healthier babies
● delayed marriage
● delayed childbearing
Cooperating to the policy = Benefits
Not cooperating to the policy = Penalties
● no benefits, large fines, forced family
planning, unemployment, etc.

5. One-Child Certificate
1. Must apply for this certificate
2. Must pledge to not have any more children
- Given to couples with only one child.
BENEFITS
● pension benefits
● better health care
● better child care
● large cash bonuses
● longer maternity leave
● priority in school enrollment
● preferential housing assignments
● ……………………………………….etc

6. Exceptions to the One Child Policy
The Han
● Allowed to have a 2nd child if:
○ the first child was a girl*
○ the first child was mentally/physically
handicapped
ETHNIC MINORITIES
● Allowed 2 children*
○ … and up to 4 children (if no one was
checking)
● Govt. did not want ethnic minorities to die
out
○ * they needed people to work on the farms
● If both parents are only children
○ can have another child, but spaced out by
4 years
* = In rural areas only

7. Effects of the One Child Policy
● increase in the amount of orphans
○ especially girls
● sex-selective abortions
● increased divorce rates
● lower male-to-female ratio
● Population reduced by 300 million
● Over 400 million births prevented
Policy Ended: OCT 2015

9. Any Questions?
謝謝

10. Sources
1. Chineseposters.net http://chineseposters.net/index.php (Website maintained by Stefan Landsberger)
2. Fong, Vanessa L. “China's One-Child Policy and the Empowerment of Urban Daughters.” American Anthropologist, Vol. 104, No. 4 (Dec.,
2002), pp. 1098-1109
3. Green, L. W.. (1988). Promoting the One-Child Policy in China. Journal of Public Health Policy, 9(2), 273–283.
http://doi.org/10.2307/3343010
4. Potts, M.. (2006). China's one child policy. BMJ: British Medical Journal,333(7564), 361–362. Retrieved from
http://www.jstor.org/stable/40699586
5. Short, S. E., & Fengying, Z.. (1998). Looking Locally at China's One-Child Policy.Studies in Family Planning, 29(4), 373–387.
http://doi.org/10.2307/172250