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One Child Policy (Prehistory)
Until the 1960s, the government in China had encouraged families to have alot of Children as Mao Zedong felt that population growth will empower a country. Rapid population growth and food supply could not keep up with the rapidly growing population, resulting in the loss of many lives. -
Period: to
Changes in the One- Child Policy
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First introduction of the One- Child Policy
One child policy was adopted, only one child was allowed per household.
Women can only give birth to their second child, if permitted, after four years from the birth of the first child and there is strictly no third child to be permitted.
Exceptions: First Child born has major birth defects or major health problems.
Restricted to only Han Chinese living in urban areas, those who aren’t may apply for a second child if the first child born is a girl. -
Gender Imbalance
117 to 100 males to females ratio which is substantially higher than the natural baseline of 103: 100. -
Laxation in One- Child Policy
Half (53 percent) of China’s population was allowed to have a second child if the first child is a girl, so as to reduce the number of female infanticides, policy more lax in rural areas. -
Further Relaxation of the One Child Policy
Couples which one parent is an only child are permitted to have a second child which could be due to the population which was starting to age.