Joyous news for some and worrying for others, as Chinese couples can now have two children instead of just one, after the Chinese Communist Party decided to change their restrictive policy.
- The one-child policy was instated 35 years ago, in 1980
- It prevented a number of 400 million people from being added to their current total of 1.3 billion
- The two-child policy is expected to bring 3 million additional births per year
- By 2030, it’s expected for China to have a population of 1.45 billion
This is likely to be a double-edged sword that is masking as a proof of more freedom, but might in fact just be a natural solution to economic distress. It has been an unfortunate yet necessary solution to restrict couples into having just one child. In fact, researches have shown that since the implementation of the one-child policy in 1980, it stopped the country’s population from adding another 400 million people to their total number.
However, it was socially impacting and led to devastating consequences. Hundreds of millions of mothers were forced either into abortion or sterilization, and there have been a disturbing number of tens of millions of baby girls gone missing. This is due to the fact that most couples preferred boys to raise for the purpose of legacy and better potential at providing for them in old age.
The male to female ratio is marginally and severely imbalanced.
It could be a matter of growing a conscience on the part of the government. Or, it could be the possibility that they’re facing harsh times due to their ever-aging population. It was estimated that by 2050, around 437 million Chinese people will be over the age of 65 years old. That would mean immense pressure and a dangerous imbalance for the youth to somehow prompt an economic growth.
Opinions differ, with some praising the decision of offering “reproductive freedom” once again to the Chinese population. Others, however, emphasize the need to take into account the economic decline the nation has been in, and the potential damage it might result in for the future. It will be a strain on resources. With this new policy, China’s population is estimated to reach 1.45 billion in just 15 years.
It will place more pressure on healthcare and education, even though it would alleviate some problems with social services. They are predicting around 3 million additional births per year due to the new policy.
Furthermore, it might not be enough to help them. Some experts believe that the two-child policy will not bring enough help to their economy.
However, among conflicting opinions and theories, the matter remains that it will take years for the true consequences to be understood. Change is difficult, especially for such a vast population. The public has reportedly admitted to a positive perspective for the most part. After all, freedom should be celebrated, especially in restrictive nations.
It may be a step forward, be it for the emotional comfort of its people, future unborn baby girls, or just plain economics.
Image source: mercatornet.com
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