China’s One-Child Policy: History, Impact, and Future Consequences 🇨🇳

China’s controversial One-Child Policy Act was implemented in 1979 to control the country’s flourishing population growth. Couples, under this policy, were limited to having one child. Violating the rule came with harsh penalties and consequences. While originally successful in reducing population, the One-Child Policy came under scrutiny for its ethical repercussions and infringement of human rights. Learn more here.

“Couples could be fined and If the couple was unable to pay the fine, they may have lost their jobs and land, livestock may have been confiscated, their home destroyed, their children may have been denied the rights of a primary and/or higher education, and in some instances, their child was taken away. The woman can also be forced to be sterilized and the child could be labeled the “black child“.— Ed. Jeffrey Hays

Leading to a gender imbalance, due to most families electing male children over females, the policy resulted in forced abortions, sterilizations, and abandoned infants. In 2016, the Chinese government officially ended the One-Child Policy, allowing couples to have two children (Hence, the Two-Child Policy). China addressed the new policy to help address the aging issue in China. The older generation born during Moa Zedong’s reign were dying, while fewer children were being born causing a decrease in population, thus the lack of workforce to drive the economy to assist the elderly. Interesting fact: China is not the only country to implement a Two-Child Policy; one has previously been used in several countries including Iran, Singapore, and Vietnam. When China’s Two-Child Policy Act wasn’t effective with young families still only having one child, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), passed the Three-Child Policy Act in May 2021. Why did the Two-Child Policy not work? It may have negative implications on gender roles, with new expectations for women to bear more children and to abandon their careers. Also, polls were taken and many young couples would rather invest in one child than two due to the excessive cost of raising children.

After decades of strict family planning policies, despite the policy change, the effects are still present in China today. Consequently, with an aging population and a shrinking workforce, this presents challenges for China’s future development. On May 31, 2021, China announced the Three-Child Policy after the release of the results of the Seventh National Population Census, which showed that the number of births in mainland China in 2020 was only 12 million, the lowest number of births since 1960.

Here are resources to help engross your students in understanding the history, impact, and future consequences of China’s Child Policies.

In this group activity, students will not only learn about the cause and effect of China’s One Child Policy of 1979, but will strengthen their knowledge of map creation and reading skills, specific to a cartogram.

This high-level thinking activity will encourage problem-solving. Included is roll play, graph skills needed for state testing, group activity, organizing thoughts through the graphic organizer and a class debate.

With this activity, students will understand China’s and Korea’s cultural values and beliefs centered on the dynamic of the family and the importance of men in society.

This lesson examines and compares China’s Child Policy Acts throughout the years and their effectiveness, also giving students the opportunity to provide their opinion of various scenarios.

What activities do you use to teach population density or the population of China in your classroom?

What are your thoughts on China’s Policy Acts? Do you think they will work?

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