One-child policy

Definition

The one-child policy was a government policy implemented by China in 1979 to control population growth by limiting most urban families to a single child. It was relaxed starting in 2015, allowing all families to have two children, and further adjusted in 2021 to allow three children.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Introduced in 1979, the one-child policy aimed to curb overpopulation and boost economic development.
2. The policy led to significant demographic shifts, including an aging population and gender imbalances due to a cultural preference for male children.
3. Rural families were often allowed exceptions, permitting them to have more than one child under certain conditions.
4. The policy was officially phased out in 2015 when China introduced the two-child policy, and later the three-child policy in 2021.
5. Long-term effects include labor shortages and potential economic challenges due to a shrinking working-age population.

Review Questions

• What year was China's one-child policy introduced?
• What were some of the unintended demographic consequences of the one-child policy?
• When did China officially end the one-child policy?

Related terms

Population Density: The number of individuals living in a given area or volume.

Demographic Transition: A model that describes population change over time from high birth and death rates to low birth and death rates.

Carrying Capacity: The maximum number of individuals of a species that an environment can sustainably support.