Transcript chinas+one+child+policy

China: Filmmaker Zhang Yimou fined $1.2M for breach
of one-child policy
Fri January 10, 2014
Hong Kong (CNN) -- Oscar-nominated
Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou has been
fined 7.48 million yuan ($1.2 million) for
breaching China's one-child policy,
authorities say.
A letter sent to Zhang by the family
planning bureau of Binhu District of Wuxi
City, Jiangsu province in eastern China on
Thursday demanded that he pay a penalty
for having two "beyond-the-quota" children.
Zhang apologized in an open letter for his
"excessive children“ and paid the fine
immediately.
Zhang's breach of the policy has
set off a firestorm, especially
among some citizens who resent
how the rich and famous in China
flout rules and policies
China: The one child policy
• To understand why the Chinese
government wanted to lower the
population
• To explain how the Chinese government
did this
• Anti-natalist policy – means
discouraging births.
• Incentive: an action that encourages
people to do something.
• Disincentive: an action that discourages
people from doing something
VIDEO:
Take notes –
• Why was the policy needed?
• What incentives and disincentives were
implemented to try to make it a success?
6 mark question
Explain the incentives and disincentives
used by a country trying to decrease the
birth rate.(6)
Chosen country
.............................................................
Anti-natalist policies
Discourage child birth by removing financial benefits
or imposing financial penalties on those couples who
have more than one child. Massive contraception
campaigns and adverts showing the benefits of
small families may be launched. Policies can be very
forceful and involve compulsory abortions and
sterilisation and, in China for example, public
denunciation and huge social pressure to have only
one child
• China is a giant of a country and that description
applies to both its land area and its population.
• During the 1970s the growth rate was rising at
an alarming rate. There were fears of exceeding
the country’s carrying capacity.
• In 1980 the government introduced the one-child
policy which was rigorously enforced (Figure 12)
– much more stick than carrot.
• Definition carrying capacity: the number of
individuals a region can support in terms of its resources
An anti-natalist policy
• Meaning a policy that discourages births
• The carrot and stick approach is used –
but China uses more stick that carrot!
Incentives and disincentives
• Incentive: The benefits given for following
the rule
• Disincentive: The sanctions implemented
for not obeying the rule
Incentives
One incentive is the "one-child certificate" which is
a contract between a couple and the local
government. It gives parents who agree to have
only one child certain economic rewards, such
as a monthly stipend, free obstetric care,
increased maternity leave, highest priority in
education and health care for the child,
preferential treatment when one is applying for
housing, and a supplementary pension.
Disincentives
• Disincentives include losing housing and school benefits
or having to pay higher fees and fines. Fines, currently
called extra tax, may be substantial: according to one
source, they amount to 10–20 % of a family's annual
income.
• Children from ‘illegal” pregnancies may not be registered
or treated equally until their parents pay the fines
imposed as punishment. Especially in urban areas
registration with the local authority is required for medical
care, schooling and employment.
• Families closely monitored by female health workers
who were trusted members of the communist party known as the ‘nanny police’.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0u7_afmT-8
Advertising/Propaganda
for the Policy
Figure 2. Billboard in Hebei Province Promoting Girls.
The advertisement reads, "There's no difference between having a girl or a boy —
girls can also continue the family line."
English translation: One child, prosperous life
English translation: Up agricultural
production, down population
increase
English translation: The party calls for the partisan to set an example of having only
one child.
English translation: It's better to
marry and have children at a
mature age.
English translation: Control our
population at 1,200 million
'If I have one child it will be raised
better. It will have more
opportunities, and my career is
the most important thing. I really
want to excel at it.' Lu Zhufeng, a
twenty year old medical
student. 1970's
The number of men is thought to outnumber women
in China by more than 60 million.
A shortage of females in rural China means brides
are often bought
Effects on Children
Little Emperor Syndrome
Obesity
Spoilt
High
expectations
from family
Little Emperors Syndrome
• parents often still perform basic tasks for
them:
– fixing their hair
– tying their shoes
– wiping their bottoms.
• “They’re impossible to discipline”
• “Parents have a hard time saying no”
Task
Produce a one page summary of the policy. Think about:
‘Why it makes sense to only have one child.’
Why was the one child policy needed? Background information.
‘The benefits of China’s one-child policy.’
What have been the successes? Any statements made need to be backed up by
statistics in order to be effective.
‘China’s one child policy is a failure.’
What have been the negatives of this policy? Have the negatives been
concentrated more in any particular areas.
‘A summary of the arguments for and against and the balance of evidence’
Your own evaluation of if it is working?
Was the Policy a Success?
Figure 1. Total Fertility Rate (Mean Number of Children Born per Woman) in
China, 1969 to 2004.
Peer assessment