One Child Policy

One child policy is announcement in 1979 and passed on 1980. China introduced this policy to control it’s rapidly growing population. This policy mandated that each family could legally have only one child, with some exceptions. This included allowances for ethnic minorities, rural families whose first child was a girl, and parents without siblings themselves. With this policy China’s population of child is decreasing, and the number of elderly are growing. China decided to relax on the policy in the early 2000’s, with some exceptions only. The policy is announced to end in 2015.

My parents are both born in the early 1970’s and married in the early 1990. The period that they are married is the most strict time of the policy is announced. A few years later after they married they had a child, which is my older brother. My family was considered wealthy during this period, and really wanted another child, but since the policy was really strict they didn’t obey the law. Only one child in the family is considered to be the one who gets everything. Another word is parent’s don’t have to split everything in half. My mom said “如果没有你的话，那我们走了以后你哥会拿到所有的东西”（“if you are not bored, then after your dad and I leave this world your brother will have everything we left. “). Chinese parents always work hard for their child and tries to have money to help them out in the future even after they die. This is only for male, because during this period of time, only males get everything they want. Being a female, everyone think that they shouldn’t go to school just have to take care of child.

What happen if you obey the law

Some family wants a second child because most families have over 4 kids before the one child policy. The announcement of the policy broke the balance of population in most family. My mom said “很多人想要第二个孩子但是他们要躲躲藏藏不被发现，而且孩子生下来没有户口“ ”a lot of people want a second kid, but they have to hide and cannot leave the house until the baby is born. Also the baby cannot register resident“ My mom also said that “如果你的第一个孩子是女孩，你还能有一次机会生男孩。但是如果你吃政府饭的话，那不管第一个孩子的性别你都不能生第二个。强制性生第二胎就会失去工作并切罚款“ ”if your first baby is a girl then you are allowed to have a second chance, but if you are working for the country then you are not allowed to have a second kid. If you obey this, not only losing your job but also with punishment.” My parents wanted to get a second child, but if they tried to have one before the policy got less strict, I won’t be able to register for resident.

What happen if you got caught illegally

If you try to hide away from trying to have a second child when your not suppose to you can get reported by anyone. This can cause you to abortion, because the government doesn’t care if you are able to pay the money after the child is born or not, if you are caught before you give the birth to the child the government can. My dad said “我们那时候也想躲起来，但是把孩子生下来没有户口就没有必要生了” “we wanted to hide also, but if you cannot register for resident it’s not worth to have another child” My parents waited until the early 2000’s when the government announce that it is legal to have another child for the people who are consider lower class.”

when the law begin to become less strict

During the early 2000’s when the policy started to get less strict some people are allow to have a second child without any requirements. My dad said “在2003年的时候，这个政策开始松了然后农民工可以上交一点钱生第二个孩子“ ”in 2003 is when the policy started to get less strict, and the lower class are able to pay the money to get a second child.” This is only for the lower class people. My dad continued with “那些在村里有职位的人也都不能有第二个孩子，和那些给政府打工的人也不行“ ”the leader of the village cannot have a second child, and the people who work for the government are also not allowed.” This is only for the lower class who are under the village are allowed to get a second child. The punishment for breaking the law can lose their job and pay fine. My mom said “这个时候是我们决定要生你的时候，其实我们想要个女儿，但是又生了个儿子“ ”This is the time we decided to have you and we wanted a daughter, but we got a son again”

why my parents decided to have me

My parents wanted a female after the policy got less strict. My name in Chinese has a word “欣“ ”xin” which in Chinese is mostly used for girls. My family meets the requirement because we don’t have anyone that works for the government or have a high position in the village. My parents said “我们那时候有这个条件再生一个，因为我们家在村里是算很有钱的“ ”we have a requirement to have another child because we are considered wealthy in the village” and can afford the fine to have me. My mom said “我们当时花了三万把你生下来，怀孕的时候不在村里住在其他地方，因为住村里面被别人看见不是很好“ ”we payed 30k fine to have you, and when I was pregnant I live in another place because if someone else in the village sees it it not that good”

This policy ended in 2015 because of decrease in young population. There are too many old people and less young man, which the community is falling behind.

Pletcher, Kenneth. “One-Child Policy.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 7 May 2024, www.britannica.com/topic/one-child-policy. Accessed 16 May 2024. 

“One-Child Policy.” Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, 6 May 2024, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/One-child_policy. Accessed 18 May 2024. 

Shelton, Jason E., et al. “The End of China’s One-Child Policy.” Brookings, 28 July 2016, www.brookings.edu/articles/the-end-of-chinas-one-child-policy/. Accessed 18 May 2024. 

wang, nanfu, and dialing Zhang. “One Child Nation.” PBS, Public Broadcasting Service, 14 Nov. 2022, www.pbs.org/independentlens/documentaries/one-child-nation/. Accessed 18 May 2024.