What do you think of China's One-child policy? - Off-Topic

#1 Posted by Jayross (2368 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

#2 Posted by Jayross (2368 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

What do you guys think about China's one-child policy? Are you for, or against it?

#3 Posted by Vinny_Says (5242 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

They have their reasons for it

#4 Posted by Chrisbbq (45 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

Considering the huge population issue in that country, I'm for.

#5 Posted by MythDarK (508 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

I do understand the reasons behind it. But unfortunately it lead up to that most families wanted a son for some reason, and therefore a lot of girls were thrown out on the streets.

#6 Posted by SuperSambo (2743 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

It is needed, but what has happened due to it is horrible...

#7 Posted by BraveToaster (12588 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

@blacklabeldomm said:

" They have their reasons for it "

#8 Posted by McGhee (5510 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

Yeah, the forced abortions, forced sterilizations, and female infanticide resulting in a skewed population with more males that females. Yeah, that's great. I wonder if you people know what you support?

#9 Edited by danimal_furry (1397 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

I think there is a real risk of the world becoming over populated. I don't agree with any government telling people how many chldren they can have, or any other aspect of how to live their lives. However, I am pretty sure China has lifted this policy recently. It wasn't even strictly enforced outside of the heavily populated regions of the country.

#10 Posted by Chris2KLee (2259 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

@SuperSambo said:

" It is needed, but what has happened due to it is horrible... "

I agree, but it's implementation is so poor, they really need to revise it. Also better education in the more rural regions of China, where many people still hold dated beliefs about the gender of a child, would help. Luckily a strong market for adopting unwanted Chinese children has helped balance some of the darker aspects of the policy. Increases in standard of living should also help the population balance out in a few generations. As the standard of living increases, child births tend to drop as the cost to raise more than one or two children becomes expensive. If things go the way of Japan, there will also be a generation of young professionals more interested in their careers and staying single longer, also cutting into child birth rates.

#11 Posted by chstupid (805 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

@McGhee_the_Insomniac said:

" Yeah, the forced abortions, forced sterilizations, and female infanticide resulting in a skewed population with more males that females. Yeah, that's great. I wonder if you people know what you support? "

This times 1000 I can't believe there are people for it.

#12 Posted by Jams (2751 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

I think more countries should adopt a similar idea.

It should be something like if you have 1 kid you get x amount of benefits. If you have 2 kids, you get half the benefits. 3 or more kids and you get no benefits plus if you have more than 3 kids you get to pay extra taxes.

and if you have 0 kids, you get even more benefits.

Then again, who are we to say how many kids a person can and cannot have?

#13 Posted by TheSeductiveMoose (3617 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

No opinion.

#14 Posted by nintendoeats (5970 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

@MythDarK said:

" I do understand the reasons behind it. But unfortunately it lead up to that most families wanted a son for some reason, and therefore a lot of girls were thrown out on the streets. "

This. If Chinese culture didn't have a preference for males, I think the rule would be considerably more effective and desirable.

#15 Posted by Jasta (2214 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

If you have twins you better pick a favorite quickly.

#16 Posted by Jayross (2368 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

@Jasta said:

" If you have twins you better pick a favorite quickly. "

There is no penalty for having twins.

#17 Posted by Jasta (2214 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

@Jayross said:

" @Jasta said:
" If you have twins you better pick a favorite quickly. "
There is no penalty for having twins. "

I was joking, that would be pretty unfair.

#18 Posted by CH3BURASHKA (4030 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

Seeing as how we are already over-populated, greedy motherfuckers eating up all the food, the policy makes a lot of sense, and would come in handy in our God-forsaken Christians-having-20-kids country. Our two-sided "democracy" has given rise to economic, political and social stagnation, and even though China is technically communist, and therefore inherently evil, they're acting in the greater good of the future and their children, something our country's people can't understand enough to implement a similar rule.

#19 Posted by MarkWahlberg (3981 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

I am reminded of it every time I see an incredibly stupid family in public that has a lot of kids.

I am a terrible person.

#20 Edited by Jeust (9662 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

Most African countries should also enforce it. They have outrageous birth rates.

#21 Posted by Jayross (2368 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

@Jeust: Birth rate and total population should both be taken into account. Also, in those African countries, how many of those kids will make it to 60?

This message was deleted

#23 Posted by the_OFFICIAL_jAPanese_teaBAG (4275 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

the world is already quite overpopulated. i think that a majority of countries would have to pay a higher fee or something the more children that you have. this is my opinion and everything (call me a hippie if you will) but the world should become less industrialized due to the fact we are fucking up the world. its a shame that im slowly turning into an environmenatalist....

#24 Posted by Jeust (9662 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

@Jayross said:

" @Jeust: Birth rate and total population should both be taken into account. Also, in those African countries, how many of those kids will make it to 60? "

Not many, still they are insupportable by the country, and in such number it only ups the number of people living in poverty on the limit of starvation. If there aren't resources for all, they should start limiting birth rates.

#25 Posted by Arbie (1444 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

I don't know enough to be for or against it, only things I've been told. From what I do know maybe it would have worked better had girls been as valued as boys.

(It was actually when I was 14 and heard about this I first decided I wanted to adopt)

#26 Posted by StarvingGamer (6210 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

Amazing how many people in here are for infanticide.

#27 Posted by Turambar (5741 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

The policy itself is more a government induced trend than a government enforced law so there really is no reason to be against it from a civil standpoint.

The biggest problem though is that coupled with the tradition Asian value of wanting a male child over a female child, the population difference between the two genders is getting pretty damn huge.

#28 Posted by McGhee (5510 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

@the_OFFICIAL_jAPanese_teaBAG said:

" the world is already quite overpopulated. i think that a majority of countries would have to pay a higher fee or something the more children that you have. this is my opinion and everything (call me a hippie if you will) but the world should become less industrialized due to the fact we are fucking up the world. its a shame that im slowly turning into an environmenatalist.... "

But people have fewer children in MORE industrialized nations.

#29 Posted by AhmadMetallic (18957 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

a... one-child policy ? the hell is that ?

#30 Posted by Kyle (2319 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

I can't claim to have any knowledge of China or what ramifications the one-child policy has had on their society, but I think governments DO need to look into some way to control population. Unchecked reproduction isn't going to do anyone any favors.

#31 Posted by Turambar (5741 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

@Ahmad_Metallic said:

" a... one-child policy ? the hell is that ? "

A long while back (well before my own birth), the government began a program of encouraging having only one child per family. Note that this never was, and still isn't an actual law.

#32 Posted by keyhunter (3207 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

@drag said:

" @chstupid said:
" @McGhee_the_Insomniac said:
" Yeah, the forced abortions, forced sterilizations, and female infanticide resulting in a skewed population with more males that females. Yeah, that's great. I wonder if you people know what you support? "
This times 1000 I can't believe there are people for it. "
People are for it theoretically. "

Cram it, hippies. It's either that or MORE Chinese people. This planet can only support so many of them. Maybe you should be bitching about their backwards culture which leads them to kill all their female babies, kidnap farm girls, and group rape them?

#33 Posted by Turambar (5741 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

@Kyle said:

" I can't claim to have any knowledge of China or what ramifications the one-child policy has had on their society, but I think governments DO need to look into some way to control population. Unchecked reproduction isn't going to do anyone any favors. "

There are are significantly more males than females in the Chinese population as the one-child trend and the traditional value of a male heir leads to female infanticides.

#34 Posted by Turambar (5741 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

@keyhunter said:

" @drag said:
" @chstupid said:
" @McGhee_the_Insomniac said:
" Yeah, the forced abortions, forced sterilizations, and female infanticide resulting in a skewed population with more males that females. Yeah, that's great. I wonder if you people know what you support? "
This times 1000 I can't believe there are people for it. "
People are for it theoretically. "
Cram it, hippies. It's either that or MORE Chinese people. This planet can only support so many of them. Maybe you should be bitching about their backwards culture which leads them to kill all their female babies, kidnap farm girls, and group rape them? "

I'm hoping you did not intend for the bolded part to come off as racist as it does.

#35 Posted by JackSukeru (5224 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

I prefer war when it comes to controlling population numbers. I guess you could say I'm more reactionary than proactive.
I don't know why that last sentence is there.

#36 Posted by AhmadMetallic (18957 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

@Turambar said:

" @Ahmad_Metallic said:
" a... one-child policy ? the hell is that ? "
A long while back (well before my own birth), the government began a program of encouraging having only one child per family. Note that this never was, and still isn't an actual law. "

lol thats insane.. who would want a single child ?

well i dont ever want to have children but i mean other people.. they love making babies

#37 Posted by Regal (393 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

@chstupid said:

" @McGhee_the_Insomniac said:
" Yeah, the forced abortions, forced sterilizations, and female infanticide resulting in a skewed population with more males that females. Yeah, that's great. I wonder if you people know what you support? "
This times 1000 I can't believe there are people for it. "

While there are severe humanitarian problems, which should never be defended or minimized, you have to be a little utilitarian when considering the policy as a whole.

This policy is under review and have already been scaled back in parts of China, which is good, even though there are some bureaucratic obstacles to overcome before it can be completely dissolved.
When this program has run its course, it might have prevented half a billion births to occur in China. This is something that would have had disastrous consequences for a growing country, parts of which are as undeveloped as some regions in the African sub-Sahara.
The greatest human migrations on earth occur in China every year due to the masses of young people searching for employment in the only place they can be found - the cities. The humanitarian situation if you would factor in hundreds of millions more should not be negligible in your moral calculus.

As we've seen in India, the greatest contraceptive is of course female education, independence and access to family planning. But this policy isn't always applicable or plausible in every circumstance.
While gender selective abortion is illegal, there were cultural as well as economic issues why we see gender disparities now. Enforcement  of the policy was often inexcusable, as it often is with the Chinese government. But we also have the greatest reduction of acute poverty in recorded history. That is something tangible.

Population control is important also from an environmental perspective, especially now in India and Africa. We must certainly learn from both the successes and failures in the past.

#38 Posted by the_OFFICIAL_jAPanese_teaBAG (4275 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

@McGhee_the_Insomniac:
actually had no clue... well either way the populations are still quite large

#39 Posted by mnzy (2854 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

I think we (as in humanity) would have way less problems if we would not become more and more and more.
It's kind of crazy how we are now about 10 times more people on this earth than 100 years ago.

Our minds are not made to think in those dimensions, we think about ourselves and our families, the people close to ourselves. But somebody has to think that big and plan ahead. And that somebody should be the nations and governments on this planet.
The biggest problems we face will be the lack of ressources, water and hunger. All those can be fought just by reducing the number of new people that come to this planet.
I think the only reason it is not that popular is that our system needs constant growth to work and a decline in people would not help that goal.

#40 Posted by Turambar (5741 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

@Ahmad_Metallic said:

" @Turambar said:
" @Ahmad_Metallic said:
" a... one-child policy ? the hell is that ? "
A long while back (well before my own birth), the government began a program of encouraging having only one child per family. Note that this never was, and still isn't an actual law. "
lol thats insane.. who would want a single child ? well i dont ever want to have children but i mean other people.. they love making babies "

It was meant to help control the population in urban areas as the "law" itself only applied to those living in cities. It was implemented in 1979 and never was all that well enforced. Just in my family on my grandfather's side alone, my two uncles had 2 daughters each, both born in Shanghai, and my aunt has 3 daughters. My father was the only one to have only one child, and a son at that.

#41 Posted by Meteora (5786 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

While the one child policy is a controversial policy, it is a necessity to immediately slow down overpopulation in China to counteract the effects of Mao's encouragement of overpopulating. The explosion in population has made it so while the country has a healthy workforce, anymore would be difficult to maintain and construct a infrastructure to support it. China isn't a third world country where they can get away with overpopulation by having half of them starve to death or live in a life of poverty like African nations. If there were to be more and more people born in China as poor citizens (and mind you I mean very poor, literally homeless or live at the bottom of the lower class), the government may risk upraising.

Unfortunately it is poorly implemented and has its own problems. There are still some Chinese who hold the gender culture, especially those who live in the rurals. Chinese who live in the more urban populated areas tend not to have any preferences, or isn't nearly as biased for male babies. Education is probably the best way to solve the issue at hand, but education takes time to kick into gear, so the one child policy is a remedy for the time being.

#42 Posted by Marz (5475 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

I say it's fine, we'll be overrun in a few hundred years, hopefully we'll find more habitable planets to populate once earth has been drained by then.

#43 Posted by fwylo (3556 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

Sure. If they think it will help then I don't see why it wouldn't.

#44 Edited by omghisam (234 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

The one child policy has done far more harm than good. Greater education and urbanization would have naturally caused a decreased birth rate. Instead the policy has had mixed success slowing the birth rate, caused personal misery for the women who were forced to have abortions or undergo sterilization, festered corruption by local police and officials who extorted fines from families, created a gender imbalance, and has created the ticking time bomb to China's future social security.

#45 Posted by Turambar (5741 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

@Meteora said:

" While the one child policy is a controversial policy, it is a necessity to immediately slow down overpopulation in China to counteract the effects of Mao's encouragement of overpopulating. The explosion in population has made it so while the country has a healthy workforce, anymore would be difficult to maintain and construct a infrastructure to support it. China isn't a third world country where they can get away with overpopulation by having half of them starve to death or live in a life of poverty like African nations. If there were to be more and more people born in China as poor citizens (and mind you I mean very poor, literally homeless or live at the bottom of the lower class), the government may risk upraising. Unfortunately it is poorly implemented and has its own problems. There are still some Chinese who hold the gender culture, especially those who live in the rurals. Chinese who live in the more urban populated areas tend not to have any preferences, or isn't nearly as biased for male babies. Education is probably the best way to solve the issue at hand, but education takes time to kick into gear, so the one child policy is a remedy for the time being. "

Ironically, I'm pretty sure Mao's policies would have helped more with depopulation than the one child policy would have had it been carried all the way through. Farmers, stop farming and start making iron! Where is everyone going to get food? Who cares!

#46 Posted by Sweep (8184 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

Sweepy Shepard is a Renegade, so he picked "For". He makes the tough decisions that nobody else has the balls to make. Just like that time in that videogame.

Moderator

#47 Posted by TheDudeOfGaming (5901 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

7 billion people in the world right now,i wonder how many there will be in 50 years...
I am for it,but bump it up to 2 children max, sucks being an only child :D

#48 Posted by Aronman789 (2632 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

Well at the rate of population we have now, we either start the space colonization fast or start killing, so until those cosmonaughts start some fancy city on mars, we gotta go with the killing, its a shame, but unless we do we'll all end up like Africa sooner or later.

#49 Posted by ryanwho (12083 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

@MythDarK said:

" I do understand the reasons behind it. But unfortunately it lead up to that most families wanted a son for some reason, and therefore a lot of girls were thrown out on the streets. "

Is that a government problem or a cultural problem?

#50 Edited by ryanwho (12083 posts) - 2 years, 4 months ago

Also the lamen's idea of how inhabited the planet is is greatly exxagerated. We have plenty of space left, and we have the capacity to make unliveable spaces liveable. Canada, for example, is quite a bit larger than the US, but has about 10% the population. Then you've got deserts and such, modern supercities sustain populations on par with entire rural states. All we have to do is use the space we have more efficiently. Going to mars and such, that's just the lamen nerd fantasy and its logistically 1000% harder than just working with the planet. 1st world countries have population plateaus. You don't need to spit out 12 kids and hope 3 of them live past 12 in a first world country. When more places reach that state, the population will naturally plateau.