China’s One-Child Policy and Its Lasting Effects
For decades, a decision as personal as how many children to have was shaped by government rules in China. The best-known of these rules, the one-child policy, was intended to slow population growth. It also changed family life in ways that China is still addressing today.
Why limit births?
China’s population grew rapidly during much of the twentieth century. By the late 1970s, leaders worried that a growing population would put pressure on food supplies, housing, schools, and jobs. They believed that limiting births would give the country more resources to improve living standards and develop its economy.
In 1980, the government called on most couples to have only one child. The rules were not identical everywhere. Some rural families could have a second child if their first was a girl, and many ethnic minority families were allowed more children. Local officials enforced the rules, often through fines and pressure on families. In some places, officials used forced abortions, which end pregnancies, or sterilizations, which are intended to permanently prevent pregnancy. These practices caused deep suffering and violated people’s control over their own bodies.
Changes in families and society
- enforced:
- Made people follow a rule or law.
- ethnic minority:
- A group with a shared cultural background that is smaller than the main population.
- imbalance:
- A difference in numbers or amounts that creates an uneven situation.
- discrimination:
- Unfair treatment of people because they belong to a particular group.
- retirees:
- People who have stopped working, usually because of age.
- pensions:
- Regular payments people receive after they retire.
- eligibility:
- The state of meeting the requirements for something.
- campaign:
- An organized effort to achieve a goal.
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1How did concerns about resources influence China’s decision to limit births?
- 2Why do researchers disagree about exactly how many births the one-child policy prevented?
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About this informational passage for 8th Grade
“China’s One-Child Policy and Its Lasting Effects” is a informational reading passage about Population Policy, written for 8th Grade. It takes about 4 minutes to read (551 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.