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Caroline Scott
Professor Katherine Johnson
SOCI 2210
September 9, 2016
Sociological Effects and the Future of Chinas One-Child Family Policy
In 1979, China entered a radical economic reformation as their baby
boom generation entered their reproductive years. As China held a quarter of
the global population on under 10% of the worlds arable land, they
established a one-child family policy (Hesketh, Lu, and Xing 2005). This plan
has prevented what the Chinese government estimates as 300 million births
and reduced the fertility rate almost in half. However, due to many negative
consequences and shifts in social norms, Hesketh et al. suggest that relaxing
this policy could be beneficial (2005).
Although modern China is highly industrialized, comparisons to
Lesthaeghes theories in On the Social Control of Human Reproduction can
still be drawn. The connection argued by Lesthaeghe between advanced
technology and higher preponderance of preventive checks is seen in China,
most directly in the form of technological contraceptive methods such as
sterilization that serve as extreme and widespread forms of reproductive
restriction (Hesketh et al. 2005). The one-child limit is imposed by the
position in power the government to retain demographic norms, and
gives no choice to 80% of women who must accept this restriction (Hesketh
et al. 2005). This exemplifies a check on starting, the one Lesthaeghe
emphasizes as the most robust, imposed by the government in a direct
and almost parental fashion (1980:543).
The one-birth policy has led to sex selective abortion, higher ratios of
males, and scarcity of women; human trafficking for marriage demonstrates
the patriarchal control of women and their reproductive ability as a resource

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to be controlled (Hesketh et al. 2005). The 4:2:1 phenomenon, in which a
couple must support one child and their four parents, inherently relies on the
commitment to kin and parents. Lesthaeghe demonstrated the parental
control of reproduction in pre-industrial England, but in China, the control is
by the government and gerontocratic authority is consequential in terms of
long-term financial support (1980:535).
Chinas social structure is changing to one of social freedom with
increased globalization and wealth distribution; economic disincentives to
the policy are not working as well, and adherence to the policy is difficult to
track. Could this be the start of Lesthaeghes emancipation? Research
shows that China is naturally becoming a small-family society. While the
current system is slowly eroding with no indication of a new demographic
system, this could be the time for the demographic experimentation
process suggested by Lesthaeghe (1980:543).
While the Chinese policies have decreased the total fertility rate, the
consequences have been disastrous. The negative impacts of these policies,
the notion that China is moving towards a small-family society, and the
movement towards social freedom suggest that the experimentation
process proposed by Lesthaeghe could be beneficial for the entire Chinese
society in the near future.

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References
Hesketh, Therese, Li Lu, and Zhu Wei Xing. 2005. The Effect of Chinas OneChild Policy. New England Journal of Medicine 353(11): 1171-1176.
Lesthaege, Ron. 1980. On the Social Control of Human Reproduction.
Population and Development Review 6(4): 527-548.