The Gender Dimension of the One-Child Policy and its Influence on China’s Development

Abstract

China’s one-child policy is an essential subject in the quest to understand thecontemporary Chinese society, its future social development perspectives, butalso in order to determine how population control policies impact both menand women. After providing a short overview of the policy and discussing itsconsequences amongst men and women, I focus on the economic future ofChina with respect to the abovementioned policy and also try to answer thequestion on the stringency of such a harsh initiative. I argue that this policyhas had some rational incentives at its core but impacted women in a harshand inhumane way and might severely cripple China’s future developmentgoals.