The Chinese Single-Child Family Programme and Population Psychology1

Abstract

Following the Chinese population explosion in the early 1950s and late 1960s, the implementation of the single-child family planning programme in the 1970s caused a drastic decline in the natural growth rate of population in China. In this paper demographic data are presented to show population growth at various periods in Chinese history. The socio-psychological effects and problems encountered in the administration of the Chinese single-child family policy in recent decades are discussed. A population cycle caused by the abrupt change in population may last for 60 to 80 years until the mid-21st century. Around A.D. 2010 when there will be about equal number of children and old people in the Chinese society, a dilemma betweenparental investment and successor's investment may occur. The long-term consequence of the single-child family policy would be an aged society with more elders than children in society. A support system must therefore be designed as a mechanism to keep the Chinese three generation family system intact to care for the old. Grandparenting is suggested as a means to maintain inter-dependence in the family to cope with the dynamics of the changing inter-generation patterns. Classical Confucian ideology is considered important to maintain the traditional Chinese social institutions and ethical values.