Q.What is the important implication of the ‘One Child Norm’ in China?
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🔒 Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →Concept understanding — Population Policy Implications
A population policy is a government's deliberate attempt to influence the size, growth and structure of its population. China's 'one child norm', introduced around 1979, is the most famous example, and understanding its implications shows how such a policy can succeed at its immediate aim yet create serious long-term problems.
The norm restricted most couples to a single child, backed by incentives and penalties. Its intended and achieved effect was a sharp fall in the fertility rate and a dramatic slowing of population growth, which eased pressure on land, food, jobs and public services and helped raise per-capita income as the economy grew faster than the population. …
China's One Child Norm sharply slowed population growth but created an ageing population and a skewed sex ratio. …
One Child Norm slowed population growth but caused an ageing population and a skewed sex ratio.
China's 'One Child Norm' (One Child Policy, 1979) had important implications:
- It sharply reduced the rate of population growth, helping China control its population and raise per-capita income.
- However, over time it led to an ageing population — a rising proportion of elderly people and a shrinking young working-age population, which strains the economy and the care system. …
- CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markQ.Write the answer in one sentence: What was China’s population in 2010?
›Reveal solutionSolution
China's population in 2010 was about 1.35 billion (≈ 134 crore).
According to the data, China's population in 2010 was about 1.35 billion (approximately 134–135 crore). China was then the world's most populous country (India was second, with about 1.21 billion in 2011). (Figures are approx …
- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markQ.Write the answer in one sentence: What is the ratio of women per thousand men called?
›Reveal solutionSolution
The number of women per 1,000 men is the sex ratio.
The sex ratio is defined as the number of females (women) per thousand males (men) in a population. It is an important demographic indicator; a low or declining sex ratio points to gender imbalance and social concerns (such as the neglect of the girl ch …
- CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markQ.Write the answer in one sentence: Which policy was implemented in China for population control in the 1970s?
›Reveal solutionSolution
China's 1970s population-control policy was the One Child Policy.
To curb its rapidly growing population, China introduced the One Child Policy in 1979, under which couples were generally allowed to have only one child. It drastically reduced China's birth rate (though it later led to an ageing population and was event …
- CBSE 2024Set 58/2/11 markMCQQ.China was able to control its rapid population growth rate owing to __________. (Choose the correct alternative to fill in the blank) (A) Economic reforms (B) One-Child Policy (C) Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution (D) Special Economic Zones
›Reveal solutionSolution
China's rapid population growth was primarily controlled by the implementation of the One-Child Policy, a direct government intervention to limit family size.
China, historically the world's most populous nation, faced significant challenges in the mid-20th century due to its rapidly expanding population. High birth rates, coupled with declining mortality rates, led to concerns about resource scarcity, economic development, and social stability. To address this, the government sought direct and effective measures to curb population growth.
The most prominent and impactful policy implemented for this purpose was the One-Child Policy. Introduced in 1979 and officially enforced from 1980, this policy mandated that most families in China could only have one child. It was a comprehensive and often stringent measure, enforced through a combination of incentives (like better access to education and healthcare for single-child families) and disincentives (such as fines, social pressure, and, in some cases, coercive measures for those who violated the policy).
NoteWhile the policy was generally referred to as the "One-Child Policy," there were exceptions. For instance, ethnic minorities were often allowed to have more than one child, and rural families might be permitted a second child if their first was a girl, reflecting cultural preferences and practical needs.
The One-Child Policy significantly reduced China's fertility rate and slowed its population growth over several decades. It is widely credited with preventing hundreds of millions of births, thereby alleviating pressure on resources and contributing to China's economic development by shifting demographic structures.
Let's briefly consider why the other options are not the primary answer: …
- CBSE 2023Set 58/3/11 markMCQQ.Read the following statements carefully : Statement 1 : 'One-child policy' was very effectively used in controlling the population by the Chinese authorities. Statement 2 : One-child policy, according to scholars, led to a decline in gender ratio (the proportion of females per 1000 males). In light of the given statements, choose the correct alternative from the following :(a) Statement 1 is true and Statement 2 is false.(b) Statement 1 is false and Statement 2 is true.(c) Both Statements 1 and 2 are true.(d) Both Statements 1 and 2 are false.
›Reveal solutionSolution
China's One-Child Policy effectively controlled population growth but, combined with a preference for male children, led to a significant decline in the gender ratio. Both statements are true.
The One-Child Policy, implemented in China from 1979 to 2015, was a drastic measure aimed at curbing the nation's rapidly growing population. The economic intuition behind such a policy was to alleviate pressure on resources, promote economic development by reducing dependency ratios, and improve living standards for a smaller population. However, such a stringent policy, especially in a society with existing cultural preferences, often leads to unintended and severe social consequences.
Let us examine each statement:
Statement 1: 'One-child policy' was very effectively used in controlling the population by the Chinese authorities.
This statement is true. The One-Child Policy is widely acknowledged by demographers and economists as having significantly reduced China's birth rate and overall population growth. Through a combination of incentives, disincentives, and strict enforcement, the policy successfully prevented hundreds of millions of births over its duration. While the long-term economic and social costs of the policy are debated, its effectiveness in achieving its primary goal of population control is well-documented.
Statement 2: One-child policy, according to scholars, led to a decline in gender ratio (the proportion of females per 1000 males). …
- CBSE 2023Set ANNUAL1 markQ.Write the answer in one word or one sentence: In which country the one child policy was declared?
›Reveal solutionSolution
The One Child Policy was declared in China.
The One Child Policy — a strict population-control measure under which couples were generally allowed only one child — was introduced in China in 1979 to curb its rapidly rising po …
- CBSE 2021Set ANNUAL1 markMCQQ.Which of the following countries introduced one-child norm in the late 1970's for controlling population growth?(a) India(b) China(c) Pakistan(d) None of the above
›Reveal solutionSolution
China introduced its one-child norm in 1979 as part of its state-led population control strategy.
China, facing concerns over rapid population growth outpacing resources, introduced the one-child policy in 1979 (late 1970s), legally restricting most urban couples to having only one child, enforced through a mix of incentives (benefits for compliance) and penalties (fines, loss of benefits for violation). This is often cited, alongside India's own (less coercive, incentive-based) family planning programme, in comparative development studies of India and China — China's stricter, state-enforced approach contributed to its population growth rate falling faster than India's over subsequent …
- CBSE 2020Set ANNUAL1 markQ.Answer in one word or one sentence: In which country One Child Policy was declared?
›Reveal solutionSolution
The One Child Policy was declared in China.
The One Child Policy — a strict population-control measure under which couples were generally allowed to have only one child — was introduced in China in 1979 to curb its rapidly growing population. (It …
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