feb 20, 1979 - One Child Policy
Description:
Established by Deng Xiaoping in an effort to restrict communist China’s population growth. This policy was initially a temporary measure but ended up remaining in effect for 35 years. China’s hopes for economic growth became threatened by the major increase in population and therefore the policy aimed to control that. Although, the official policy was enacted in 1979, there were many birth control initiatives by the government prior. Under the policy, couples could only have one child and consequences included the possibility of facing fines and even abortions. Additionally, the government granted families who complied with the law certain benefits, such as increased access to education and healthcare benefits. The policy remained a national one but specific penalties and benefits varied between provinces or regions. From 1979 and onward, a major impact was the birth rate drop to 0.7%.
Sources:
https://www.centreforpublicimpact.org/case-study/chinas-one-child-policy/
Added to timeline:
China Timeline
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