One by one

Only very recently in its long civilisational run did humankind begin to wonder what to do with more and more of itself more and more not of enemy peoples or inferior races but ones own. The advent of modern medicine and medical care,easier mitigation of natural disasters and the significantly lowered frequency of war and civilian casualties contributed to lowered infant mortality and higher life expectancy. But the population boom became a problem overpopulated countries like China and India had to deal with.

In response,China became the land of the one-child policy. Implemented in 1979 and aimed at urban married couples,the policy is claimed by authorities to have prevented 400 million births till 2011,thus alleviating socio-economic and environmental problems. The law was never as absolute as many supposed in their ignorance. It allows many exceptions couples without siblings,ethnic minorities,and rural couples with a disabled child or a girl child as their first,can have a second child. For additional children,families pay monetary fines and may be denied state benefits.

Controversial all along,the policy came to be criticised for forced abortions,skewing the gender ratio through female foeticide and causing the under-reporting of female births. Gender imbalance is a serious concern in China,as is the generational imbalance in the population which is expected to adversely affect the work force. Significantly,it is Chinas most populous province,Guangdong,that has embarked on publicly criticising the one-child policy and asking for its relaxation,raising the above issues that are further complicated by a falling fertility ratio. Although any big reform is not yet expected,it would be interesting to see the policy response,if any,to the criticism of this long-held rule.