Political Policies of China

International business Environment

Global Issue Paper

Introduction

Growing up in China, I can remember going to the street markets and bump into everyone, I felt like an ant in a mass colony. There’s no space, the buses are packed, and the bicycle lane resembled a highway during a traffic jam. Getting around was impossible. Much of the urban areas are full of construction, dust is constantly in the air, very uncomfortable. Majority of the population live in Apartment style buildings, usually 2 bedrooms, one bathroom, living room, and an extended kitchen. The family structure usually doesn’t separate, so you have grandma, grandpa, kids, mom, and dad. That’s a lot of people under one roof; I know Americans usually isn’t comfortable with that. In the rural areas of china, agriculture is the main source of income for most families. These families depend on their land to survive, and the more people to work the land, the more prosperous the family. It is very common to have home births; there is no need to report to government. China’s enormous growing population has given way to many new problems. Pollution in China gets worse and worse, the growing population produces too much waste for the land to handle. People are poor; China has improved in recent years, but still much behind. China is running out of resources, the large population consumes more than they have. Almost a quarter of China’s land is desert, no fertility what so ever. There is no chance for people to utilize it. The demand for jobs have increased greatly, even with foreign investment poverty still affects much of the population. I have great concern for the people of China; I do not want to see my people suffer. I believe education is the way, start them early, let children know the consequences that can affect them in the future, their survival is in danger.

China’s Growing Population and Policy

Mao liked children, or at least he encouraged China’s citizens to have as many as possible. In the early days of the People’s Republic, Chairman Mao urged Chinese to bear as many children a possible to “make China stronger”. Therefore, over the next 10 years since 1949, China’s population was increased by another 118 million from 541 million. It continued to rise through the 60’s. The government encouraged this so they could help China develop water control and communication infrastructures. They also thought it could help produce more food and strengthen their nation’s defense. Twenty years later, the millions born during that period contributed to another baby boom. By 1970, there were roughly 830 million Chinese. Population growth would not seem to end until the introduction of the One-child policy in 1979.

The one-child policy is not a law, as most people think it is it’s a policy enforced by the system of punishments. However there is a Marriage Law introduced in 1980, insisting the practice of family planning. The marriage Law encourages late marriages, late childbirth’s, and one child per couple. Having one child is really encouraged, uses of propaganda such as posters help very much, also the state controls the media so they get to choose what the public see and hear. The media is the only gateway people have to the world; the government can make sure the media supports and encourages their policies. Government policy is encouraged more so in urban areas rather than in the countryside.

Pregnant women have to be authorized by the government; they then receive birth coupons allowing them to have a child. Women who don't have their births authorized risk being punished by the government. If you follow the policy, rewards can include monthly financial support, extended maternity leave of your occupation, increases land allocation, preferential treatment in education, housing and employment. There can be exceptions to the one child policy; some families have had up to three children without a punishment.

The one child policy affected the population of China greatly, especially the structure. There will be a lot more elderly people due to improvements in medicine and nutrition. There will also be a huge decline in the number of under 18s for obvious reasons that only one