Does VHEMT support China’s one-child policy?
Present Chinese government’s population policy isn’t compatible with the VHEMT perspective for two main reasons: the policy is less than voluntary, and even one child is too many. In addition, couples are encouraged to produce one offspring, rather than none. A Draconian policy like China’s might be necessary in the future if we don’t voluntarily lower our birth rate soon. Supporters of the policy argue that it’s better to deny a couple’s right to breed more than once, than to allow creating children who will suffer slow and painful deaths from malnutrition. Detractors argue that it’s traditional for agrarian peoples to breed their own slave labor, and to create sons for good luck. A son is essential for a couple’s support in later years, as wives traditionally join the son’s household and care for his parents. Urbanization and gender imbalance may slowly effect a change. To avoid creating an adequate plan to care for the elderly, China’s government now allows couples who are both only
