No Siblings in China. A look at effect

Vice Pres Biden offered another classic gaff in China yesterday. He understands and would never second guess China’s One Child Policy.

That started my train of thought here. This is the first time my mind went past the immediate concern of overpopulation in the world’s most overpopulated country as a necessity in dealing with limited resources. I went to the relationships between Chinese families, neighbors, and foreign relations. You see, nobody in China has a brother or sister.

The dynamics of the family unit are the basis for tons and tons of relationship therapy in the west. Whether you are the oldest or the youngest, or the “middle kid”, your relationship with your siblings have a huge effect on your relationship skills for the rest of your life. From a societal POV, “only-children” often have problems with empathy, sharing, bonding, etc, because they never had to learn to share attention, toys, food, etc.

People from large families place large value on the family. “Blood is thicker than water” but when blood is limited to 2 adults and 1 child, there is no extended family to count on. There is only your village.

It’s the perfect mindset for the Red Chinese, as “family units” are too small to challenge the government’s role as provider. The people in charge in China are presumably only-children as well. No basic premise of sharing, and “care” becomes a clinical exercise instead of a natural one.

The Chinese are wired completely different to us in the west.

I was raised with the motto, “God, Family, Country” but the Chinese only get the least option…

Um, yes, also, the youngest in western families is sometimes to spoilt one, they seem to drift through life like icebergs, nothing seems to touch them, weird!

I agree, this is really backwards. The policy should be two children. One family consists of 2 adults, two children. That is not population growth, but maintaining the population.

Now the question is why do they only allow one? Are they actively trying to cut their population down? That is a 50% reduction per generation

Originally posted by varikonniemi
...Now the question is why do they only allow one?...

Not here. In this thread we already know it's been policy for generations. In this thread I'd like to open conversation to how this single dynamic, of the world's most populous country also being one exclusively of only-children and how that can effect Chinese relationships from the street to the global level...

Let's look at the actual policy in China.

The one-child policy (simplified Chinese: 计划生育政策; traditional Chinese: 計劃生育政策; pinyin: jìhuà shēngyù zhèngcè; literally "policy of birth planning") refers to the one-child limitation applying to a minority of families in the population control policy of the People's Republic of China (PRC). The Chinese government refers to it under the official translation of family planning policy.[1] It officially restricts married, urban couples to having only one child, although it allows exemptions for several cases, including rural couples, ethnic minorities, and parents without any siblings themselves.[2] A spokesperson of the Committee on the One-Child Policy has said that [color=limegreen]approximately 35.9% of China's population is currently subject to the one-child restriction.[3] The Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macau are completely exempt from the policy. Also exempt from this law are foreigners living in China.

One-child policy

lots of people in china have more than one child. i met a girl a few years back in beijing and she had 4 siblings. its not uncommon at all to walk down a street and see parents with multiple kids. their one child policy is not as bad as people think, if you come from a one child family youre allowed to have more than one child.

in china parents see kids as like a retirement package, since when they get too old to work they usually live off their children, the one child policy is mostly to stop people from having more kids then they can afford to raise. if you have money you can have as many kids as you like, chairman mao had 10 kids.

I'm an only child and I'm doing fine. Sad to say. All the extending family I have is just my aunt and my parents. Other then that, nope.

My understanding is that traditional Chinese culture places a large value on extended family, so it's not as if these people are just 2 parents/1 kid.

What?
For real? Do you know how many familys have more than 1 brat?

My gf has 2 brothers.... Poor family. My ex had 3 sisters, 1 of them her twin. The first school in taught in in Jiangxi province on of my students had 6 brothers (although rich family).

The 1 child policy is only applicable if:

1, you dont want another
2, You cant afford to pay the government a fee for having another
3, You actually listen to the government

If you want a hundred kids you can have... Just have to have the cash to pay. Not much at all, about $700 US. Or if you got the tackle just have a home birth.... Easy.




Edit to say if you want a real problem then try making a thread on having and the search for boys only....

Unique topic, flagged.

I know many people who are only children, and in fact in ways they seem more adjusted than many people who have siblings. Although they all seem to long for siblings, even after they are adults. My exhusband was an only child and he was so well adjusted, it actually got on my nerves. lol.

On another note, I've read horror stories about those groups in China who are only permitted to have one child. If a second pregnancy occurs, they are subjected to forced abortions, sometimes brutal, and if the pregnancy is discovered in the 8th or even 9th month, it is still forcibly aborted. Very inhumane, as can be the overall treatment of females, which is why I try to avoid buying Chinese products. Which is very difficult.

reply to post by Master Shen long


Cool! Pretty big difference, eh? Is there any social stigma attached to the extra children? Does the policy effect familial relationships at all? I know tons of females (and babies in general) are aborted but I thought that went more to the clinical aspect of caring earlier addressed. That excuse I guess has been debunked now?

Back to the drawing board on our friends across the other pond...

Originally posted by ladyinwaiting
Unique topic, flagged.

I know many people who are only children, and in fact in ways they seem more adjusted than many people who have siblings. Although they all seem to long for siblings, even after they are adults. My exhusband was an only child and he was so well adjusted, it actually got on my nerves. lol.

On another note, I've read horror stories about those groups in China who are only permitted to have one child. If a second pregnancy occurs, they are subjected to forced abortions, sometimes brutal, and if the pregnancy is discovered in the 8th or even 9th month, it is still forcibly aborted. Very inhumane, as can be the overall treatment of females, which is why I try to avoid buying Chinese products. Which is very difficult.

From what i know its mainly enforced so to speak in over populated areas like Beijing etc..... Still its voluntary because nobody is tied down and has a coat hanger inserted. Although there is some dodgy policies in those citys... Most if they want will keep it quiet and have the kid anyway

Originally posted by Master Shen long
2, You cant afford to pay the government a fee for having another

????
In China you have to pay a BIRTH TAX !?!?!?!?!?!

reply to post by Master Shen long


So, you live in China, then?

I know a lot of the girls that are only children in china, they all wish they had siblings, and they all have some sort of issue but i think thats the chinese culture in general i dont think they have a word for manners or subtly in chinese lol

Originally posted by kaoticf8
...i dont think they have a word for manners or subtly in chinese lol

I know what you mean. I've been in research labs with Chinese colleagues and when I replied, "Bless you" after a sneeze drew blank stares...and forget about lunch. They don't mean to be rude, they're brilliant but our manners are completely alien to them...just like theirs are to us!

reply to post by TreadUpon


There actualy is no difference to the social or family bond etc. Socialy its fine.

When it comes to having girls then the rabbit hole goes deep my friend. I will give a few reasons.

Before the farmers wanted boys because they work harder and the girls stay home cooking etc.
Then the citys opend up, then the boys all pissed off to the citys to work.
After that there was a shortage of men in the countryside to work the farms so now they wanted even more boys.
Also in china the family of the kids live with the son if that makes sense By that i mean most of the family anf grandparents go live with the son not the daughter This is because the son brings home the dollar and the girl gets wed and has her own family.

There is more to it but dont think that china is a baby munching machine... The people are like me and you. just the elite are monsters and the major corps are asses.

Also maybe look into why they have this policy... i will leave that to you but you will be supried..... 2 words " H BUSH"

Originally posted by ladyinwaiting
reply to post by Master Shen long

 

So, you live in China, then?

Yea, English from liverpool but been working here a few years, love the place... nothing like the MSM has you think

Originally posted by GuyverUnit I

Originally posted by Master Shen long
2, You cant afford to pay the government a fee for having another

????
In China you have to pay a BIRTH TAX !?!?!?!?!?!

edit on 24-8-2011 by GuyverUnit I because: (no reason given)

You do if you want to be honest... but yea they do that

I think it's a reasonable policy. Other nations with population problems like say, Ethiopia should institute it.