China's one-child-per-couple policy: An evaluation of its effectiveness in changing Chinese people's reproductive behavior.

摘要

In 1979, China reinforced its population control efforts by introducing the One-Child-per-Couple (OCPC) policy. This policy aimed at controlling China's population growth through drastic fertility reduction. Change of reproductive behavior was considered the crux of sustaining successes of population control. By using secondary data from population censuses, fertility surveys, and previous studies, this thesis assessed the effectiveness of the OCPC policy in changing Chinese people's reproductive behavior. The assessment was based on tabulation and analyses of changes, over time, in population growth, fertility levels, marriage and contraception, and one-child compliance. It was found that the OCPC policy, while effective in fulfilling some demographic objectives, fell short in sustaining postponed first marriage and first childbirth which had been achieved by the wan-xi-shao campaign in the 1970s. The setback can threaten China's future population control by building up momentum in its generation structure.