instituting a one-child-per-family policy. And while more than three quarters of Chinese

雖然四分之三的民眾仍支持此政策

citizens support the idea, China is looking to revamp the program into a two-child policy.

但中國已打算改為推行兩孩政策

Many have argued that population control methods create more problems than they solve, and

很多人辯稱，一胎化政策帶來的問題比解決的問題還多

in China's case, are set to cripple the economy. So we wanted to know, Is China's

在中國的例子中，甚至還會削弱經濟。所以我們想探討

One Child Policy a Failure?

中國的一胎化政策是個失敗嗎？

Well, the policy was originally instated after China's population exploded in the 20th

該政策是針對在二十世紀，中國人口爆炸性增長時

century. From roughly 700 million residents in the 1960s, to more than a billion in the

從1960年代的7億人，快速增長到1980年代的十億多人

1980s, Chinese officials implemented the one-child plan to cut 300 million residents. In 2011,

中國政府於是推行一胎化政策，減少了3億人的增長

the government claimed that the policy, and other birth control methods, have led to the

在2011年，中國政府宣傳，一胎化政策加上其他節育措施

prevention of 400 million births. However, critics point out that the drop in births

避免了4億個新生兒誕生。但是評論家認為，新生兒人數下降

is due to lower fertility rates, which are consistent with lower rates in countries without

是由於低生育率的關係，這情況與其他沒有實施一胎化政策的國家一樣

such policies, like Thailand.

像是泰國

In fact, China's one-child policy isn't really true to its name. For starters, it

事實上，中國的一胎化政策，並不像它的名字一樣全面實行。首先

only affects about a third of China's population, making exceptions for ethnic minorities and

大概只有三分之一的民眾適用該政策，少數民族與

rural residents. It also often does not apply if a couple's first child is female. New

農村居民沒有在實行範圍內。如果一對夫妻的第一個小孩是女生也不在實行範圍內

rules in 2013 also allowed parents without siblings to have up to two children.

在2013年的新法，允許沒有手足的父母可以生兩國孩子

But despite the limited enforcement, the one-child policy has led to severe imbalances in Chinese

儘管是有限制地執行，一胎化政策仍造成中國社會嚴重失衡的男女比

society. Women are often pressured into having abortions if pregnant with a second child,

如果懷上第二個孩子的話，女人通常會被迫墮胎

as the penalty ranges from a fine, to even losing your job. In 2013, China's Health

不墮胎的話，會被處罰罰金，或甚至失去工作。在2013年

Ministry revealed that more than 300 million abortions had been performed to maintain the

中國的健康部門透露，自一胎化政策實施以來，有多於3億新生兒被墮胎掉

one-child policy. Another major problem is that the system of fining violators means

另一個主要問題是，違反一胎化政策的話要被罰鍰

that wealthy residents are able to have many children, while the impoverished are penalized.

也就是說，有錢人可以生較多小孩，窮人就不能

Perhaps the worst side effect of the policy has been referred to as the "Missing Women"

或許一胎化政策造成最大的問題是「失蹤的女人」

problem. Because having male children is preferred in Chinese society,female children are sometimes

因為在中國社會重男輕女，女嬰就只能被殺害

killed, aborted, or given up for adoption in an effort to "try again" for a boy.

墮胎或是送養，這樣就能有機會「再試試看」生一個男嬰兒

This phenomenon was calculated in 1990 to be responsible for at least 50 million "missing

自1990年以來，「失蹤的女人」這現象在中國至少佔了5千萬

women" in China,and as well as a 100 million worldwide

在全球大約有1億件案例

The policy also creates an extremely difficult situation for parents and their children,

該政策也在父母與孩子間引發了一些問題

known as the "4-2-1 problem". Chinese society stresses that children are to take

稱作「4-2-1問題」。在中國社會，孩子要負起

care of their aging relatives. But with the one-child policy, a single person ends up

照顧年邁親屬的責任。但是在一胎化政策之下，單一人最終要

responsible for both parents, and all four grandparents, creating tremendous strain,

奉養父母，與四位祖父母，這將是沉重的負擔

with no siblings to help. The shrunken youth demographic, comprised overwhelmingly of males,

而且沒有手足分擔。在大量的老一輩人口退休之後

is also poised to severely diminish the economy as larger, older generations retire. Although

衰減的年輕人口，由壓倒性數量的男性所組成，將會造成經濟衰退

the elderly only comprise about 12% of the population, by 2050 they are expected to represent

雖然老年人口只占總人口12%，但是到了2050

a full third.

老年人口將會占整整三分之一

China's one-child policy, like many government sanctioned forms of population control, has

中國的一胎化政策，如同其他國家制裁性的人口控制政策

led to severe negative effects, and even human rights abuses. So with 1.3 billion people,

已造成嚴重的負面效果，甚至侵犯人權。

representing the most populated country on earth, is it safe to say that the one-child

作為世界上人口最多的國家的中國，我們可以肯定地說，一胎化政策失敗了嗎？

policy is a failure? Obviously, yes.

顯然的，可以

But besides the one-child policy, there are many aspects of Chinese culture that are massively

除了一胎化政策之外，我們對於中國文化還有很多層面的誤解

misunderstood. To learn about some of those misunderstandings, check out this video by

想瞭解這些誤解，就點選Seeker Daily的影片

Seeker Daily. If you're interested in how other countries have tried to control their

如果你還想知道其他國家是怎麼控制人口數的

populations, watch this video about Iran's family planning laws. Thanks for watching

觀看這部關於伊朗家庭計畫的影片。感謝收看Test Tube

Test Tube! Don't forget to like and subscribe. We'll see you next time!

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