Planned fertility decline in rural China : the case of Anhui Province

Abstract

This thesis examines fertility decline in the context of planned socioeconomic changes in rural China, with special reference to rural Anhui. The period from 1949 to 1972 was basically one of tightening central control of the economy and society, and there was no systematic family planning program in rural China. Fertility changes were indirectly influenced by other planned socioeconomic changes. During this period, ideological reform and class struggle were emphasized and people were forced to submerge their own interests in favour of the collective's and state interests. The bureaucratic system became increasingly entrenched and ready to carry out the full range of centrally planned policies. It was in these circumstances that the family planning program was introduced to rural China in the early 1970s. During the 1970s, the family planning program developed rapidly from the 'Wan Xi Shao' campaign (Later-longer-fewer: later start, longer intervals and fewer children) to the One-child Family policy adopted in 1979. China experienced a dramatic fertility decline in the 1970s despite the absence of much progress in socioeconomic development. From 1979 to 1989 a period of economic reforms was accompanied by the loosening of central government control and command economics. In rural China land was redistributed to the peasants under a policy known as the production responsibility system. The social structure quickly adapted to this changed situation. Peasants found that their interests were served by larger family sizes to take advantage of new farming systems. Their resistance to rigid central population policy grew stronger in the 1980s. This resulted in a period of conflict and modification of population policy. While fertility remains relatively low, these events suggest that future fertility declines in China are unlikely to be easy or smooth unless economic development reaches the stage where people's economic interests are consistent with low fertility and the whole community internalizes a small family norm. Show more