The One-Child policy was a population control policy that was implemented in China in 1979. The policy aimed to control the rapidly growing population, which was seen as a threat to the country's economic and social development.
China's population had grown rapidly after World War II, and by the 1970s, it was approaching one billion. The government became increasingly concerned that this growth would lead to social, economic, and environmental problems, and that it would make it difficult to raise the standard of living for the population.
The One-Child policy was designed to address this problem by limiting the number of children that families could have. The policy stated that families could have only one child, and that those who violated the policy would be subject to fines, penalties, and sometimes forced abortions or sterilizations.
The policy had a number of goals, including reducing population growth, improving the health and welfare of mothers and children, and promoting economic growth. The government believed that the policy would help to reduce the strain on the country's resources, including land, water, and food.
The policy was controversial both within China and internationally. Critics argued that it violated human rights, particularly the right to have children, and that it led to a range of negative social and economic consequences, including a gender imbalance, an aging population, and a decrease in the labor force.
In 2015, the Chinese government announced that it was ending the One-Child policy, citing concerns about the aging population and a need to increase the birth rate. The policy was replaced with a Two-Child policy, which allows families to have two children. However, it is unclear how much impact this policy change has had on the country's birth rate.