In China, the one child policy has been implemented since 1979, but sociologists had no idea what kind of consequences it could have in the future. Nowadays, there have been a couple generations who have been affected by this policy, and the outcome is what people are calling "little emperors."
"Little Emperors" are the only children in families where they have the full and constant attention, both emotionally and financially, of their parents and grandparents. They have the full attention of their grandparents as well as their parents because their parents were only children as well. It is obvious how the one child policy in the People's Republic of China could act as an incubator for these "little emperors" because generation after generation of sibling-less kids are waited on hand and foot by their elders.
This could be a good thing for China or a very bad thing. In terms of economics, it could be positive since these children have n enormous amount of spending power in comparison to previous generations. These "little emperors" have the financial backing of both their parents and their grandparents who naturally want the best for their baby. This means increased spending which could be good for the Chinese economy, and, with a large population with an increasing spending power, the Chinese GDP will likely rise steadily in the years to come. However, this could also be a bad thing for China because the "little emperors" are used to getting their way and feel entitled to everything they had and more. This would not be good for international relations or international business because these grown "emperors" would not want to negotiate; they would want everything to be done their way which would force positional bargaining and would not be effective in any branch of negotiations. Also, this could cause internal problems because if everyone wants to spend, spend, spend without wanting to work, work, work, China will see exactly what an uncontrolled credit situation can do to a large economy (a.k.a. America's current problem).
In the end, the parents and grandparents just want a better life for their children since most had to live in poverty. This is especially true for those who had to live through the "cultural revolution" of Mao Zedong where he re-educated the intellectuals, who were harder to control, by forcing them to work in the fields. The unforeseen consequences of the "little emperors" are bound to be shaping the future of China for generations to come even if the one child policy were eliminated. Whether they are positive or negative consequences, nobody knows, but one thing is certain - these "little emperors" will rule China in 25 years.
I absolutely love this post! You bring up an interesting outcome of China's one child policy. While most focus on the injustice that has occurred through this policy you bring up how this policy effects families after having their one child. I think both of the positive and negative outcomes you mention are very likely and would be interesting to further analyze the direct impacts. I do have to say though I think the "Little Emperor" syndrome is not unique to the Chinese but can also be found here in America - I know quite a few only children who act like "Little Emperors."
ReplyDeleteThe “Little Emperor” syndrome doesn’t only affect the kids being doted upon; the parents are equally unhealthy in their own right. An article on the subject in Psychology Today describes one mother who has forgone work to shadow her toddler around school to ensure his success. This can’t be healthy for either mother or child. As much as our culture recognizes how important it is for children to be loved and nurtured it is equally as damaging for a child who gets no love as it does for a child who gets too much.
ReplyDeleteSome parents go so far as to skip lunch or refuse medical services for their illnesses so they can use that money toward furthering their child’s chances at success. The motivation here is that they child will support the parents in their old age. This kind of pressure from infancy cannot be good. It leaves no room for a child to fail which unfortunately leads to drastic problems, namely suicide. The article reports that suicide is the leading cause of death for people ages 25-30. Maybe China could borrow from many of American’s today by infusing the mentality of doing just enough to get by.
The article goes further in describing a generation of Chinese raised to be the best. Many of the parents of these children suffered repression during Mao Zedong’s rule and now see to it that their child gains acceptance to a top university and can enjoy a middle class lifestyle. The only problem is that there are not enough jobs, even for the university graduates. Many of those who spent the time trying to get to the top and now work jobs they view to be beneath them. This is breeding a generation of entitled young individuals. Not so much unlike the West. I wonder what will happen when this bubble bursts. Maybe the middle class we know today will become the lower class. Great post.
In terms of looking at the "One Child Policy" in China, you have to look at the overall picture in terms of what the chinese government had in mind when they created that law. There are 1.3 billion people living in the country the size of the United States.
ReplyDeleteNow imagine if there were 1 billion people living in the United States, and crowded only in the cities. Do you think overcrowding would cause the government to do initate a "One Child Policy" as well.