Chinas unique demographic evolution - Essay Example

China’s Unique Demographic Evolution Every nation has experienced demographic change and some still continue tochange even today. However, in china, their demographic transition is unique compared to other countries. The demographic transition in china was driven by several factors that played a major role in the demographic process of change. The first factor is the convectional institutional arrangement followed by the unconventional arrangement of the same (Li 126). Additionally, China’s economic development and social change have also played a major role to mark the demographic transition. Factors Influencing Demographic Transition Every country that has experienced demographic change, experienced some certain common stages of transition. The first stage has characteristics of high birth rate and a high mortality rate, as a result, a low natural growth is marked. The second stage is characterized by a high birth rate and a low mortality rate, which leads to a high natural growth rate. The third stage is a low birth rate and low mortality rate that marks a low natural growth rate. The first stage of demographic transition is marked with low level of life quality and social development. When the mortality level is high, people rely an increased birth rate to maintain their population. This stage did not have much difference between early developed countries and later developing ones. On the other hand, the second stage came with an improvement in life quality and sanitary condition which was as a result of economic development. In the second stage, declined birth rate does not take place for long, hence, extending its period and delaying transition to the third stage which led to rapid demographic growth rate. Both developed and developing countries share some commonalities in the process of demographic transition. The most common are some factors that led to china’s demographic change in relation to fertility behavior and fertility decisions (Li 126). The first factor is the level economic development. This is a variable that is linked to cost of childbearing. More often than not, parents consider children as special consumer goods; on the other hand, fertility behavior is “seen as a consumer response to children requirements”. Childbearing, upbringing, education, clothing, feeding and education like any other consumer behavior require material investment. Therefore, the household financial budget will always be strenuous to parents. The second factor is social development where parents require concentrating all their energy and time to child bearing. This affects the social life, education, employment, among other opportunities that women find a challenge to multi-task while taking care of children. The final factor is the material conditions that are linked to women’s fertility, health, child health care protection and the technology on contraceptives. This final factor gives influences on the change of fertility behavior and willingness, especially due to material prerequisite (Li 127). Family Planning Policy In 1950’s and 60’s, Ma Yinchu recommended a policy on population control. China heavily criticized this policy, but, their senior leadership began to see the essence of controlling the outrageous population. The government, through CPC central committee and the State Council, issued ‘Instructions for Serious Promotion of Family Planning’ especially in the most densely populated places like the urban areas (Li 129). This law led to proper control of natural population growth, forcing fertility to move from unplanned to plan. In 1980, CPC Central Committee specified the ‘one couple one child’ policy. This policy was to promote delayed marriage and childbearing with fewer and healthier births (Li 132). As an end result, the decline in fertility and population in China led to economic development due to less time and money used on childbearing. Impact of Globalization on Young Adult Migrant Populations Migration is on the rise over time due to global economic and political integration. In 2009, a report stated that 3 percent of the world’s 6.8 billion inhabitants resided in countries outside their birthplace (Adsera, McLanahan and Tienda 1). Most of these immigrants are young adults in search of greener pastures in other developed regions of their country or outside their country. The growing population among young adults raises two important questions. First, how does migration influence well-being of children and youth; second, how are migrant young adults fairing in their host countries/regions?” The first question seeks to find out whether migration improves of undermines youth’s well-being. On an existing cross-national census data for the U.S, Canada among other developed countries, statistics explained that youth, migrants face challenges such as educational competition, labor force status, and poor living standard due to low income as well as discrimination by the laws in the host country (Adsera, McLanahan and Tienda 2). In the film “Urban Migration for Young Chinese on the Rise”, Yongheng states that he is unsure of the number of years that he has to work in Beijing to be economically stable considering that everything is expensive in that part of the city. The second question, on how the host country/region treat the migrants U.S and Canada data shows local laws and institutions of the host county do not favor migrants. Services such as health care and education are inaccessible to migrants. Additionally, migrants face in availability of support programs for integration (Adsera, McLanahan and Tienda 2). In China’s youth migration documentary film, Yongheng explains how migrants are denied the rights and status of Beijing also; access to social services like “health care, education and credit” is a struggle. Human migration is a powerful influence of economic development in terms of costs and benefits for the sending and receiving countries as well as for the migrants themselves (Adsera, McLanahan and Tienda 3). Receiving countries benefit from the skills and labor of young adults and the sending countries maximize social and economic impacts including cross-boundary ties. Developed countries which are mainly the host countries, require youthful skills and talent to replace their aging labor force and stay competitive among other developed countries. However, the host countries require better integration policies that allow developed nations to accommodate young people and their offspring in their demographic budget (Adsera, McLanahan and Tienda 1). This is because most youths go to foreign countries and regions and along the way find a life partner and together they make a family with one or two kids. However, in a country like China, they have a policy of one child per couple that applies to citizens. Hence, a couple migrated to China can be scared of getting even their first child due to the strict fertility rules in the country. Most young people take a different choice concerning family and children that are to remain unmarried or marry much later in life. This is because of the tight budget that migrants have to live on due to the expensive living standard in a host country/region. Yongheng in film, stated that in his rural home, most girls want to get married and have kids, but for him, family is a road he is not about to take considering that his pay cannot sustain a family comfortably (PSB Newshour 45). Another reason why Yongheng is not ready for marriage is; just like other migrants from Beijing, is not a citizen of the city so it becomes hard for him to marry. A question that Sharron Lovell, Yongheng interviewer asks is the next step to China’s youth of migrants who are torn between going back to their rural hometowns and persevere with the harsh laws in Beijing. In the final analysis, China’s youth generation seems not ready to engage in family life. This is because of the harsh conditions in the host region, thus, at the long end economic development will be achieved but the population will decrease tremendously. Works cited Adsera, Alicia, Sara, McLanahan, and Marta, Tienda. "Migrant Youth and Children of Migrants in a Globalized World: Proposal for an International Research Network." Proposal for an International Research Network (2010): 1-12. Print. Li, Peilin. Chinese society: change and transformation.. New York: Routledge, 2012. Print PSB Newshour."Urban Migration for Young Chinese on the Rise."PBS. PBS, 12 July 2012. Web. 24 July 2014. http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/asia-july-dec12-china_07-12/. Read More