Goal:
To learn more about China's One Child Policy in an interactive and personal way
Background of One Child Policy
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During the Cultural Revolution, Mao’s principle was “more people, more power.” Most people had at least three children. In the 1950s, a Chinese economist Ma Yinchu recommended family planning but he was ignored. Eventually, China experienced stagnant economic growth, which enacted a serious family planning program with the slogan “One child isn’t too few, two are just fine, and three are too many.”
In 1982 the One Child Policy became law, but the enforcement of the policy varied. There was a strong emphasis on adjusting the policy to fit local needs, which is why it was more common to have two children in rural areas. Rural communities also tended to receive more lenient policing because government control was easier to apply to urban areas. Urban areas also received more support from the government. The One Child Policy also only applied to Han Chinese women. Ethnic minorities were allowed to have two or more kids. The government helped enforce the policy by evaluating local officials on their adherence to the policy and promoted or punished them and their family accordingly. Propaganda littered the airwaves, streets, and curriculum; all praising the Policy. This is the world of One Child Nation. |
Better to shed a river of blood than give birth to more than one child." |
Documentary BackgroundOne Child Nation was released in 2019, five years after the conclusion of the One Child Policy. The documentary was directed and narrated by Nanfu Wang. The score was composed by Nathan Halper and Chris Ruggiero. Through numerous interviews, Nanfu guides the viewers through varying repercussions of the One Child Policy on a national and international level.
The documentary was nominated for several awards, as seen below: Peabody Awards George Foster Peabody Awards - Documentary (Nominee) Primetime Emmy Award Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking (Nominee) Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize |
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