Contraception (Birth Control) and Family Planning PubHealthInfo

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PubHealth.info® (a subsidiary of PakMed) presents scientific information mainly based on abstracts of articles published on a variety of public health issues/topics, particularly encompassing population planning, disease prevention, maternal and child health, and communicable and non-communicable diseases (like HIV AIDS, malaria, etc) that are affecting a significant portion of population in developing and developed countries. Here you can find abstracts of articles published on a variety of public health topics under category "Contraception (Birth Control) and Family Planning". Contraception (birth control) is a regimen of one or more actions, devices, or medications followed in order to deliberately prevent or reduce the likelihood of a woman becoming pregnant or giving birth. Therefore contraception is the utilization of various and sundry surgical procedures, devices, practices, agents, or drugs with the intention of preventing conception or impregnation (pregnancy). Methods and intentions typically termed birth control may be considered a pivotal ingredient to family planning. Birth control is a controversial political and ethical issue in many cultures and religions, and although it is generally less controversial than abortion specifically.

YEAR: 1975

CATEGORY: Contraception (Birth Control) and Family Planning

TITLE

The politics of population in Communist China: a case study of birth control

policy, 1949-1965.

AUTHORS

Chen PC

SOURCE

Ann Arbor, University Microfilms, 1975. 322 p. No. 67-12,014

ABSTRACT

An analysis of Communist Chinese political leadership and decision making processes is undertaken through the

case study of birth control policy formulation and implementation from 1949-1962. A reconstruction of the

government's decisions regarding the birth control policy controversy was accomplished through a content analysis

of birth control articles in representative newspapers in various parts of China. Birth control policy formation in China

is characterized as a social learning process. Initially, the suggestion of a population problem was rejected by

Communist leader Mao Tse-tung, who appeared confident that associated problems, e.g., food shortage and

unemployment, would be adequately solved through communist reorganization. By 1953, concurrent with a national

census, measures were being pursued by the Ministry of Health to help the population to plan childbirth. 1956

brought the national policy of promoting late marriage and contraception into the forefront. Information was

disseminated through mass media campaigns and training classes held by the provincial public health departments.

The training efforts were concentrated in urban areas; dissemination to villages followed by dispatching early

trainees into the more remote areas. In 1958 the campaign was halted and then resumed 4 years later. Because of

the fluctuations in the program, its impact is difficult to determine and thought to be demographically insignificant.

The fluctuations were due to differences of opinion among the Communist part leaders regarding the impact of an

annual population growth of 2% on the "socialist reconstruction of the fatherland." The probirth control advocates

recognized that limitations on population growth would accelerate economic development and the rising standard of

living. The antibirth control group purported a purer Marxist ideology which stated that efforts should be devoted to

agricultural cooperativization and socialist industrialization. Birth contorl contradicted Marxism and was time

consuming, unpopular and difficult. The Communist leadership found that programs based on Soviet Marxism, i.e.,

the great leap forward, were unresponsive and inadequate for the realities facing China. Examination of birth control

policy was the vehicle by which the organization and decision making processes of the political leadership in China

was illuminated. The future of birth control policy is difficult to determine as China continues its learning process.

(PubHealth.info Document ID: CONT7T 3064-06)

PubHealth.info NOTE: The author(s) of this article titled, "The politics of population in Communist China: a case

study of birth control policy, 1949-1965.", is(are) Chen PC. The source of this article is "Ann Arbor, University

Microfilms, 1975. 322 p. No. 67-12,014". This article was published in 1975 in English language(s). (PubHealth.info®

Document ID: CONT7T 3064-06. All rights reserved with PubHealth.info) PIN: 33064

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