British Literature and Composition

Morris 1

Amy Morris

Ms. Morris

British Literature and Composition

22 January 2017

The Accidental Monster

Victor, title character of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, has the best of intentions: he wants to overcome the power of death. Like Victor, the leaders of China also had good intentions: they wanted greater economic prosperity for their people and a greater role in the world for the country. But the road to hell is paved with good intentions, so the old saying goes. Victor Frankenstein achieved only more death and destruction. And, China’s one-child policy may have impacted “more people in a more intimate and brutal way” than any other government policy worldwide (Kristof). The unintended consequences of this “brutal” policy cause tremendous stress to those wanting to start a family and those who have to take care of one.

A constantly widening gap in China between the number of males and females makes finding a spouse and having children quite difficult. For every 100 girls born in China today, 117 boys are born. Experts estimate that by 2020, China will have 30 million single men of the age to marry with no prospects for marriage unless, joked one economist, “a wife should have multiple husbands” (Wong). The causes of this problem spring from a cultural preference for male children. Aborting female fetuses, murdering female infants, and failing to acknowledging female children have led to this gender imbalance (“An Unintended Consequence of China’s One-Child Policy?”). Howden and Yang fear that attempts to correct the gender imbalance could lead to even more unintended consequences. They discuss Russia’s gender imbalance following World War II as a warning of what could happen in China. Twenty-three million less men following the war led to increased taxation, restrictions, and invasion of privacy as the government attempted to correct the imbalance (9).

Imbalance will also affect this one child as he or she deals with aging parents and grandparents. As was intended, the one-child policy caused a “sharp decline in population.” However, this means that Chinese families today typically consist of “four grandparents, two parents, and one child.” The 1 child of this “4 + 2 + 1” family, without any siblings, must figure out a way to take care of his grandparents and parents as they age and stop earning money and benefits. This causes tremendous economic stress on a young person (Howden and Zhou 8). The duty of a son to care for aging parents is a revered tradition in China, but “the burden generally falls on his wife.” Due to the gender imbalance, however, plenty of sons do not have wives to take on this responsibility (Zraick). (Work on better connect.) A study conducted by Australian economists that sought to compare only children to those who have siblings concluded that an only-child is “very risk-averse and less optimistic and also less entrepreneurial.” These tendencies could add considerable stress to a young person already carrying a heavy economic burden (“The Unintended Consequences of China’s Birth Policy in ‘One-Child’”).

Like Victor Frankenstein, China utilized the tools of modernization – astounding technology, information, and economic prosperity – in an attempt to curb nature for the betterment of humankind. The one-child policy did slow population growth. Yet, it “may undermine the country’s economic prospects” and has unintentionally wreaked havoc in the hearts and lives of the Chinese people (Kristof).

Works Cited

Howden, David, and Yang Zhou. "China's One-Child Policy: Some Unintended Consequences."Economic Affairs34.3 (2014): 353-369.Business Source Complete. Web. 9 Jan. 2017.

Kristof, Nicholas D. “China’s Worst Policy Mistake?” New York Review of Books, 7 April 2016, http://www.nybooks.com/articles/2016/04/07/chinas-worst-policy-mistake/.

Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein. Classical Comics, Ltd., 2008.

"An Unintended Consequence Of China's One-Child Policy?."International Family Planning Perspectives32.3 (2006): 108.Sociological Collection. Web. 10 Jan. 2017.

“The Unintended Consequences Of China's Birth Policy In 'One-Child'.” NPR.org, 29 October 2015, http://www.npr.org/2015/10/29/452909212/the-unintended-consequences-of-chinas-birth-policy-in-one-child.

Wong, Edward. “One-Child Rule Is Gone in China, but Trauma Lingers for Many” The New York Times, 30 October 2015, www.nytimes.com/2015/10/31/world/asia/china-will-feel-one-child-policys-effects-for-decades-experts-say.html?_r=0.

Zraick, Karen. “China Will Feel One-Child Policy’s Effects for Decades, Experts Say.” The New York Times, 30 October 2015, www.nytimes.com/2015/10/31/world/asia/china-will-feel-one-child-policys-effects-for-decades-experts-say.html?_r=0