Appeal to Public Authorities and the One Child Policy in China

"For a prosperous, powerful nation and a happy family, please practice family planning."

Appeal to Public Authorities

23. And now We wish to speak to rulers of nations. To you most of all is committed the responsibility of safeguarding the common good. You can contribute so much to the preservation of morals. We beg of you, never allow the morals of your peoples to be undermined. The family is the primary unit in the state; do not tolerate any legislation which would introduce into the family those practices which are opposed to the natural law of God. For there are other ways by which a government can and should solve the population problem—that is to say by enacting laws which will assist families and by educating the people wisely so that the moral law and the freedom of the citizens are both safeguarded.

Explanation: The Pope speaks to the leaders of the all the countries to tell them that it is their duty to block laws that enable contraception and abortion. Instead the Pope suggests that the issue of overpopulation should be solved through education. He asserts that contraception is opposed to the natural law of God and should not be legal.

Overpopulation is a serious concern for many countries because it can lead to exhaustion of natural resources, slums and surplus labor causing unemployment. Because of the rapidly increasing population of China and its associated problems, the Chinese government created the One Child Policy in 1978.

The One Child Policy limits the number of children a couple may have. However, approximately 35.9% of the Chinese population are subject to the strict one child policy due to exceptions for rural areas, minorities, and in some cases if the first child is a girl. The other part of the population have higher limits, or in some cases no limit at all. If the policy is broken Chinese families must pay for education of children in addition to a large fine.

On the surface, the Chinese plan does not require contraception, but it does regulate birth through law. It prevents families from having as many children as they like, but still allows at least one child.

However, while the Pope states that:

“Children are really the supreme gift of marriage and contribute in the highest degree to their parents' welfare”

Limiting the number of children, while possibly something that would degrade the parents' welfare, does not directly contradict the Pope's message. The problems begin with the fact that education alone, without the availability of contraceptives is insufficient to combat the problem of overpopulation in developing countries. So, in an action that the Pope would certainly disapprove of, the Chinese government decided to set up family planning clinics where women can get free contraceptives and education. If contraception had been banned, rather than promoted, the law would have likely resulted in widespread social problems such as an illegal trade in contraceptives, abortions, and increased infanticide.

While the One Child Policy did accomplish its goal of slowing Chinese population growth, improving living conditions, and boosting the economy, it did have some negative consequences. Chinese families tend to prefer boys over girls. By year 2000 the ratio of male to female births was 117:100. Due to the increased availability of ultrasound, sex-selective abortion became more possible. Even though it is illegal, sex-selective abortion and infanticide are likely part of the reason for the unequal gender ratio. The Pope (and everyone else) would likely agree that these practices are immoral in the extreme.