The Family Way

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In The Media

The Family Way

Josh Kurlantzick discusses how the devastating earthquake in China affects the country's one-child policy.

By Josh Kurlantzick

Published on Jun 2, 2008

Source: Time Magazine

Carnegie Endowment visiting scholar Josh Kurlantzick contends that while China's one-child policy has curbed the country's population growth, and helped raise living standards, it is no longer viable. China faces a looming demographic crisis where a shrinking number of working-age citizens will need to support a vast population of elderly. This, coupled with a gender imbalance in birthrates that will leave millions of young men without wives, requires Beijing to rethink the one-child policy before China's prosperity and political stability are threatened.

Click here for full text of the article.

About the Author

Josh Kurlantzick

Former Visiting Scholar, China Program

A special correspondent for The New Republic, a columnist for Time, and a senior correspondent for The American Prospect, Kurlantzick assesses China’s relationship with the developing world, including Southeast Asia, Africa, and Latin America.

Recent Work

In The Media
Fighting Terrorism With Terrorists
- Josh Kurlantzick
Other
Beijing’s Safari: China’s Move into Africa and Its Implications for Aid, Development, and Governance
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China

Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.

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