China's birth control action programme, 1956–1964

Abstract

Drawing upon available information this article throws light on China's birth control action programme, focusing on (1) its organizational set up, (2) the modes of communication, persuasion and pressure employed, (3) products and services provided, and (4) strategies resorted to. The Chinese approach to the birth control campaign has been characterized by two distinct and related strategies: (1) ‘tien hsien mien hou’ strategy, and (2) ‘mass campaign’ strategy. According to the first strategy — literally ‘point first space later’ — the organized efforts are to be concentrated initially on the upper socio-economic strata and major urban areas, then gradually extended to cover lower strata and lesser cities, and eventually expanded to encompass the entire rural areas. This strategy also means that at the regional level a pilot project should be undertaken first, and the experience subsequently employed to tackle a larger area. The ‘mass campaign’ strategy means conducting crash, intensive, extensive and intermittent publicity campaigns, involving all means of communication at the regime's disposal.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Pi-Chao Chen

This is part of a larger study of birth control in Communist China. I am grateful to the University of Michigan Center for Chinese Study and Population Study Center for a Post-Doctoral Fellowship which enabled me to undertake this research project. I am also grateful to Professors A. Eckstein, A. F. K. Organski, R. Freedman and A. S. Whiting for their comments. They are not, of course responsible for what is written here.