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> The one-child policy worked. If you ignore the invasive health monitoring, gender selective abortions, forced abortions, and other human rights violations, s
by humanrebar 11y ago
> The one-child policy worked.
If you ignore the invasive health monitoring, gender selective abortions, forced abortions, and other human rights violations, sure.
But I'm not sure this cure wasn't worse than the disease. Especially, as you point out, since fertility rates seem to regulate themselves in developed countries.
I guess if you're a pure utilitarian, you could try to make the case that it all was a net benefit, but I don't see many utilitarians around these days.
- TeMPOraL 11y agoThe point is, a country growing like crazy and hitting into famine after famine doesn't have a chance to stabilize and actually develop without ensuring deaths of countless millions over many decades. It's not hard to make a case that China has made the right choice. They developed so well because of the policy.
- mazerackham 11y agoHuman rights are not some global constant, but something that evolves from culture & economics. China has experienced unprecedented growth in the past 30 years, never before seen in history. Hopefully its concepts of human rights will evolve with time, but to judge it now by the same measure we do for the West is unrealistic and impractical
- TeMPOraL 11y agoIt's also worth remembering that the West summoned its human rights by guillotining people until they finally appeared. It took a lot of blood to get there. Let's hope China can achieve it without so much bloodshed.