Some problems with the development of the population theory since the founding of the People's Republic of China]

Since the founding of the People's Republic of China, the development of the population theory has experienced some setbacks. It is important to learn lessons from the past and establish a socialist population theory based on science. During the 1st 30 years of the People's Republic of China, the development of a population theory can be divided into 3 stages: 1) stage one was from 1949 to 1957 -- belief in population control on the basis of sociology; 2) stage two was from the late 1950s to early 1960s -- represented by Mr. Ma Yinchu's "New Population Theory" and the theory of the opposing side; and 3) stage Three began after the 1960s. Throughout the 1960s, studies of population theory remained stagnant, and no progress in this field was possible. In the 1970s, especially since the downfall of the "Gang of Four," the development of a population theory has entered a new stage. 3 problems with the development of the population theory discussed by the author are: 1) an evaluation of Comrade Mao Zedong's thoughts on population, 2) the division of different schools in population theory, 3) the different periods in the development of the population theory since 1949. Mao Zedong did change his thoughts on population control, but he was in favor of family planning and supported studies in population theory. Besides Ma Yinchu, Chin Da, Fei Xiaotong, Wu Jingchao and others also had their own population theories. The author emphasizes the contributions made by Mao Zedong and the Communist Party in the development of a population theory. New accomplishments and experience are expected with the downfall of the "Gang of Four."     

On the relationship between population growth and economic development]

People are producers as well as consumers. If we look at only one side and ignore the other, we will be unable to reach impartial conclusions concerning the population problem. An obvious and close relationship exists between population growth and national economic development. If the two do not match each other, there will be numerous contradictory problems. For example, if the population grows too fast, serious social and economic problems will be created, such as a rise in the demand for living resources, an oversupply of the labor force, unemployment, and an insufficient availability of arable land, a shortage of public housing, more demand for health care and public transportation, and cultural and educational enterprises. In addition, a rapid population growth may cause more problems for the natural environment. As a result of overpopulation, the pressure on natural resources will be intensified and may therefore cause damage to the environment and create an ecological imbalance. All the above may bring very serious difficulties and obstacles to the advancement of socialism and modernized constructions. To avoid this, we must try to solve the population problem thoroughly and maintain a balanced relationship between the population growth and economic development.     

On the relationship between population and education]

The social and historical development of population and education is subject to the restriction of the means of production. Although it is not the major factor in determing the direction of social development, it has a great impact on social progress and historical development. The scale and level of educational development are not only influenced by social and economic conditions but are also related to the scale of population growth and the number of people who receive an education. In studies of the relationship between the population and education, special attention should be given to the impact of population growth upon education as well as the everlasting influence of education upon the population structure and social mobility. Since 1949, because of a rapid population growth, the existing educational system in China has suffered severe damage and destruction. There have been an insufficient number of schools and a shortage of funds for education for quite some time, and the population growth has caused great pressure on education. The relationship between the population and education in a modern society is a rather complicated problem. As a country with a large population and a backward education, China needs to develop its education and promote its population quality in order that favorable conditions may be created for the overall development of Socialist modernization.     

On the relationship between population and means of subsistence]

Population is the basis of all social activites and social production. Population growth and development must have a definite means of subsistence to meet its cultural and material needs. The larger the population of a country, the greater is its demand for consumer goods and, likewise, the yield of its means of subsistence should be greater. Population brings about the unification of production and consumption. Furthermore, the ratio of population to the means of subsistence must be maintained at an appropriate level. Population growth must be slower then the growth of the means of subsistence in order to ensure continuous economic expansion and population increase. However, there are some people, notably Malthus, who believe that the balance between population growth and the means of subsistence should be equal. It is crucial to note differences between Marxist and Malthusian points of view. The basic outlook on the nature of the relationship between population and the means of subsistence is different. For Malthusians, it is a matter of the number of people and the quantity of the means of subsistence. For Marxists, the relationship is a historically determined social relationship. For Malthusians, population development is the primary force behind social development, i.e., the imbalance between population and the means of subsistence stems from social ills. Marxists differ from this in believing that population cannot be divorced from material production. Malthusians believe that population surplus derives from a population increase that is greater than an increase in the means of subsistence. Marxists believe a population surplus is also an historically determined social relationship. The Malthusian outlook for the future of population and the means of subsistence is pessimistic, whereas the Marxian view embodies the optimism of revolution.     

Some fundamental problems concerning the relationship between population growth and economic development]

The population growth rate is closely related to the quality of economic life, available funds for individual and social consumption, national income to be used for reproduction, and the labor employment situation. Since liberation, socialism has not been able to show its superiority, mainly because of China's large population figure, low economic productivity, low national income, and poor management in the relationship between consumption and accumulation. In order to solve these problems, we need to adequately control the pace of the population growth and match the rate of population growth with the pace of economic development. A way to increase national income is through saving and avoiding unnecessary waste. Social expenditures on education, culture, science, health and medical care, social welfare, and investment in the promotion of people's wisdom should all be increased. Meanwhile, the living standard of the people needs to be raised, and capital accumulation should also be managed so that funds will be available for industrial and economic enterprises. Existing inefficient production enterprises should be properly reorganized so that full employment may be achieved. In this way, the national economy will have more prosperity, and the people will benefit more from the Socialist policy.     

建国以来新疆人口增长初探

人口增长包括人口出生和人口迁移两个方面,人口的增长会对一个区域的社会经济发展产生较大的影响,而人口增长又受政治、历史、经济和自然等多因素的制约。因此研究新疆的人口自然增长和机械增长过程,有助于全面了解新疆的社会经济发展。     

On the structure of urban population size and social and economic development]

The relationships among urban population size and structure and level of socioeconomic development are examined using a variety of published international sources. The need to control urban population dynamics in order to promote development is stressed.     

On the relationship between household composition and population age distribution

Summary Composition of households by age of head and by age of other household members has recently been presented in a convenient algebraic expression, the household composition matrix. It has been shown that this matrix operates as a linear transformation from the vector of household distribution by age of head to the vector of population age distribution. A further analysis will show that the first row of the matrix may be interpreted as representing a vector of average household fertility rates. If the linear relationship between household and population distributions is fully implemented, then a relationship between household fertility and the size of the youngest age group can be derived. If w is the population age distribution and w (1) is the number of persons in the youngest age group, then: where α is the first row of the household composition matrix with its first element eliminated, C is the household composition matrix with its first row and first column eliminated, and Ψ is the vector w with its first element, w (1) eliminated. Extension of this result will enable simultaneous projection of population and households, suitable for computer application to conventional five-year age groups.     

People's Republic of China Law on Population and Birth Planning

Plans by the Chinese government for drafting and passing a national law on population and birth planning were first reported in 1978. Progress toward that politically sensitive goal has been, however, very slow. During the past two decades, the legal basis of China's birth planning program was limited to provincial legislation. By the late 1990s, birth planning was the only major national policy area that did not have national enabling legislation. In January 2000 the State Birth Planning Commission sent a draft of the law on population to the State Council for interagency review and party approval. At the end of 2000, the National People's Congress placed the law on its 2001 agenda. After the required multiple reviews, and with some changes, the Standing Committee of the NPC passed the Law on Population and Birth Planning on 29 December 2001, and on the same day President Jiang Zemin signed and promulgated the Law. The Law is to come into effect on 1 September 2002. The background and significance of this legislation are discussed in detail in the opening article in the present issue of this journal. The author of the article, Edwin A. Winckler, also prepared an English translation of the Law on Population and Birth Planning. This translation is reproduced below. It is followed by a note by the translator.     

Control of population by economic means]

Education alone cannot effectively control population growth. Benefit to the individual must be coordinated with the benefit to the community and the country. It is absolutely necessary and possible to control population by economic means. The economic policy in Tienjing includes: 1) give preference to single child families in child care, health benefits, education, and employment, and financially punish families with more than two children; 2) establish a better rationing policy, one not based on a per capita ration, and give preference to single child families; 3) establish retirement benefits and guarantee higher living standards for retirees who have either no children or only 1 or 2 children, and give paid sick leave to people experiencing complications following sterilization operations; 4) establish equal inheritance rights for both male and female offspring; and 5) give bonuses to units with excellent family planning results and to medical personnel with fewer complications during sterilization operations, and financially punish groups with poor family planning results. In order to effectively implement the economic means, coordinate bonuses with punishment, and coordinate local policies with those of the entire society. The key is strong leadership, but the voluntary and active involvement of the public insures success.     

The population and economic problems of South Asia]

South Asia, which includes Central South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Southwest Asia, had a comparatively higher population growth rate during the 30-year postwar period because of the overall backward economy and strong religious tradition. From the viewpoint of economics, the high population growth in South Asia has slowed down economic growth, increased the foreign trade imblance, and worsened poverty. Secondly, the rapid population growth has overburdened the area's educational system. The illiteracy rate has been going up continuously because of inadequate funds available for education. Thirdly, young labor is lacking in skills, training, and work experience, and related productivity has declined. Consequently, profits, the investment capability, and wages are also declining. The problems of the oversupply of labor, unemployment, and poverty have also become increasingly serious. In addition, the rapid population growth has intensified the pressure on the food supply and worsened the average nutrition of the general public. In recent years, countries in South Asia have been trying to deal with various problems caused by the rapid population growth. Measures have been taken to control the population growth, with a redistribution of the population to places outside cities, and export labor to oil-producing nations of the Middle East and Africa in order to solve the problem of the domestic labor surplus and earn more income for the foreign exchange. Countries in South Asia need more time and effort to achieve a balance between the population growth and economic development.     

A preliminary inquiry into the interrelationship between population growth and economic development in Hong Kong]

Hong Kong includes Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, New Territory, and more than 230 islands. During World War ii, the population of Hong Kong decreased sharply, and the total number decreased to less than 600,000. Since the war ended in 1945, the population of Hong Kong has been increasing rapidly at an annual rate of 20%. By the end of 1981, its total population had increased to 5.2 million, including 1.25 million newly arrived immigrants. The average age is 24.8. People above the age 65 constitute only 6% of the total population. This shows that there is a sufficient supply of labor for local economic development. Because of continued economic growth, there has been a constant demand for more labor. Low wages provide an excellent condition for high-speed industrial development. An improved quality of professional workers and management personnel also contributes much to Hong Kong's industrial modernization. Because of high employment among the labor population, the general population earns income and spends a great deal, and this has created a rather active economy. General population growth trends include: 1) continued population growth will bring the total population to 6.3 million by the end of 1981, and the housing problem will become more serious; 2) a stable decline in the natural population growth rate will gradually change the population pattern to a low birth, low death, and low natural growth situation; and 3) improvements in science and technology, health care, and living conditions will reduce the death rate, and the average age will lengthen, and with the increase in old people, the demand for social welfare will also increase; and 4) there will be a shortage in experienced labor (professional technicians and high management personnel) in the 1980s. Facing the new situation, Hong Kong's economic structure needs reform, moving from a labor intensive enterprise to a capital-technological intensive enterprise. The market will be expanded and Hong Kong will earn more profit in China's mode rnization process.     

General situation and characteristics of the population of the Yemen Arab Republic]

The Yemen Arab Republic conducted a national census on February 1, 1975 and collected accurate and useful information for population research. Such information can be used to understand various factors in this country's development process and to set up a longterm plan for the country's economic development. According to this census, the total population of the country was 4,705,337. About 54.4% of its population was under the age of 16, and the average age for the population was 16. This young age population structure shows that the number of people who need employment is high, and the pressure on social and economic development is strong. Because of a poor living standard and backward health care, the birthrate and death rate have remained very high, and economic growth has been very slow. Because of the poor geographical condition, the distribution of population in the country is rather scattered. Every residential area has an average population of less than 83 persons, and this is a great obstacle in the country's socioeconomic development. The cultural level and education remain very backward, and the illiteracy rate is high. The illiteracy rate among women is 97.6%. Most women do not participate in social labor. In the labor market, the percentage of underage workers is extremely high. Many young children have to work to support themselves because of the backward economy and poor living conditions. All these are obstacles to this country's economic development.     

Change of population policy and the population situation in China]

A correct population policy is very crucial to the solution of the population problem, economic development, and social progress. The real situation in China now is a large population, a high rate of population growth, and low level of productivity. Facing this situation, China's population policy should include control of population growth in quantity, a promotion of population quality, and a match between population growth and social and economic development for the final realization of the Four Modernizations. In recent years, under the leadership of the National Committee on Family Planning, together with cooperation from various offices at the local level, a great change has taken place in China's population situation. The fertility rate has declined gradually, and late marriage, delayed births, and a reduced number of births have also become popular. A change in the age structure of the population has also slowed the pace of population growth. A reduction in the ratio of women of childbearing age is also helpful in the control of population growth, and the natural growth rate for the population has declined. This change shows that family planning is working in China and great results have been achieved. To come closer to the national goal of population control, practical work should be focused on rural areas. The rural population constitutes about 80% of total population and the fertility rate in rural areas is much higher than that of the cities. If population control can be achieved in the rural areas, the overall goal of population control for the country can then be achieved more easily.     

On the temporary surplus population in the elementary stage of socialism in China]

The causes and patterns of China's surplus population are analyzed for the period 1951-1980. The authors view the surplus population as a temporary phenomenon that is advantageous to social development.     

Temporal variations in the relationship between infant mortality and economic status

Data from a metropolitan aggregate comprising three Ohio cities for the years 1959–61, 1969–71 and 1979–81 reveal some noteworthy variations over time in the nature and magnitude of the traditional inverse association between economic status and infant mortality. This brief paper describes these variations and offers an explanation for the observed temporal changes that relates the influence of medical and infant health care advances to the prevailing overall economic situation.

     

Preliminary analysis of the relationship between literacy quality and occupation of our minorities women and their population development]

Chinese women, particularly those of ethnic minorities were studied 3 major areas: 1) literacy, 2) occupation and 3) the relationship between population growth and literacy and occupation. All of the data referred to are based upon the National Census of 1982. Although there has been substantial improvement in literacy among women of ethnic groups in China since the 1950s, the present situation is still far from satisfactory. Illiteracy is 132.6% higher among women than among men on a national level, and the number of illiterate women belonging to ethnic groups is almost twice that of illiterate men. Among 55 ethnic groups examined, 40 has an illiteracy rate higher than that of the national level. At present, 90% of the members of ethnic groups are involved in traditional occupations such as farming, forestry, and fishing. The percentage of women in nontraditional occupations is much lower than that found on the national level. For instance, the number of male government officials is nationally 763% higher than the number of women in these professions; and it is 806% higher among ethnic groups. It is noted that population growth is directly related to literacy and occupation: The birth rate decreases in proportion to the increase in the number of women becoming educated and joining the work force. It is concluded that in order to lower the birth rate and to improve the status of the national population, the government should promote commodity production and modify the occupational structure by employing more women and further improving education.     

A stochastic version of the malthusian trap model: Consequences for the empirical relationship between economic growth and population growth in LDC's

A stochastic version of the Malthusian trap model relating the growth rate of income per capita to the population growth rate of a given country is described. This model is applied to the a priori evaluation of the cross‐sectional correlation between these two growth rates under two additional assumptions: i) the relations in the model at national levels include country‐specific and time‐invariant random components, and ii) these growth rates are measured with a certain degree of temporal aggregation. It is shown that these two assumptions can explain near‐zero correlations between the two growth rates even if there exist a strongly negative effect of population growth on economic growth. However it is not clear whether these assumptions fully explain such insignificant correlations. Indeed, the implementation of the model is complicated by the structural shifts which are likely to occur in the equations over the course of the demographic transition.     

A stochastic version of the Malthusian Trap Model: consequences for the empirical relationship between economic growth and population growth in LDC's

A stochastic version of the Malthusian trap model relating the growth rate of income per capita to the population growth rate of a given country is described. This model is applied to the a priori evaluation of the cross-sectional correlation between these 2 growth rates under 2 additional assumptions: 1) the relations in the model at national levels include country-specific and time-invariant random components, and 2) these growth rates are measured with a certain degree of temporal aggregation. It is shown that these 2 assumptions can explain near-0 correlations between the 2 growth rates even if there exist a strongly negative effect of population growth on economic growth. However, it is not clear whether these assumptions fully explain such insignificant correlations. Indeed, the implementation of the model is complicated by the structural shifts which are likely to occur in the equations over the course of the demographic transition.     

On the rational distribution of Chinese population]

In 1949, the population distribution in China was characterized by the following distinct features. First, it was unbalanced, with high density in the eastern regions, in the plains, and in areas adjacent to railroads, river navigation routes and other transportation axes. Low population density was found in the western regions, mountainous regions, and areas far from transportation routes. Second, Hans were largest in number and distributed throughout the country, with major concentration in the eastern regions, while the minorities constituted about 10% of the total population and were distributed mainly in the far southwestern and northwestern areas. Third, over 89% of the 540 million of the population was distributed in rural areas while only about 10% in towns and cities, with high densities in some coastal cities. During the past 3 decades, the unbalanced nature of China's population has remained basically unchanged. This can be attributed to factors relating to natural conditions and resources, productivities, socioeconomic conditions, and technological development in different regions. In order to achieve a rational distribution of the Chinese population the following measures should be taken: 1) controlling the birth rate of the Hans and increasing the population of minorities; 2) moving the population of the dense areas to the border provinces in the western regions to develop their natural resources and to elevate the living standards; 3) modernizing the rural areas; 4) strictly controlling the industrial developments of large cities and their population growth; and 5) strictly restricting the unplanned migration of population to and from cities.