Since the early 1970s, population policy has been formed, gradually completed, firmly established, and has achieved widespread implementation and effectiveness through planned childbirth.
In 1953, the construction of a large-scale economy began. The population census held in the year caused concern over the rapid population growth among the intelligentsia, which then came forward to appeal for population control. For several years after, the concern over the population problem made the necessity of control recognized, and the nation was on the point of making the necessary efforts. The changed political situation, however, suppressed the call for population control after 1958, and many intellectuals were persecuted.
The well-known story of Ma Yin Chu represents the tragedy. In sum, political misjudgment lowered awareness of the population problems as well as efforts for population control, and seriously damaged the economic development almost getting on track.
The radical Great Leap Forward of 1958 failed, and the economic difficulties in the years to follow brought Chinese society into great turmoil. Due to human factors - the economic hardship and social instability, - the population growth rate drastically but temporarily fell, but began a tremendous recovery as the economy revived after 1962. As a result, population pressure aroused public attention, and population control became sought after. In the following year, governmental organizations called planned childbirth committees were formed in several provinces and cities. In 1964, "Planned Childbirth Expenditure" was included in the national budget, and the Planned Childbirth Committee was established in the State Affairs Administration. The population policy, which was just beginning to find its way, was suspended due to the outbreak of the Great Cultural Revolution. During the Revolution, the population problem became taboo, and any discussion on policies for population control was impossible. It was only in the early 1970s that definite childbirth plans for the population policy were introduced and began to be continuously implemented. The issue of population was first incorporated in the national economic development plan in 1973, and the planned childbirth advisory group was formed in the State Council, clearing the way for China's population policy of "planned population Growth".
