Chinese Infanticide

1 Pages 353 Words

Infanticide in China

Cui Bono: “… whose interests are involved and who benefits or suffers from existing arrangements” (Robertson 1981). Who benefits? One might analyze this article and believe that it is the government that benefits from this policy. I don’t feel this is the situation. Because we, as Canadians, live in a free and democratic society, it is easy to interpret this article as satisfying and benefiting some sick and sinister government. It is my belief the government may benefit from infanticide in the sense that “punishments include fines against both the family and the local government, loss of family allowance and medical benefits” (KDC 2000). Obviously there is an economical benefit of this policy. However, I feel it is the entire population of China who ultimately benefits as the reason that this policy was initiated was to take [initiate] “effective measures to slow down the rapid growth of its population” (KDC 2000). It refers back to supply and demand. Overpopulation could essentially lead to starving of the Chinese people, and therefore, citizens of China would be dying. Lets nip it in the bud now so it doesn’t fully take us over later.

In the opinion of a structural functionalist “most members agree on basic values” (Robertson 1981). I understand this as the members within a certain society tend to agree on specific laws or boundaries and do not oppose or question them because the rest of society has accepted them because the rest of society has accepted them. This seems to be the case in China and the existence of the infanticide policy. Members of Chinese society think it is normal in society because it has been happening for over 30 years and it was initiated “to ensure that China could feed all its people” (KDC 2000). Infanticide was utilized to control over-populating and to enforce “China’s one-child policy” (KDC 2000) because “without taking effective m...