On Several Problems Regarding the Development of Demographic Theory in China Since the Founding of the People's Republic

Abstract

Policy theory over the last 30 years, as Comrade Tian sees it, can be divided into 3 developmental stages: 1) from 1949 to 1957 saw the rise of "population controlism" represented by the sociological school; 2) from the late 1950s into the early 1960s featured the "new Population Theory" represented by Ma Yinchu, and a "theory of human hands and power" formulated in the course of criticism and repudiation; and 3) after the 1960s population studies were at a state of standstill or only 1/2 active. While advocating birth control, Comrade Mao Zedong showed inadequacy in regard to demographic theory and in practice he lacked sufficient understanding of the gravity of New China's population problem. In reviewing the developmental history of demographic theory in new China, it would be very inappropriate not to analyze and evaluate realistically Mao Zedong's thinking on population but only criticize certain of his faults. The main manifestations in Comrade Tian Xueyuan's division of the stages of development of new China's population theory are: 1) the first stage is unable to reflect accurately the objective reality of a healthy development of China's population theory, 2) the third stage includes 2 entirely different developmental periods before and after the smashing of the "gang of four," and 3) Tian's stages did not convey the development and change in Comrade Mao Zedong's demographic thinking in the different stages and their influence on the development of China's population theory. Tian Xueyuan and Zedong differ in terms of content of the developmental stages of population theory, not in terms of the time of the stages.