sociology social policies

• policies are based on laws; for example, who is entitled to what benefit

  most social policies affect the family in some way; such as adoption, abortion, compulsory schooling, care in the community, taxation policies
• China's one child policy: China tried to control their population growth by discouraging parents from having more than one child

  • women had to seek permission to become pregnant supervised by workplace family planning committees
  • couples that comply got extra benefits such as free child care and higher tax allowance. only children got priority in education and housing
  • couples that break the agreement pay a fine and repay allowances. women pressured to be sterilised after first child
• communist government of Romania (1980s): set of policies to drive up the birth rate that had been declining as living standards declined.

  • restricted contraception, infertility treatment centers, divorce more difficult, lowered marriage age to 15 and made childless couples and unmarried adults pay an extra 5 % in tax