The correct option is 1 and 2 only.
Explanation
China's "One-Child Policy," implemented from 1979 to 2015, was a state-mandated population control measure designed to curb the country's rapidly growing population. While it succeeded in slowing population growth, it generated significant long-term demographic distortions regarding gender balance and age structure.
Statement-wise Analysis:
- Statement 1 is Correct: The primary objective of the policy was to limit population size. It is estimated to have prevented approximately 400 million births, thereby effectively arresting the exponential growth of the population.
- Statement 2 is Correct: Due to a traditional cultural preference for sons, the restriction to a single child incentivized sex-selective abortions and the neglect of female infants. In demographic terms (where sex ratio is typically analyzed as the number of females per males), this led to a sharp decline in the sex ratio, resulting in a severe gender imbalance with a significant surplus of males.
- Statement 3 is Incorrect: The policy reduced the number of births, which shrinks the base of the population pyramid. Over time, this results in a scenario where the older population remains large while the younger working-age population shrinks. Therefore, the policy results in more elderly people in proportion to young people (population aging), rather than fewer.
Key Takeaway:
While coercive population control measures can reduce total fertility rates, they often result in unintended demographic consequences such as a skewed sex ratio and a rapid increase in the dependency ratio due to population aging.