pping ▁sharp ly . ▁Sim ult ane ously ▁there ▁were ▁major ▁market - orient ed ▁economic ▁re forms , ▁which ▁launched ▁very ▁rapid ▁growth ▁and ▁migration ▁to ▁cities , ▁which ▁also ▁reduced ▁fert ility . ▁The ▁policy ▁was ▁highly ▁controvers ial ▁in ▁rural ▁areas ▁( where ▁children ▁were ▁an ▁asset ▁in ▁farm ▁work ) ▁and ▁inter fer ed ▁with ▁the ▁strong ▁demand ▁for ▁sons . ▁It ▁helped ▁solve ▁the ▁problem ▁of ▁fam ine , ▁but ▁by ▁ 2 0 1 0 ▁was ▁ ▁leading ▁to ▁a ▁major ▁dem ographic ▁dis aster , ▁with ▁too ▁many ▁old ▁retired ▁people ▁supported ▁by ▁too ▁few ▁workers . ▁China ▁ ▁returned ▁to ▁a ▁two - child ▁policy ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 5 . ▁Cont ro vers ies ▁are ▁on going . ▁ ▁Notes ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Further ▁reading ▁ ▁D itt mer , ▁Low ell . ▁" Ch ina ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 1 : ▁Reform , ▁Read just ment , ▁Rect ification ." ▁Asian ▁Survey ▁ 2 2 . 1 ▁( 1 9 8 2 ): ▁ 3 3 – 4 6 . ▁ ▁online ▁ ▁D onn ith or ne , ▁Aud rey . ▁" Pro long ed ▁Read just ment : ▁Z ha o ▁Z iy ang ▁on ▁Current ▁Econom ic ▁Policy ." ▁Australian ▁Journal ▁of ▁Chinese ▁Affairs ▁ 8 ▁( 1 9 8 2 ): ▁ 1 1 1 – 1 2 6 . ▁ ▁Lam , ▁Wil ly ▁Wo - L ap . ▁The ▁era ▁of ▁Z ha o ▁Z