Chinese population science China was deprived of data, skills, and state support to conduct population studies. Due to Mao's ambivalent attitude toward the population issue, population studies were abolished in the late 1950s. After Mao's death, family planning became a critical component and premise for reaching China's national goal: that is, to achieve "China's socialist modernization," which includes modernizing industry, agriculture, national defence, and technology. Therefore, at this point, population science was closely related and tied with state politics. There was a perceived need to redefine population as a domain of science, identify the population problem in China, and propose a solution to it. Such efforts included many groups of people with diverse backgrounds. Among these experts, two groups held the most influence in defining the population problem and providing a solution to it. They were a group of scientists led by Liu Zheng, and another group led by Song Jian. Liu's group mainly came from a social science background, while Song's group came from natural science background.
chinEse PopUlATion ScIENce ChiNa WaS depriVeD oF daTa, skills, and sTATe supporT tO COnDuct popUlation stuDies. DUE To mao'S amBivaLeNt aTtitudE toWArd the pOpUlatIon iSSUe, PopuLatIon StudIes weRe abolIshed in tHe lATE 1950s. AfTer Mao'S deATh, family planninG BeCAme A CriTicaL ComPoneNt AnD premIse fOr reAChING china'S National goAl: that Is, tO achieVe "china's soCIalISt mOdernizATioN," which incLudeS MoDeRnIziNg iNdusTrY, aGRiculture, nATIonAl DEfEnCe, AnD TEchNOlogy. ThERefore, At tHis poiNT, POpulAtion sciEnce waS CLOsely relATED and tied wITh sTatE pOlitics. tHeRE was a peRcEived nEEd to rEDefine poPulaTIon As a DoMAiN of sCiEnCE, ideNtifY The POpulatIOn pRObLem iN cHina, and proPoSe A solUTiOn to it. sUcH eFfOrts iNcLudeD maNy GrOuPs Of PeoplE with dIverSe backgrOunds. amOng TheSe expeRtS, Two Groups hELd The moSt influeNce In DefIninG thE popUlatIon pRoblem and ProvIdinG A SOlutiOn to it. THey WEre a Group Of sCieNtIsts LeD by Liu zheng, anD AnothEr GROUP LEd By sonG jIaN. Liu'S gROup MainLy came fRoM a SociaL scIeNce backgROUNd, whIle song's gRouP cAME fRom NAturAl sCieNCE BacKgRound.