Marriage and Family in China

Marriage Law of 1950

• The very first law promulgated by the People’s Republic of China (1949 - )

• abolished arranged marriage

• abolished polygamy

• right to divorce– 214,000 cases of divorce in 1986– 1,665,000 cases of divorce in 2004

Maoist era (1949 – 1976)

• penetration of state into society– sweeping mass campaigns

Maoist era (1949 – 1976)

• transformation of “feudal” social customs– establish new loyalty to Mao and to CCP

“Socialist New Man”

• communist ideals

• socialist moral

• culture and education

• discipline

“Socialist New Man”

• “serve the people”– Lei Feng (1940 – 1962)

“Socialist New Customs”

“Women hold up half the sky”

“Women hold up half the sky”

post-Mao era (1977 – present)

• gradual retreat of the state from society and family– except in implementing family planning policy

• change in values– materialism and individualism– Western influence– revival of traditions

Population of Mainland China (in billions) 1978 - 2007

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population pressure

family planning policy

• “Family planning promotes economic development!”

family planning policy

• “It’s good to have only one child!”

family planning policy

• “It’s a basic state policy!”

family planning policy

• “Girls are as good as boys!”

materialism

A 1999 survey of rural youth

• 3 factors in choosing a spouse:

• congenial to each other (49.8%)

• smart and capable (49.2%)

• education level (37.9%)

• gentle and considerate (32.9%)

• honest and reliable (28.6%)

• health (28%)

A survey in Nanjing in 2006

• When choosing a spouse do you consider whether s/he has housing? (83% “yes”)

• Who should provide the housing?– both 55%; husband 44%; wife 1%

• 18% would marry even without housing

• What role do your parents play?– parents will decide 4%

“Where did Lei Feng go?”

• “serve the people?”

• results from surveys on university campuses

Western influence

a survey of urban youth in 1998

• Which region’s music do you like most?

• Hong Kong 63.5%

• mainland China 60.8%

• U.S.A. 36.9%

• Taiwan 29.0%

• Japan 19.5%

• India 12.8%

a survey of urban youth in 1998

• Which region’s movies and TV programs do you like most?

• Hong Kong 71.7%

• U.S.A. 62.4%

• mainland China 41.0%

• Taiwan 19.9%

• Japan 19.7%

rise of the individual

• pre-Mao era– loyalty to family, father, and ancestors

• Maoist era– new loyalty to socialist collectives– new loyalty to the Party and Mao

• post-Mao era– state loosens control of private life