Effectively strengthen party leadership over the work of family planning.

Abstract

This article tells of the steps taken by the party committee of T'ai-hu Fishery Commune in Wu-hsi municipality, Kiangsu, to strengthen the Party's leadership over family planning. The key lies in realizing how important family planning is to the state, the collective, and the individual. It is important to the state and the collective because, with fewer children, women's hands are freed to help men increase productivity. It is important to the individual becuase, with fewer people to look after, each family will have more to spend to raise their standard of living. Next the committee tried to change thought patterns. They encouraged late marriage and family planning. They tried to convince people to give up outmoded ideas such as it being preferable to have sons rather than daughters; that the more children one has, the greater the support; and that giving birth is a private matter of minor importance. The committee then enlisted the aid of the medical personnel in the commune. At first reluctant to regard family planning as part of their job, they later worked constantly to publicize to the masses the significance of family planning and hygiene. Some members of the commune were sterilized. After a few years the effects of the family planning programs began to show. Of 383 couples with reproductive potential, 345 practice family planning. Over 95% of the unmarried young people plan to marry late. It is estimated that this year's birthrate may drop to 10 or less per 1000.