Modern China also has too few women. Chinese culture has traditionally valued sons because they carry on the family name, assist with farm labor in rural areas, and care for aging parents. Daughters, in contrast, will most likely marry and leave their parents, as the traditional culture dictates. Thus, when faced with being limited to just one child, many Chinese couples preferred a son to a daughter. Tragically, this has led in some instances to selective abortion and the killing of female infants.

 

This has caused a highly unbalanced ratio of young men and women in China, leading to the social instability that arises when large numbers of young men are unable to find brides and remain longtime bachelors. Modern China also has too few women. Chinese culture has traditionally valued sons because they carry on the family name, assist with farm labor in rural areas, and care for aging parents. Daughters, in contrast, will most likely marry and leave their parents, as the traditional culture dictates. Thus, when faced with being limited to just one child, many Chinese couples preferred a son to a daughter.

 

Tragically, this has led in some instances to selective abortion and the killing of female infants. This has caused a highly unbalanced ratio of young men and women in China, leading to the social instability that arises when large numbers of young men are unable to find brides and remain longtime bachelors.

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