[Submitted] Bare Branches Bear Brunt of Demographic Disaster

[Electrum]

This issue is co-authored with Westinor.

[desc]The one-child policy has caused a demographic imbalance with an excessively large skew in the sex ratio of newborns. This is threatening to create a new generation of 'bare branches,' or @@DEMONYMPLURAL@@ who are doomed to be single because of the lack of @@DEMONYM@@ partners of the opposite sex.

[validity] one-child policy active (136.4, 638.4), has abortion, co-author Westinor

[option 1]"The one-child policy was always going to create more problems than it could ever solve," says population expert @@RANDOMNAME@@, trimming the dead branches off your bonsai. "Studies from Dàguó show that these 'bare branches' tend to have a low socioeconomic status and come from rural areas. With little prospects of a fulfilling relationship, these 'bare branches' often turn to a life of crime and violence, including the procurement of human trafficking. Get rid of the one-child policy or you risk creating a generation of second-class loners."
[effect] the one-child policy's repeal is considered a smashing success

[option 2] "If these poor folk turn to crime because they can't get a relationship, then why don't we give them the next best thing?" asks the Minister for Unconventional Ideas. "The government should declare sex to be a fundamental human right. Set up a regulated and subsidised prostitution service to ensure that generations of @@DEMONYMPLURAL@@ will have equal access to sex, no matter their circumstance. That way, we can transform future generations of pitiful individuals into productive, happy members of our society."
[effect] @@DEMONYMPLURAL@@ spend their lunch breaks eating a lot more than food

[option 3] "Clearly, parents have been practising sex-selective abortions," states Bob Vious, a discerning man who self-evidently regards himself as being the pointer of all things conspicuous. "Ban all medical practitioners from divulging a baby's sex to expectant parents, except when its required on medical grounds. If they do break this law, then cancel their medical licenses."
[effect] gender reveal parties are held at maternity wards

[option 4a]"Aye @@LEADER@@, why look for solutions at home when there are plenty of broads abroad?" chortles sleezebag @@RANDOMNAMEMALE@@, while showing you photos of his overseas escapades. "Relax those visa laws restricting us from purchasing-er, marrying and bringing home some lovely ladies from Macronesia, and we won't have a problem finding partners." He leers at your chief of staff. "Hey little lady, where are you from?"
[validity] immigration allowed
[effect] spouses become the nation's most popular import

[option 4b]"Aye @@LEADER@@, why look for solutions at home when there are plenty of broads abroad?" chortles sleezebag @@RANDOMNAMEMALE@@, while showing you photos of his old overseas escapades. "Open up the country again and relax those visa laws restricting us from purchasing-er, marrying and bringing home some lovely ladies from Macronesia, we won't have a problem finding partners." He leers at your chief of staff. "Hey little lady, where are you from?"
[validity] has no immigration policy
[effect] spouses become the nation's most popular import
[policy] removes no immigration policy

[option 5] "What an absolutely revolting man!" scoffs @@RANDOMNAME@@, former lead singer of the band 'Which Direction' and now a member of a hippy commune. "You can't force love to happen by importing a poor Macronesian. When it comes to matters of the heart, you've got to go with the flow and do what feels right. For example, take me, my two husbands and my three wives who have bonded together in a love ceremony. Your government doesn't recognise our relationship, but that doesn't stop us from loving each other and having peaceful lives. You need to legalise relationships like ours, so that it will be easier for future generations of @@DEMONYMPLURAL@@ who want love to find it."
[validity] does not have the polygamy OR the marriage equality policy
[effect] @@DEMONYMPLURAL@@ are no strangers to love
[policy] adds polygamy AND/OR marriage equality

[Australian rePublic]

Are there too many boys or too many girls? The later could be solved by legalising polygamy. I suppose that the former could also be solved by legalisong polygamy, but it'll produce far fewer babies

[Trotterdam]

I recall a previous draft about this, but since it's from two years ago, it's probably been rejected. Still, that draft and the discussion over it may be worth checking for ideas to steal.

"purchasing-er, marrying and bringing home some lovely ladies from Dàguó"

According to #638, Dàguó is the NPC nation that already has a one-child policy, and in fact it's specifically based on China so it's even more likely to have same problems as real-life China than a player nation with the one-child policy. They won't be having an excess of women to export.

I suppose that the former could also be solved by legalisong polygamy, but it'll produce far fewer babies

Producing fewer babies is the entire point of a one-child policy. If that happens, it's working as intended.

Besides, it certainly wouldn't be stretching her biological limits for a woman with two or three husbands to have one child per husband, even if that's legal.

[Electrum]

Are there too many boys or too many girls? The later could be solved by legalising polygamy. I suppose that the former could also be solved by legalisong polygamy, but it'll produce far fewer babies

The gender imbalance, as explained in the OP, is left ambiguous. Also the whole point of the one-child policy is to have fewer babies.

I recall a previous draft about this, but since it's from two years ago, it's probably been rejected. Still, that draft and the discussion over it may be worth checking for ideas to steal.

Westinor and I will have a read of it, but the way we've framed the issue is slightly different.

Dàguó is the NPC nation that already has a one-child policy, and in fact it's specifically based on China so it's even more likely to have same problems as real-life China than a player nation with the one-child policy. They won't be having an excess of women to export.

I mean that was just an example nation out of thin air, but I'll acquiesce and change it to Macronesia.

[Electrum]

This issue draft has been revised.

[The Candy Of Bottles]

You still have a Dàguó in 4a.

[Electrum]

You still have a Dàguó in 4a.

Fixed.

[Australian rePublic]

I suppose that the former could also be solved by legalisong polygamy, but it'll produce far fewer babies

Producing fewer babies is the entire point of a one-child policy. If that happens, it's working as intended.

Besides, it certainly wouldn't be stretching her biological limits for a woman with two or three husbands to have one child per husband, even if that's legal.

Based soley on biology and ignoring any laws which may exist, a man multiple wives can produce far greater numbers of off spring than a woman with multiple husbands. Also, there is no reason why a woman with multiple husbands can't have one kid per husband. Also, there's no reason why a man with multiple wives can't have one kid per wife. Now, what would be the case if one man has two wives, both of whom have two husbands, who in turn have two wives? How many kids would everyone be allowed to have? You'd need a math degree to figure it out

[Trotterdam]

Based soley on biology and ignoring any laws which may exist, a man multiple wives can produce far greater numbers of off spring than a woman with multiple husbands.

True, and potentially interesting and relevant in contexts completely unrelated to this thread.

Now, what would be the case if one man has two wives, both of whom have two husbands, who in turn have two wives? How many kids would everyone be allowed to have? You'd need a math degree to figure it out

Is marriage a transitive relationship? Like, if Alice is married to Bob, and Bob is married to Carol, then is Alice necessarily also married to Carol?

There's certainly questions to be asked about how a one-child policy would work with divorce, remarriage, polygamy, and children born out of wedlock, but that'd be a matter for a separate issue. Or issues.