Question

Originally, what was Mao Zedong's position on population growth?

Answer 1

Mao Zedong believed that China was strongest with a greater population. He claimed that a great population was necessary to strengthen the military and economy. Communist leaders believed in the ideology of a having a huge population, and encouraged citizens to have children.

Hope this helps in some way!

Answer 2

Mao Zedong had opposed the idea of controlling population growth in China, saying, "The more people there are, the stronger we are."

After the death of Maa Zedong, Deng Xiaoping rose to power in China. His view of population growth went in the opposite direction from that of Mao. In 1979, Deng started a new policy in China -- the "one child policy." Under the policy, most Chinese families were restricted to having only one child. Incentives for jobs and financial advantage were in place for those who complied with the policy, and sometimes harsh measures such as sterilizations and abortions were implemented during the years that the policy remained in force.