The One Child Policy has not only had demographic impacts, there have been a number of other effects also.
Civil unrest has been caused in many areas as a response to excessive punitive measures enforced by the authorities. For example in the southwestern Guangxi region there were reports of officials forcing pregnant woman to abort their illegal second children. As a result riots broke out and a number of people were killed.
Some groups have claimed that the One Child Policy is in breach of civil rights laws. However as these laws do not exist in China it is difficult for any action to be taken.
'Little Emperor Syndrome' is a problem that affects both parents and children in a one child family. Parents want their children to be happy and to succeed. They put all their efforts and resources into the raising of their one child who as a result has an increased sense of self-importance.
The recent earthquake in Sichuan province resulted in the collapse of schools and the deaths of many children. This already tragic event was made worse by the fact that most families only have one child - the parents whose children were killed had lost everything.
