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ChinaDo you have brothers or sisters? Can you imagine your life without them? InChina, many children grow up as only children by order of the Chinese government.In 1979, the government introduced the one-child policy to make sure the country—the world’s most populous—could feed and support all of its people. The policy, witha few exceptions, permits couples to have only one child per family. Failure to obeythe policy results in a heavy fine to cover the additional child’s “cost to society.”Sanctions against parents might also include loss of employment or benefits, or evensterilization. Officials say that 250 million births have already been prevented since1980. China’s goal is zero population growth by the middle of the twenty-firstcentury. In 2050, China’s population is expected to top 1.5 billion. Here’s asnapshot of China.Geographical area 3,705,820 sq. mi.Population 1,284,303,705CapitalBeijingLegal SystemComplex mix ofcustom and statuteLanguageChinese, Mandarin,many dialectsReligionMany, but officially atheistLife expectancy 70 yearsCritical Thinking Question If you were a Chinese citizen and could decide the fate ofthe one-child policy, would you vote to abolish or preserve it? Explain your answer.For more information on China, visit ubpl.glencoe.com or your local library.Minor’s Rights and ObligationsCapacity is the legal ability to enter a contract. When individualsenter into contracts, they are permitted by law to presume that the otherparty or parties have the capacity to contract. This presumption, knownas a rebuttable presumption , can be challenged in a court of law. Thepresumption of capacity plays a key role in contracts made by minorsbecause the law permits minors, within certain limits, to rescind or voidChapter 7: Contractual Capacity 147