The one-child policy is the only fundamental policy in China that has been kept intact for over three decades, despite the vast socioeconomic changes emerging during this period. While the pressure of population growth still exists, the current control-focused policy has aroused problems and damages that tend to offset its gains. The legitimacy of the policy has been frequently challenged. This article presents a history of the one-child policy in China, challenges to it, and the need for a fundamental change. (Contains 2 figures and 4 footnotes.)