Family planning blues

In a just society, all are equal before the law. Things can go very wrong if some people assume they can violate the law because they are rich. Government policies may not work if the rich think some of these need not apply to them.

China's family planning policy has huge demographic and economic underpinnings. Yet, the rich are known to violate it. In so doing, they actually sabotage not only the economy, but also the rule of law. The question that has long bothered policymakers is how to stop the rich from getting away with violation of the family planning policy.

The Beijing government now plans to make the rich pay more dearly for having more children than the law permits. It is a move that was long overdue. The current practice requiring them to pay on the basis of the city's average per capita annual income is neither fair nor effective enough.