Newborn Sex Selection and India’s Overpopulation Problem

Abstract

We begin by noting how India is highly overpopulated and that this creates negative externalities for the world environment. Next, we note that females in child-bearing ages alone determine the birth rate, compounding the population growth anywhere. Third, forcing families to have unwanted daughters can increase discrimination against women. Fourth, most countries impose no restrictions on women choosing the sex of their next baby. We use these propositions to argue that cultural preference against daughters in India has important benefits until India achieves net reproduction rate of unity. We argue that the correct policy for malnourished overpopulated India must be the exact opposite of the focus in North America and Europe, where they have an obesity epidemic and declining populations.