Technology will soon exist such that individuals can choose the sex of their offspring. Assume that technology has now arrived and that 70 percent of the individuals choose male offspring.

a. What effect will that have on social institutions such as families?

b. What effect will it have on dowries—payments made by the bride’s family to the groom—which are still used in a number of developing countries?

c. Why might an economist suggest that if 70 percent male is the expectation, families would be wise to have daughters rather than sons?