Polygamy tends to work practically when only one gender practices it. A single man with multiple wives or a single woman with multiple husbands can still be a cohesive family unit. A man with multiple wives, each of whom is also married to multiple men who probably also have other wives, etc no longer is. Marriage would cease to be a useful social construct in that case.
Since there would be no way the government could legally get away with only allowing one gender to marry multiple partners and not the other, you'd risk large multiple marriages where any one person could have as many other spouses as they wished, at which point the societal benefits of marriage would be impossible to apply practically.
Since there would be no way the government could legally get away with only allowing one gender to marry multiple partners and not the other, you'd risk large multiple marriages where any one person could have as many other spouses as they wished, at which point the societal benefits of marriage would be impossible to apply practically.
That last sentence. Even if you ignore the gender issue, it still becomes difficult to apply the societal benefits of marriage. Divorce, custody, etc would become ridiculously complicated anytime there were multiple wives with "shared" children.
I think it works in certain cultures because their benefits of marriage are very different, as are the laws/traditions governing divorce, child welfare, alimony, etc. Even people (like myself) who are fine with the idea of polygamy often have a difficult time with that other set of customs that goes along with it. I just don't see how legal multiple marriages can work without impinging on the rights of one or more parties involved.
Spiritual marriages are another matter, of course.
Polygamy, why is it illegal?
- 07/10/2010 03:36:18 AM
1081 Views
When potential welfare issues are removed, it's all just a matter of tradition and false morality.
- 07/10/2010 05:34:21 AM
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This explains Friday nights at Gilleys. 
- 07/10/2010 01:26:37 PM
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- 07/10/2010 01:26:37 PM
536 Views
Think of the implications of China's one-child policy in that light
- 07/10/2010 01:37:11 PM
458 Views
have you ever been to Gilley's on a friday night?
- 07/10/2010 05:12:11 PM
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No. Country music hasn't been produced since the mid-fifties. 
- 08/10/2010 11:17:27 AM
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- 08/10/2010 11:17:27 AM
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really? I guess that is when they stopped making real rock and roll as well
- 08/10/2010 02:33:15 PM
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I would assume due to practicality issues and such.
- 07/10/2010 07:49:16 AM
558 Views
I have a feeling the ACTUAL reasons are closer to moralistic reasons...
- 07/10/2010 12:30:33 PM
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This.
- 07/10/2010 05:35:40 PM
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There's a name I've not seen in a while.
- 08/10/2010 11:22:01 AM
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I don't think single wife mutiple husband can work
- 07/10/2010 05:55:33 PM
465 Views
Oh, it can
- 07/10/2010 06:51:59 PM
499 Views
Didn't you see Paint Your Wagon?
- 07/10/2010 07:21:54 PM
439 Views
Paint Your Wagon was about the California gold rush
- 07/10/2010 08:24:24 PM
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- 07/10/2010 08:24:24 PM
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Lol.
- 07/10/2010 08:27:14 PM
523 Views
and that is the best back handed compliment I have had since the last time I saw my ex-wife 
- 08/10/2010 04:24:40 PM
496 Views
- 08/10/2010 04:24:40 PM
496 Views
Because we need someone for the far right to demonize now that gays are becoming mainstream.
- 07/10/2010 01:22:24 PM
626 Views
I only see a problem when it is run by a cult and girls are married off at 14
- 07/10/2010 05:18:13 PM
509 Views
For the same reasons Americans don't eat horse meat.
- 08/10/2010 02:58:24 AM
475 Views
I'm an American and I eat horse meat. *NM*
- 08/10/2010 05:19:51 AM
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Re: I'm an American
- 08/10/2010 01:02:23 PM
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At this rate, we'll soon be asking why kids can't have sex with adults. *NM*
- 08/10/2010 02:23:16 PM
225 Views
What the heck does that have to do with polygamy?
- 08/10/2010 02:57:37 PM
546 Views
Re: What the heck does that have to do with polygamy?
- 13/10/2010 04:22:24 PM
549 Views
You are also a Muslim, correct? Islam doesn't seem to have a problem with up to 4 wives. (at a time)
- 13/10/2010 04:12:44 PM
552 Views