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There's a name I've not seen in a while. Joel Send a noteboard - 08/10/2010 11:22:01 AM
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.


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.

Personally I think the problem is overstated so long as you know going into it that you have to address it preemptively, and do so. For example, if one person leaves a group marriage it seems pretty obvious that unless the original home is abusive or unsafe that should be the one with primary custody. That doesn't mean the departing spouse should be cut off the childs life, of course, but I trust you see what I'm saying.

Also, I have mail for you, but no idea where to send it.
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Polygamy, why is it illegal? - 07/10/2010 03:36:18 AM 916 Views
THIS IS MINE! *NM* - 07/10/2010 04:10:39 AM 167 Views
Because moralistic idiots - 07/10/2010 05:30:34 AM 344 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 366 Views
This explains Friday nights at Gilleys. - 07/10/2010 01:26:37 PM 413 Views
Think of the implications of China's one-child policy in that light - 07/10/2010 01:37:11 PM 330 Views
Joyful and triumphant. - 07/10/2010 01:38:57 PM 421 Views
There's actually a good reason for that. - 07/10/2010 01:37:25 PM 421 Views
*nods* Good point, just like levirate marriage. - 07/10/2010 01:41:11 PM 451 Views
have you ever been to Gilley's on a friday night? - 07/10/2010 05:12:11 PM 339 Views
No. Country music hasn't been produced since the mid-fifties. - 08/10/2010 11:17:27 AM 437 Views
really? I guess that is when they stopped making real rock and roll as well - 08/10/2010 02:33:15 PM 374 Views
Nah, that was the '70s. - 08/10/2010 02:43:09 PM 400 Views
I would assume due to practicality issues and such. - 07/10/2010 07:49:16 AM 434 Views
I have a feeling the ACTUAL reasons are closer to moralistic reasons... - 07/10/2010 12:30:33 PM 381 Views
Yeah, I agree. - 08/10/2010 02:49:16 AM 344 Views
This. - 07/10/2010 05:35:40 PM 368 Views
There's a name I've not seen in a while. - 08/10/2010 11:22:01 AM 434 Views
I think it depends how popular it would become. - 08/10/2010 07:04:03 PM 390 Views
The whole thing seems to get complicated in a hurry. - 08/10/2010 07:58:43 PM 404 Views
I don't think single wife mutiple husband can work - 07/10/2010 05:55:33 PM 346 Views
Oh, it can - 07/10/2010 06:51:59 PM 389 Views
yes but do both of the guys know? - 07/10/2010 07:07:17 PM 407 Views
Oh yes, always have - 08/10/2010 02:53:13 PM 386 Views
Didn't you see Paint Your Wagon? - 07/10/2010 07:21:54 PM 318 Views
Paint Your Wagon was about the California gold rush - 07/10/2010 08:24:24 PM 368 Views
Lol. - 07/10/2010 08:27:14 PM 391 Views
LOVE that movie - 08/10/2010 02:54:30 PM 415 Views
Smart - 08/10/2010 03:28:28 PM 348 Views
Maybe - 08/10/2010 04:41:27 PM 372 Views
I think it can, in certain situations - 07/10/2010 08:29:47 PM 434 Views
the brother thing does make a certain sort of sense - 07/10/2010 08:43:30 PM 390 Views
*shrugs* Mine's working just fine. *NM* - 08/10/2010 02:47:06 AM 147 Views
It does. - 08/10/2010 05:57:46 PM 357 Views
but in most of those cases - 08/10/2010 06:11:15 PM 371 Views
Tradition. - 07/10/2010 01:28:47 PM 284 Views
I don't think it should be illegal - 07/10/2010 02:02:05 PM 388 Views
that would be so sad - 08/10/2010 05:43:32 PM 405 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 386 Views
You saw an ad. I've seen all the episodes. - 07/10/2010 05:54:33 PM 502 Views
Is it next door? - 08/10/2010 06:05:35 AM 356 Views
Maybe not. - 08/10/2010 06:01:37 PM 328 Views
For the same reasons Americans don't eat horse meat. - 08/10/2010 02:58:24 AM 363 Views
I'm an American and I eat horse meat. *NM* - 08/10/2010 05:19:51 AM 159 Views
Re: I'm an American - 08/10/2010 01:02:23 PM 345 Views
In what society is/was eating horse prevalent? - 08/10/2010 03:10:21 PM 291 Views
it's common in europe now. - 08/10/2010 03:51:07 PM 287 Views
Central Asian cultures. - 08/10/2010 04:43:07 PM 296 Views
Huh? - 08/10/2010 04:41:37 PM 233 Views
so you are saying you are a polygamist - 08/10/2010 05:09:37 PM 283 Views
Dunno. - 08/10/2010 06:06:26 AM 317 Views
At this rate, we'll soon be asking why kids can't have sex with adults. *NM* - 08/10/2010 02:23:16 PM 173 Views
What the heck does that have to do with polygamy? - 08/10/2010 02:57:37 PM 417 Views
and those are only the first steps!!! - 08/10/2010 03:52:14 PM 282 Views
Oh, we should start a bill - 08/10/2010 04:43:05 PM 350 Views
Re: What the heck does that have to do with polygamy? - 13/10/2010 04:22:24 PM 422 Views
Are you calling the age of consent laws illogical? - 13/10/2010 05:36:52 PM 379 Views
Re: Are you calling the age of consent laws illogical? - 13/10/2010 08:16:55 PM 419 Views
I've thought it was because it objectifies women. - 08/10/2010 05:39:54 PM 326 Views

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