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Typically polygamy has been asymmetrical and part of an undeniable patriarchal power structure (one man, as many wives as he can afford). But if we're talking

Typically polygamy has been asymmetrical and part of an undeniable patriarchal power structure (one man, as many wives as he can afford). But if we're talking about symmetrical polygamy (multiple husband's and multiple wives), I see no reason why a modern secular society should care. Of course if everyone is married to everyone, is anyone married to anyone? I vaguely recall a species in startrek that was like this.

nerdjon 7y ago
There was a poly society in season 1 of TNG. I think it was episode 2 or something like that? It is the episode where Natasha has to fight another woman for her life.
dashundchen 7y ago
Agreed that some religions use marriage as a power structure, poly or not - but that was the case even for many secular monogamous marriages in the US until relatively recently. Marital rape is legal on the books of many states!
sDlEzAtyoNAz 7y ago
>But if we're talking about symmetrical polygamy (multiple husband's and multiple wives), I see no reason why a modern secular society should care. A modern secular society should care because of the nature of the distribution of women's sexual attraction toward men. Even if the marriages are symmetrical such that men and women are equally likely to be married, men's sexual access to the women will not be equal unless the women are compelled to behave otherwise. When women are free to choose which men they have sex with, the vast majority of women choose the same small minority of men. The wives will choose to have sex with some of husbands far more than others, resulting in a minority of the men having the vast majority of sexual access to the women, and a majority of men having little or no sexual access to their wives. The best way to ensure men other than that small minority have sexual access to women is to discourage sex outside of marriage and to prohibit men from having multiple wives.

nerdjon 7y ago

There was a poly society in season 1 of TNG. I think it was episode 2 or something like that? It is the episode where Natasha has to fight another woman for her life.

dashundchen 7y ago

Agreed that some religions use marriage as a power structure, poly or not - but that was the case even for many secular monogamous marriages in the US until relatively recently. Marital rape is legal on the books of many states!

sDlEzAtyoNAz 7y ago

>But if we're talking about symmetrical polygamy (multiple husband's and multiple wives), I see no reason why a modern secular society should care. A modern secular society should care because of the nature of the distribution of women's sexual attraction toward men. Even if the marriages are symmetrical such that men and women are equally likely to be married, men's sexual access to the women will not be equal unless the women are compelled to behave otherwise. When women are free to choose which men they have sex with, the vast majority of women choose the same small minority of men. The wives will choose to have sex with some of husbands far more than others, resulting in a minority of the men having the vast majority of sexual access to the women, and a majority of men having little or no sexual access to their wives. The best way to ensure men other than that small minority have sexual access to women is to discourage sex outside of marriage and to prohibit men from having multiple wives.