Legalize polygamy?

[IglooDame]

From recent previous threads we know that a minority of (male hetero) OTers would take multiple wives, and virtually none would like to be one of multiple husbands. A few suggested that it should be legal, and a few suggested that it should not be.

Should it be legalized? If so, why, and if not, why not?


Edit: by "polygamy" I'm referring to all marriages of three or more people, any genders.

 

[plarq]

Oppose,inequality.

 

[Mise]

I think legalising polygamy would render marriage a useless declaration, both in the eyes of society and in the eyes of the law. What would be the point in marrying more than once? Or at all?

 

[Aphex_Twin]

I think legalising polygamy would render marriage a useless declaration, both in the eyes of society and in the eyes of the law. What would be the point in marrying more than once? Or at all?

What is the current point for marriage, if there is one at all (part from tax breaks - which are not universal)?

 

[Gladi]

Bright day
What about group marriages?
As I said before I would engage in more partner marriage, provided everyone was married everyone in it (example for marriage of four(2m, 2f): men would be married to two women and a man, women would be married to two men and one woman), and of course that I loved all of them...

 

[ummmm........]

allow it, free choice.

 

[WickedSmurf]

Legalize it, I can't see why not.

Would be intresting to see how they work out partial divorces, tax benefits/drawbacks from multiple spouces and such. On an administrative and legal plane that is.

 

[Gladi]

Legalize it, I can't see why not.

Would be intresting to see how they work out partial divorces, tax benefits/drawbacks from multiple spouces and such. On an administrative and legal plane that is.

What?
Like you get 10% tax benefit on first spouse and 5% on everz extra?
Doubt it man, zou are married or zou are not.
And divorce, unless it is stated in pre-marriage contract you already get equal amount. So a person from from four person marriage would get one-fourth.

 

[IglooDame]

Legalize it, I can't see why not.

Would be intresting to see how they work out partial divorces, tax benefits/drawbacks from multiple spouces and such. On an administrative and legal plane that is.

My initial thought was that it would be a sort of "personal corporation" for financial purposes, and that it could be handled the same way private companies with multiple owners are handled now.

 

[Aphex_Twin]

I had a thread about it some time ago. Where did the search function go?

 

[Gladi]

My initial thought was that it would be a sort of "personal corporation" for financial purposes, and that it could be handled the same way private companies with multiple owners are handled now.

Hmm, custimizable contracts, timed marriages, build-in penalties?

 

[~Corsair#01~]

I'm taking as many wives as I can get my hands on. Probably zero, come to think of it. :/

 

[IglooDame]

Hmm, custimizable contracts, timed marriages, build-in penalties?

No, I was referring more to the recognition of the company by others as a single entity and the way its assets are handled jointly.

 

[punkbass2000]

Corporations are persons, and marriages would be too?

 

[Bozo Erectus]

When it comes to marriage, Im for complete freedom. You want to marry two women and another guy? Go for it. You want to marry a mop and a canoe? Couldnt care less, knock yourself out.

 

[Chieftess]

Maybe it's my conservative nature, but I'm surprised at the support and responses in here. Then again, you're probably talking to teenage males who think it would be a good idea. There are many problems that will arise if it's legal and done. In no particular order...

1 - Jealousy. What's gonna happen when a guy treats one woman as his favorite? The other 'wives' aren't gonna like that. Some might even lash out against the favorite. Let's face it, in this culture, women don't even like it when there husband is seeing even 1 other woman.


2 - Intermarriage. Having kids with say, 50 wives depletes the gene pool (same guy). So, when these descendants meet other descendants from a polygamic family, and have kids, that might be a few thousand "family". If this population gets large enough, they have no choice to intermarry (whether by choice or by accident). Such a thing could lead to disease across a broad area of the population. (i.e., the origanal male had a genetic disease).

3. Moral - You knew I was gonna mention this one sooner or later. Or rather, this would lead to a slippery slope of a decline of morals. (granted, other cultures do it, but it doesn't mean it's always right). Marriage should be a union for life between 1 man and 1 woman. (don't go off topic in off topic on this one. ).

4. Living conditions - How will such a family (and a large one at that) live? If they're a family, then they'll need a house to live in together. A typical house (2-3 bedrooms, 1-2 bathrooms, livingroom, kitchen, basement) just isn't going to cut it, unless you want one huge slumber party in the basement. Just imagine getting ready in the morning. Even if they had a huge house, or mansion, you'll need to pool together resources, and even that can lead to problems (i.e., one saying they paid more than the rest, so they deserve more), which leads to the next point.

5. Legal - What happens if the man decides to devorce 1 or more of his wives? Or, what if he dies? You're gonna have multiple people fighting over who gets what.

 

[stormbind]

It is my interpretation that polygamy means having multiple sex partners, not explicitly the same as having multiple spouses. Polygamy is thus not illegal.

Oops. I missed the topic..

The purpose of marriage is (1) uphold Christian values, and (2) protect the housekeeper.

If you dispense with the former, the purpose of marriage is exclusively to protect the housekeeper. Interestingly, many families in the 21st Century lack a housekeeper, and increasingly, couples are choosing not to marry!

So I cannot understand the purpose of the poll, unless someone is having fantasies about sharing their partner with fellow Civfanatics

 

[Aphex_Twin]

To get a few definitions straight.

Polygamy is having more than one spouce.
Polyginy is having more than one female spouce.
Polyandry is having more than one male spouce.

But the in-between combinations are boundless...



In my oppinion, the best system of organisation for such unions would be:

Admittance of a new member must be unanimously consented by all members.
Decisions are taken democratically by a majority vote.
Exiting the union can be made unilaterally by any member.
Goods may or may not be placed at the disposal of the union in the ways desired by members (as in a corporation).
The custody of children belongs to the biological parents.

 

[colontos]

i would just grant another woman RoP for 20 turns.

 

[ummmm........]

Maybe it's my conservative nature, but I'm surprised at the support and responses in here. Then again, you're probably talking to teenage males who think it would be a good idea. There are many problems that will arise if it's legal and done. In no particular order...

1 - Jealousy.

2 - Intermarriage.

3. Moral

4. Living conditions

Those are all good reasons why I wouldn't want to do it, but not good reasons for it to be illegal.

5. Legal - What happens if the man decides to devorce 1 or more of his wives? Or, what if he dies? You're gonna have multiple people fighting over who gets what.

You've already got people fighting over who gets what. It'll be more complicated sure, but complication's not a good reason to make something illegal. (Otherwise, taxes would be illegal )