# Is it time for polygamy to be legalized? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 22, 2009, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-time-for-polygamy-to-be-legalized/490347 "2009-03-22T16:27:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2009, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-time-for-polygamy-to-be-legalized/490347/81 "2009-03-26T23:59:52Z")
> [@curlcoat](#): > > Why would being unmarried cause men to be more prone to poverty and violence? Dissatisfaction, a lack of companionship. The knowledge that one is being deselected from the gene pool by the inability to find a mate. This is one of the central problems of civilization, what to do with the men who have no prospects. Providing for a family is a very strong motivator for a man, not having one to provide for can stunt ambition and lead to poverty. Generally this problem has been solved by wars. ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-time-for-polygamy-to-be-legalized/490347/82 "2009-03-27T02:07:55Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > Dissatisfaction, a lack of companionship. The knowledge that one is being deselected from the gene pool by the inability to find a mate. This is one of the central problems of civilization, what to do with the men who have no prospects. Providing for a family is a very strong motivator for a man, not having one to provide for can stunt ambition and lead to poverty. Generally this problem has been solved by wars. Oh, I guess I didn’t make the step from unmarried to lacking companionship, duh. Tho I’m not sure that being deselected from the gene pool is that much of a problem for most men? I can see how not ever having a companion would make them nuts tho! ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-time-for-polygamy-to-be-legalized/490347/83 "2009-03-27T02:55:01Z")
> [@curlcoat](#): > > Oh, I guess I didn’t make the step from unmarried to lacking companionship, duh. Tho I’m not sure that being deselected from the gene pool is that much of a problem for most men? I can see how not ever having a companion would make them nuts tho! Well it’s one of the most significant problems in history. It’s a relatively modern convention, as in within the last 40 years or so that people don’t really care about procreation. ---
**Author:** ![fubarassociation](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b4bc9f/32.png) [@fubarassociation](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fubarassociation)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-time-for-polygamy-to-be-legalized/490347/84 "2009-03-27T03:35:33Z")
> [@mswas](#): > > Well it’s one of the most significant problems in history. It’s a relatively modern convention, as in within the last 40 years or so that people don’t really care about procreation. I think people still care about procreation on the same level they have for the last century or so, and I think what **curlcoat** meant was that people just don’t care as much about marriage now. A lot of people are perfectly happy having kids and never getting married, or at least not before the kids arrive. Of course, other people are just not careful and have kids when they really shouldn’t. That’s another problem with legalizing polygamy–it would certainly bring about more households with more kids than the parents can afford to raise. ---
**Author:** ![curlcoat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea5d25/32.png) [@curlcoat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/curlcoat)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-time-for-polygamy-to-be-legalized/490347/85 "2009-03-27T03:53:30Z")
> [@fubarassociation](#): > > I think people still care about procreation on the same level they have for the last century or so, and I think what **curlcoat** meant was that people just don’t care as much about marriage now. Actually, no, I was surprised at the idea that there are so many men out there that would lose focus and drive just because they are denied the opportunity to reproduce. I guess I just haven’t met that many men who really wanted kids - particularly in comparison to the number of baby rabid women out there! 🆒 > [@](#): > > A lot of people are perfectly happy having kids and never getting married, or at least not before the kids arrive. Of course, other people are just not careful and have kids when they really shouldn’t. That’s another problem with legalizing polygamy–it would certainly bring about more households with more kids than the parents can afford to raise. Do you think so? I’d think that each woman would end up having as many children as she wanted/was able to have whether they were in a mono or poly relationship. Unless you mean that most polys would be of the “quiverfull” type? ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-time-for-polygamy-to-be-legalized/490347/86 "2009-03-27T04:07:00Z")
Can you imagine 4 or 5 mother in laws? Gives me chills. ---
**Author:** ![mswas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e99b99/32.png) [@mswas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mswas)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2009, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-time-for-polygamy-to-be-legalized/490347/87 "2009-03-27T04:31:22Z")
> [@curlcoat](#): > > Actually, no, I was surprised at the idea that there are so many men out there that would lose focus and drive just because they are denied the opportunity to reproduce. I guess I just haven’t met that many men who really wanted kids - particularly in comparison to the number of baby rabid women out there! 🆒 How old are you and what is the average age of your cohort? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-it-time-for-polygamy-to-be-legalized/490347.md?page=4)