Polygamy was officially outlawed in the US for the benefit of Mormons, the Edmunds-Tucker act (and one other law), I believe, in 1862. Lincoln hated Mormonism for polygamy, which was commonly called one of the “twin barbarisms” the other being slavery, of course. Mormons have since shunned polygamy for political reasons (although they secretly allowed it for some until around 1914), which helped spawn backwoods offshoots to Mormonism, since it was originally revealed never to be taken away, and is compulsory to attain the highest kingdom in Mormonism’s multi-leveled heaven, and still is (arranged in the afterlife, perhaps).
Today, polygamy is a quasi-underground institution practiced by fundamentalists who have their own churches devoted to secrecy about polygamy and are organized along clan lines. These clans feature bitter feuds and a body count well over a hundred in the past fifty years both in Mexico (where Mormons used to have official polygamous colonies), and the entire Western US. It has recently been uncovered by several famous arrests that polygamists continue to arrange most marriages for teens to older men as a reward, in some cases the partnership is an uncle or niece, and in almost all cases the partnership is within second cousinhood. The higher ranking the male, which implies age, the more brides he will have, and the younger they will be on average. Note: There is an odd tribute system in polygamy. It is common for a follower of a clan leader to buy his dinner if they happen to meet in a restaurant (clan leaders dine out often, going on their dates.) In Southern Utah, polygamists are openly polygamists, deliberately dressing old-fashioned and walking around stores with many wives all wearing the same dress (Yes, I mean the same exact copy of dress).
Because most polygamous clans feature a few inter-related men who control a clan, with many young teen brides each, this leaves the younger men disenfranchised. It is rumored they fear for their lives constantly, and often run off, or are killed by rivals in some cases. Also, as a symptom of clan power struggles, it is common for these leaders to order all kids to withdraw from public schools to see who is following who’s orders. One elementary school is undergoing this treatement right now in Colorado City, AZ, where hundreds of kids were ordered to leave to await the end of the world, which never came. Now they are told to be homeschooled until further instructions. (Many of the teachers were polygamous too).
Also, another disaster of polygamy is young teens giving birth outside of hospitals. Many have died, and this is seemingly okay by the clan leaders, as “God’s will”. As a horrible social proof against polygamy, it is rumored here in Southern Utah that many babies are born with severe birth defects due to inbreeding. They are honorably disposed of in some canyon, according to rumor. Also, the autistic or retarded ones who seem healthy, are kept hidden in basements and are only brought out at special occasions, such as a funeral (I heard this from someone who was associated with polygamy).
Another prominent feature of polygamy is welfare fraud, estimated by the Salt Lake Tribune to be between 1/3 and 1/2 of all polygamous families. Someone has to pay for the imbalance, and truck-driving and nomandic construction jobs doesn’t pay for several houses and forty kids. Also, all polygamous clans advocate anti-government activities, such as not paying taxes, and it is tradition in polygamy to leave one’s house unfinished to avoid some property taxes.
The worst feature about polygamy is child molestation. I have met, personally and online, over a dozen people who have survived polygamous clans from childhood. All (100%)were sexually molested, boys and girls, and all were severely physically abused. Also, a common story they tell, is of personal accounts of siblings who have died from being neglected medical treatment. Tapestry Against Polygamy has more info, available online I believe.
As a male, I have been known in the past to sympathize with harems and polygamy, etc. I now think prostitution is infinitely more civilized (demand-side versus supply-side). Sure, polygamy gives a bad name to casual bigamy, if that’s what prudent consenting adults want. We cannot escape the fact that male-ordered polygamy is unnatural in the exteme, as long as nature provides for a near equal amount of females and males.