Polygyny

Polygyny is when men have multiple partners - whereas polygamy is where either sex have multiple partners. /Polygyny/ is legal in Indonesia. This week however a popular Muslim preacher admitted to recently marrying a second wife - and the issue erupted.

Here's my take on polygany (posted on http://cafesalemba.blogspot.com),

At 12/08/2006 10:26:09 AM, johnorford said...
Polygyny happens in societies when men can get away with it, it's a hold-up problem pure and simple, wives have /no/ options but to go along with it.

I imagine societies where polygany is common, are also extremely prone to domestic abuse. E.g. a husband can get away with abusing his wives, knowing they have no other options - again a hold up problem.

Why is it that I only see "intellectual" men pontificating about this subject and not disagreeing with it (bleuuch) (apart from Dhani).

So I suppose polygany is an obvious symptom of chronic inequality, other abuses are just less obvious. Banning it won't solve the root problem, but common practice of polygany is a warning of what is happening under the surface of the society.

(See this too)