Argument: Polygamy reduces the impulse to adultery and resulting divorces

1. "Why not Mr. and Mrs. - & Mrs... & Mrs...?". The Jerusalem Post. Apr 2, 2006

“Since so many monogamous relationships don’t work and betrayal fuels bitterness and spite, polygamy may be the ideal solution to Jewish continuity and bring about a drop in the divorce rate. One of the rules in a polygamous marriage could be that when a husband and wife are angry at each other they don’t have to rant and rave or say hurtful things they might regret. She would simply retire to her room to cool off – or unburden her heart to one of the other women in the household – and he could do the same.”

"Anti-polygamy statutes assault civil liberties". Daily Herald. June 25th, 2006

“Polly Hammon, Centennial Park, Divorce more dangerous to families than polygamy, “Polygamy has existed in Utah side by side with monogamy for nearly 160 years, with no demonstrable injury to the institution of marriage. The state does not punish fornication, or adultery for that matter, and specifically allows “no-fault divorce” which is undoubtedly destructive to families and to marriage as an institution. A man can practice “serial polygamy” with impunity. He can legally have as many wives as he wants, and have children with all of them, just as long as he is willing, with the state’s permission if not its blessing, to destroy one family before beginning the next one.

Polygamy reduces the desire for adultery by providing alternatives for sexual exploration within the family unit. This reduces the strains on family life and minimises the likelihood of breakdown and divorce.

“Polygamy removes the pressure on a husband to commit adultery, and removes damaging deceit from a marriage.”

Reasons to disagree

1. Those who cheat, will continue to cheat no matter how much sex they get. David, of the Old Testament, had hundreds of wives and concubines, but he still felt the need to cheat. Sex is probably something that once you start down a road of wanting more variety among the women you sleep with, you continue to want more and more… there is no reason to believe that Polygamist are more faithful to those they marry than non-polygamist. If it was just about the sex, it would probably be just the opposite.
2. If people want variety they can role-play, dress-up, or do other things. They don’t have to take extra wives.
3. You may say that the desire to cheat is reduced, if you think the desire to cheat is proportional to number of current sex partners, but the desire to cheat isn’t removed… people still go on business trips, and the desire to lie is not magically reduced. A true sex addict though never gets enough.

External links and resources:

• wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygamy