Polygamy means the marriage between more than two people. Although this practice is taboo and outright illegal in most European and American states, polygamy is held in Africa, the Middle East, and many Southeast Asian states. The Pew Research Center states that only a tiny minority—2%—of the world population belongs to a polygamous setup.
Nonetheless, polygamy is a contentious ethical and religious issue. Other sects and pro-polygamy societies believe that more married couples inside the home help them sustain their households further. They also claim that polygamy makes their family experience more stable and meaningful. On the other hand, defenders of monogamous marriages say that male polygamists exploit women, so they have a vested interest in keeping this institution. The United Nations Human Rights Committee condemns polygamy as a violation of women’s dignity, calling for the institution to be removed.
In this article, you will learn the legal standing of polygamy based on the studies of the Pew Research Center and other leading organizations. They assessed polygamous families’ demographics and household data in 130 nations and territories.
What are institutions related to polygamy?
Before we continue further, we will differentiate the other marriage setups outside monogamy:
- Polygyny is the most typical polygamous arrangement, where a man has two wives. (This practice is not related to polygeny, an obsolete belief that human races had different animal ancestors.)
- Polyandry is the opposite of most polygamous setups, where a woman has two husbands. It is unallowed in most nations since Islam also strictly forbids it. Anthropologists have seen polyandrous institutions in isolated communities.
- Group marriage involves many husbands and wives in one family. It is scarce, and no discovered culture endorses this arrangement.
- Polyamory means having many romantic relationships, all with consenting participants. It is not a marital system, but this practice has gained traction lately.
Which countries allow polygamous marriages?
Most countries that allow plural marriages can be found in West and Central Africa (also called the “polygamy belt”) and the Middle East.
In Africa
Most African nations, from Algeria to Zambia, recognize polygamy because of their religious practice. The same findings by the Pew Research Center show that most polygamous marriages happen in sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in West and Central Africa. A quarter of Africans in this region are in a polygamous relationship, but 3% of Christians also do it.
However, this setup is also prevalent in African folk traditions and nonreligious populations. Countries like Botswana, Liberia, Malawi, and Zimbabwe permit polygamy under customary laws. Because of this, polygamy is outside “civil marriages” but under religious or customary legislation. Spiritual and tribal leaders facilitate the practice.
However, some of them provide restrictions and boundaries. In Gabon, only men are recognized to have multiple spouses. South Africa, meanwhile, acknowledges polygamy conducted under Sharia Islamic law and indigenous customs.
Other African countries also provide safeguards for women who will enter polygamy. For example, in Burkina Faso, the woman must state that marriage will become polygamous later on if she allows it. Also, in Djibouti, the court will assess the wives’ opinions and the household’s financial standing before allowing another marriage to happen. Likewise, Nigeria only permits polygamy in its northern states that uphold Sharia.
In Asia
Asian countries with predominantly Muslim populations allow polygamy. Hence, nations like Brunei, Iran, Jordan, and Yemen recognize plural marriages. It is worth noting, however, that Bhutan also allows it. Bhutan has as a Buddhist nation with a Hindu minority.
Although this practice is allowed in Islam and their legislations, less than one percent of men in Afghanistan, Egypt, and Iran has more than one spouse. Meanwhile, there is limited data on prosperous Middle Eastern nations like Saudi Arabia and Qatar.
Islamic countries with religious minorities do not permit polygamy in those regions. For example, Indonesia does not allow particular regional residents to have more than one spouse. Iraq and Syria do the same for their northern Kurdistan territories.
Meanwhile, certain Asian countries only allow Muslim polygamy under special legislation for Islamic residents. These nations include India, Malaysia, Singapore, Lebanon, and Pakistan. The Philippines only allows this setup for some Muslim men who can sustain all of their wives and children equally.
In Oceania
The Solomon Islands is the only country in Oceania that allows polygamy, although 90% of its population identifies as Christian.
What are the exceptions for countries without polygamy?
All countries in North and South America, including the fifty states in the USA, prohibit adultery. (But the Utah state government lessened the punishment for polygamy from a felony into an infraction in 2020.) The countries that forbid polygamy have adultery laws for married couples. The government does not consider relationships with partners outside the initial marriage.
Meanwhile, some European states like Sweden recognize polygamous marriages done in their original country. Switzerland does the same on a case-to-case examination.
Australia also accepts polygamous marriages as valid under special conditions if done abroad.
How do religions stand on polygamy?
As stated earlier, religion is a crucial factor in the legality of polygamy. After all, marriage has historically been a religious institution. These are the beliefs of significant religions regarding it:
Buddhism
In Buddhism, marriage is not a religious ritual or sacrament but a social arrangement. Furthermore, they believe people should not have any attachment or neediness to become truly happy or peaceful.
This belief gives predominantly Buddhist nations leeway in their marriage legislation. For example, Myanmar only forbade plural marriages in 2015.
Christianity
The Roman Catholic Church, mainstream Protestantism, and most independent Christian organizations denounce polygamy. However, there are exceptions for some Lutheran denominations and the Anglican Church for polygamist converts.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (or LDS) upheld plural marriages as a sacred institution even when the United States government declared polygamy illegal. Eventually, the Church banned it in 1890, leading to Utah becoming a state. But LDS splinter groups, like the infamous Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, still practice it in secret. They are not recognized by the state as valid marriages, nonetheless.
Judaism
The Hebrew Bible (or the Old Testament for Christians) narrates that its patriarchs and monarchs had multiple wives. However, modern Jews reject polygamy.
Hinduism
In Hinduism, some laws permit polygamy if the first wife is infertile. Meanwhile, male Hindus in Bali are allowed to have as many wives as they want. This custom still depends on the traditional customs of their village, however.
Islam
As mentioned earlier, Islam endorses polygamy among its male adherents. Quran 4:3 says that men can have four spouses, and the Prophet Muhammad also had many wives. Muslim nations follow this pattern but still debate the morality and application of this rule.
They look at Islam’s history and marital discussions for guidance. For example, some historians state that, during the initial years of Islam, wars in the Arabian peninsula left widows and orphans. Polygamy, they say, allowed men to take care of them. Likewise, until now, polygamy is common in Islamic nations where people have shorter life expectancies.
In a 2013 survey by the Pew Research Center, Muslims worldwide are split regarding this issue. Most Middle Eastern and sub-Saharan African Muslims consider polygamy moral, but Muslims in Central Asia and Europe say otherwise.
Frequently asked questions
1. Why is polygamy illegal?
Polygamy is illegal in most countries for religious, economic, and practical reasons:
- Mainstream Christianity does not tolerate romantic relationships outside marriage.
- Marriages provide couples with legal benefits and privileges. But what would happen if they extend to more than two people? It will become expensive for companies and the state to sustain.
- Polygamy may cause a surplus of unmarried men, while those inside such marriages might fail to support their large families.
2. Which religions allow polygamy?
Islam, which has over 1.8 billion adherents, allows polygamy, according to its sacred text, the Quran. But Muslims debate the context, practice, and legislation regarding plural marriages. Meanwhile, Hindus in Bali and Papua encourage almost unrestricted polygamy, which is an issue in Indonesia. Buddhists also consider marriage a social arrangement rather than a religious ritual, so it is up to the governments to decide about it.
3. Which countries allow polygamy?
Several predominantly Islamic countries and African nations allow polygamy. Meanwhile, several Asian countries provide polygamy exceptions for Muslims who can support their multiple wives. The Solomon Islands is the only nation in the Pacific to allow it.
References
Hudson, Valerie, and McDermott, Rose. (2015, July 15). Why polygamy is bad for national security. Retrieved from https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2015/07/polygamy-national-security-putin-120234/
Kramer, Stephanie. (2020, December 7). Polygamy is rare worldwide and is mostly confined to a few regions. Retrieved from https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2020/12/07/polygamy-is-rare-around-the-world-and-mostly-confined-to-a-few-regions/
Millogo, Roch, et al. (2022, April 19). Polygamy in West Africa: Impacts on fertility, fertility intentions, and family planning. Retrieved from https://www.prb.org/resources/polygamy-in-west-africa-impacts-on-fertility-fertility-intentions-and-family-planning/
Noviana, L. (2022). The Phenomenon of Polygamy in Southeast Asia (A Comparative Study of Marriage Law in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Brunei Darussalam). Proceedings Of International Conference On Islamic Law, 1(1), 37-52. Retrieved from https://prosiding.iainponorogo.ac.id/index.php/cilip/article/view/530
Scaringi Law. (n.d.). Polygamy, religion, and the law. Retrieved from https://www.scaringilaw.com/blog/2020/january/polygamy-religion-and-the-law/
World Population Review. (2022). Countries where polygamy is legal 2022. Retrieved from https://worldpopulationreview.com/country-rankings/countries-where-polygamy-is-legal