Chapter 137 Question one two four

If polygamy is good for men and bad for women, as everyone thinks, why would predominantly male legislators ban it? Many people believe that adults can do whatever they want as long as they don't cause unacceptable harm to others.The difficulty, of course, is how to define what constitutes unacceptable harm. The HBO series "Big Love," about the fictional story of a polygamous family in Salt Lake City, reignited the debate. Barbo, Nicky and Marginie, the three heroines in "The Three Lives Man", choose to marry the successful businessman Bill.Henriksen, he has the ability to provide a prosperous life for this large family.Should society ban such arrangements?Because it caused unacceptable harm to others?Who does it hurt?How did it hurt?There is something interesting about these questions in light of economists' models of informal markets in marriage partners.

The conventional wisdom against polygamy is that it harms women, especially young girls who are forced into such relationships.There is no doubt that forced marriages, whether polygamous or monogamous, should be prohibited by society.However, mature women voluntarily choose polygamous marriages, which shows that they like this arrangement.If polygamous marriages hurt women, the victims are clearly those who prefer monogamy. It's easy to see how these women were hurt.For example, in monogamy, Barb's first choice is to marry Bill, and Bill chooses to marry her.But if polygamy was allowed, Bill would probably want to marry not only Barb, but Nikki and Marginie as well.Barb had to choose between two less-than-desirable outcomes: find a supportive monogamous partner again, or stay in a polygamous relationship she disliked.

For some women, allowing polygamous marriages deprives some attractive options.But that fact alone does not mean that polygamy does unacceptable harm to women.Assuming polygamy is legal and there is an equal ratio of men to women, ten percent of men have an average of three wives each, while the remaining marriages remain monogamous.When 10% of men are polygamous, there are nine men for every seven women remaining.With an overabundance of men in the informal market for monogamous couples, the terms of exchange shift in favor of women.The wives won't have to wash as many diapers, and their parents will be spared the drudgery of paying for the wedding.

What about men?Clearly, for some men, polygamy is beneficial.After all, like Bill in "Sanqi Da Husband".There are many men like Henriksen, who not only like to have several wives, but also can attract several wives. But what about those who prefer monogamy?As mentioned earlier, allowing polygamous marriages would unbalance the number of men and women in monogamous relationships.With many eligible women now in the pockets of others, the terms of the deal have become extremely unfavorable to men.Many men are completely unmarried. In short, the logic of supply and demand justifies traditional monogamy.If polygamy hurts anyone, it is mostly men, not women.

This conclusion makes more sense when we consider that men will compete more aggressively for the vantage point for scarce female mates.Women will continue to be in short supply, and men will face greater economic pressure than they do now to spend more time building muscle; more men will have plastic surgery; spending on engagement rings will surely increase; Gotta send two dozen roses.However, no matter how valiantly the men fight, the total number of men who are doomed to marriage remains the same. Regardless of its other intentions, laws banning polygamy acted as a pact to limit unhealthy competition so that men wouldn't have to live too hard.That helps explain why a predominantly male legislator is supportive of such laws.