What are the advantages and disadvantages of polygamy?

Answer 1

Advantages:

-in societies with a large male:female or female:male ratios this can allow more people to attain the status of married

-allow the production of children when one partner is infertile

-ensures that children will always be cared for (unlikely that ALL parents will die at same time)

-in polygynous marriages, it maximizes the seed-spreading potential of males

-increases amount of family (extended) that can be counted on in times of hardship

-always have a babysitter

Disadvantages:

-perceived 'unfairness'

-social stigma in many cultures

-if both polyandry and polygyny were to be allowed at the same time... marriages could get extremely complicated