Why isn't polygamy a norm in modern society?

[Night FM]

From an evolutionary perspective, polygamy is more efficient at producing offspring than monogamy, which is why I believe it has been practiced more commonly in ancient and less-developed societies where life expectancy is shorter. (I also believe it related to aspects of the culture in more primitive societies, in which "powerful" men were allowed to take many of the women for themselves, while men lower on the social caste system may have been left with none and often used as slave labor, unless their master deemed them fit to have a wife. As an example, polygamy is frequently mentioned in the Biblical Old Testament, and there are mentions of men being owned as eunuch slaves).

So I'm not advocating for polygamy in modern societies, as I believe that monogamy leads to higher quality of life for society as a whole. I'm just interested in hearing other people's thoughts on why it fell out of favor, and I'm assuming it relates to higher quality of life and higher life expectancy, reducing the need to produce as many offspring.

[dimreepr]

You've answered your own question, society has evolved to favour monogamy: but with divorce rates being what they are, I feel the pendulum is now swinging the other way... 😉

[swansont]

5 hours ago, Night FM said:

I also believe it related to aspects of the culture in more primitive societies, in which "powerful" men were allowed to take many of the women for themselves

Which societies are these, and when was this, in the course of human evolution?

[MigL]

It may be true for some animals, such as lions, where a 'dominant' male has several female consorts, based on his size and strength, as that is their evolutionary advantage.
Our evolutionary advantage is, supposedly, our intelligence; not size or strength.

That being said, intelligent, highly successful men do tend to have ( or can afford ) more mistresses ...

( does that count ? 😄 😄 )

[Night FM]

12 hours ago, swansont said:

Which societies are these, and when was this, in the course of human evolution?

The Biblical Old Testament is an example. Men frequently had multiple wives and concubines (e.x. King Solomon).

[Peterkin]

20 hours ago, Night FM said:

I'm just interested in hearing other people's thoughts on why it fell out of favor, and I'm assuming it relates to higher quality of life and higher life expectancy, reducing the need to produce as many offspring.

It fell out of favour for several reasons.

1. Most people didn't like it. It had been shoved on them by rulers who wanted more soldiers, and the marriages were generally business transactions.

1a) For one man to support a household of several wives and their children was an enormous burden. Only the rich could afford it.

1b). He was tired enough from working all day - now, he's got to satisfy three or four women at night?

1c) He has to hear them complaining about one another, about the crowding in his too-small house, how he doesn't bring home enough grain and olive oil, about how he's neglecting each one's children in favour of the others.

1d) Three or four women in one household can manage their affairs just fine, so long as there is no man whose favour matters to complicate things.

1e) Women tend to value their offspring above all things else. If they have to compete for the rights and prosperity of their children, they can get downright ugly. (Check the bible if you don't believe me.)

2. It was a nightmare for civil servants to keep track of who was married to whom and descended from whom and related to what other families and who had claims on the inheritance of which grandparent.

3. Young persons have a proclivity for falling in love one to one. Once that happens, they tend to crave the undivided attention and devotion of the object of their affection. Very few can be attracted to several at the same time, or bear with equanimity their partner treating others the same way as themselves. This can lead to domestic discord.   

2 hours ago, Night FM said:

The Biblical Old Testament is an example. Men frequently had multiple wives and concubines (e.x. King Solomon).

Kings elsewhere also had many wives and concubines, most sent to them as tribute by conquered nations. In some cultures, when the king died, the concubines and sometimes the wives and horses too, were buried with them. They owned people. That's not polygamy; that's despotism. It was also discontinued because people didn't like it.

Edited August 30 by Peterkin

[swansont]

11 hours ago, Night FM said:

The Biblical Old Testament is an example. Men frequently had multiple wives and concubines (e.x. King Solomon).

IOW, very recent and very brief in evolutionary terms. So it likely didn’t arise directly from evolutionary pressures. i.e. there’s no extended period where the genetic makeup of the population was shifted to favor this behavior. (are a lot of people descended from Solomon, et al?) It arose because of societal circumstances.

[LuckyR]

Watch Sister Wives on TLC. That's why.