All the countries where polygamy is legal

A map, uploaded to Reddit by user lursh123, charts country's legal standing on polygamy – having more than one wife or husband.

It shows that polygamy is permitted in countries predominantly in Africa and Asia, including Algeria, Mali, Niger, Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Europe, Australia and America are included in the areas where polygamy is fully outlawed.

Picture: Reddit / Lursh123

According to an article on Politico, legalising polygamy is the “most natural advance next step” in countries where it is currently outlawed.

It argues:

Given that many of us have argued, to great effect, that deference to tradition is not a legitimate reason to restrict marriage rights to groups that want them, the next step seems clear.

We should turn our efforts towards the legal recognition of marriages between more than two partners. It’s time to legalize polygamy.

However, Conor Freidersdorf argues in the Atlantic that legalising polygamy can allegedly lead to higher levels of rape, kidnapping, murder, robbery and assault.

He goes on to quote an argument that monogamy allows “more egalitarian distribution of women, which reduces male competition and social problems”.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.

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