What would this world be like if all men and women were legally allowed to have multiple husbands and wives at the same time?
Last Updated: 21.06.2025 08:48
We see in polyamorous networks the same social dynamics we see in social media networks or business networks: a large number of people with a small number of connections, joined by a small number of metapeers with a large number of connections. I’m one of the metapeers in my polycule; most polyamorous people have two partners, or perhaps three.
Not a lot different from what it is now. The vast majority of people are monogamous, and don’t want plural relationships.
Contrary to the answer that says it would be a disaster for children, we know for a fact this isn’t true. Dr. Elisabeth Sheff (who is not polyamorous) conducted an extensive longitudinal peer-reviewed study of polyamorous households with children, which she published in the book The Polyamorists Next Door. She found that households with plural adult relationships result in children who receive more time, attention, and support from the adults around them.
Contrary to the answer that says taxation would be a nightmare, tax laws are written by people. If social expectations and marriage law change to allow plural marriage, so will tax law, obviously.
Contrary to the answer that says you’d have a few wives with many husbands and a bunch of men with nobody, that isn’t the pattern we see play out in polyamorous communities. Most men and most women prefer monogamy. Of those who don’t, about the same number of men and women prefer multiple partners. For example, I have four partners, all of whom have other boyfriends.