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That polygamy should be legalised

(PRO)
WINNER!
5 points
(CON)
0 points
De@thDe@th (PRO)
Hello all, am here supporting the statement that polygamy should be legalized. Though the concept of polygamy can potentially be considered inappropriate for a cultured society, legalization of polygamy has become the need of hour.
Technically, any marital relation involving more than 2 can be considered polygamy, irrespective of sex of the involved, the classifications being polygyny and polyandry for males keeping multiple female partners and vice-versa respectively.

Consider the present situation. Many a times, we see instances where the partners are not faithful to each other. They tend to cheat on each other owing to a variety of reasons ranging from sex to emotional comfort and compliance. And finally, either when they get caught or when tired of the 'cat & mouse' game, they go for a divorce. And victims of this situation are mostly the children, who only see their parents cheating and finally dumping each other, none really being careful enough to think what happens to the children...!!!
And the after effect, the kids grow up only to walk paths that are even worse, adding to the ever burgeoning crimes of domestic violence and even murder only to avoid a comparatively less intense crime of bigamy. Because the society we live in has a very peculiar pre-conceived idea of seeing things black or white, forgetting that not always one can neglect the grey...!!! 

Now on the other hand consider the situation where polygamy is legalized, with multiple individuals involving in a marital realtion with mutual consent, understanding and respect. The system, to a large extent, can avoid the aforementioned situations. It reduces the instances where the partners cheat on each other and reduce the traffic in 'red-light areas' as well. Thus indirectly the system also helps reduce sexually transmitted diseases since most of them are after-effects of unsafe acts with unknown individuals.
Alongside, the children being raised in such a society will learn better to adjust and accommodate, with better sharing culture, rather than fighting and killing each other for "me, me and me....".
Often it is argued, opposing the legalization of polygamy, that it results in many individuals remaining unable to find suitable partners. But isn't this the case with any marriage, even monogamy? For example, when a girl gets married to a guy, the probability of another guy to find a partner decreases. But how is it a crime? It needs to be kept in mind that the institution of polygamy is never that of a forced relation, but one that is intended to bring more flexibility in a cultured society of mutually respecting individuals. To add, ensuring that the relation is forced by no way, the individuals are always free to walk away from the relation through a legal divorce.
Certain legal aspects can also be introduced to ensure the logic of polygamy, that in a relation if the sole earning person is involving in polygamy, he/she should have the financial background to be able to take good care of either of his partners equally.
Proper provision of laws should also be there to govern the partition of property of an individual among his/her partners. Rules should also be provided in cases related to alimony.

Finally, I'd like to conclude stating that legalization of polygamy does never intend to encourage polygamy, on the contrary it only means that the individuals involving in such a relation with mutual consent and respect would not be treated as criminals and that there would be specific marriage laws to deal with such relations.

Thank you....

Return To Top | Posted:
2013-12-25 19:27:40
| Speak Round
De@thDe@th (PRO)
Now that the matter of spelling is a very trivial one and pretty much clarified as well, I don't think a digression would be much appreciable and I'd like to request my opposition to go on with their ideas on the same....
Return To Top | Posted:
2013-12-27 22:17:48
| Speak Round
dtaylor972dtaylor972 (CON)
(Hello all, am here supporting the statement that polygamy should belegalized. Though the concept of polygamy can potentially be considered inappropriate for a cultured society,legalization of polygamy has become the need of hour.Technically, any marital relation involving more than 2 can be considered polygamy, irrespective of sex of the involved, the classifications being polygyny and polyandry for males keeping multiple female partners and vice-versa respectively.
Consider the present situation. Many a times, we see instances where the partners are not faithful to each other. They tend to cheat on each other owing to a variety of reasons ranging from sex to emotional comfort and compliance. And finally, either when they get caught or when tired of the 'cat & mouse' game, they go for a divorce. And victims of this situation are mostly the children, who only see their parents cheating and finally dumping each other, none really being careful enough to think what happens to the children...!!!And the after effect, the kids grow up only to walk paths that are even worse, adding to the ever burgeoning crimes of domestic violence and even murder only to avoid a comparatively less intense crime of bigamy. Because the society we live in has a very peculiar pre-conceived idea of seeing things black or white, forgetting that not always one can neglect the grey...!!!
Now on the other hand consider the situation where polygamy is legalized, with multiple individuals involving in a marital realtion with mutual consent, understanding and respect. The system, to a large extent, can avoid the aforementioned situations. It reduces the instances where the partners cheat on each other and reduce the traffic in 'red-light areas' as well. Thus indirectly the system also helps reduce sexually transmitted diseases since most of them are after-effects of unsafe acts with unknown individuals.Alongside, the children being raised in such a society will learn better to adjust and accommodate, with better sharing culture, rather than fighting and killing each other for "me, me and me....".Often it is argued, opposing the legalization of polygamy, that it results in many individuals remaining unable to find suitable partners. But isn't this the case with any marriage, even monogamy? For example, when a girl gets married to a guy, the probability of another guy to find a partner decreases. But how is it a crime? It needs to be kept in mind that the institution of polygamy is never that of a forced relation, but one that is intended to bring more flexibility in a cultured society of mutually respecting individuals. To add, ensuring that the relation is forced by no way, the individuals are always free to walk away from the relation through a legal divorce.Certain legal aspects can also be introduced to ensure the logic of polygamy, that in a relation if the sole earning person is involving in polygamy, he/she should have the financial background to be able to take good care of either of his partners equally.Proper provision of laws should also be there to govern the partition of property of an individual among his/her partners. Rules should also be provided in cases related to alimony.
Finally, I'd like to conclude stating that legalization of polygamy does never intend to encourage polygamy, on the contrary it only means that the individuals involving in such a relation with mutual consent and respect would not be treated as criminals and that there would be specific marriage laws to deal with such relations.
Thank you....)

Is there an automatic refute button on this site?


Return To Top | Posted:
2014-01-01 21:47:29
| Speak Round
De@thDe@th (PRO)
Pardon me if I sound a bit rude, but my opposition is totally digressing from the topic here, not even trying to support his statement. And as a matter of fact, there is no automatic refute ever possible....it is clash of intellect and not buttons, per fas et nefas....
Hope my opposition atleast try to defend his/her stand....


Return To Top | Posted:
2014-01-01 22:08:14
| Speak Round
dtaylor972dtaylor972 (CON)
  1. In all polygamous cultures on the planet, women have extremely low status. All must obey their husbands, fathers, or brothers at all times. All are poor with few or no rights. In many, the women are virtual prisoners of their family compounds. Almost none get to choose who they marry, and many are married against their will to much older men. Moreover, the religions in these cultures assign women very low status, which teaches women not to expect more out of life for themselves. Thus, despite the polygamists' arguments, polygamy is not about rights: it's about the power over and control of one group by another.
  2. Polygamy is almost never polyandry. It's not about women's freedom to choose who they marry or how many spouses they have: it's about women being owned by men.
  3. Polygamy skews the natural ratio of marriageable men and women. If one man can take 20 women as spouses, then 19 men must do without spouses entirely. For this reason, polygamous cultures have to deal with the problem of excess males, either through wars and conflicts or through ostracization. This skewing of the natural ratio would create conflict in Canada.
  4. Most North American "families" in polygamous situations are on welfare or food stamps. The men in these "families" cannot financially support all the women and children, and the women are generally not permitted the freedom to choose a career and work outside the family compound. This shows that in a modern society, polygamous marriages are neither healthy nor stable institutions.
  5. The media has shown some polygamous women claiming that they are happy in their multiple marriages. But these statements have to be viewed carefully. According to the religion of these cultures, women are only permitted into heaven by permission of their "husband." In addition, if these women make a statement that could be construed as anti-polygamy, the leadership of the religious community will take away their children. Thus, women in these cultures are afraid to reveal their true thoughts and feelings or to jeopardize their fragile status. Meanwhile, many women who have left these polygamous cults describe the complete subjugation they had to endure. For this reason, the statements of polygamous women cannot be taken at face value.
  6. Legal polygamy would turn immigration into a nightmare. An immigrant can claim to be wed to half a nation of women and demand that all these women be brought to Canada. Polygamists can arrive at the border and demand refugee status because of persecution. Sorting out these claims would be impossible, since most nations refuse to give legal status to such marriages.
  7. Legalized polygamy would reduce women's rights. Polygamous cults from all over the world would start immigrating to Canada to take advantage of a right to live this lifestyle. Once they take citizenship, they would be able to vote for the values they believe in – low status for women. Moreover, they would raise their enormous families of children to believe these same values, which would further add to the anti-women voting pool. In a short period of time, 200 years of struggle for women's rights would vanish.
  8. The issue of same-sex marriage is not at all in the same category as polygamous marriage. First, same-sex marriage is still a partnership and relationship of two people, most often with the objective of starting a family. Second, nonheterosexuality is a biological state, not a choice. In contrast, nobody is born a polygamist. Thus, polygamy is not a rights situation in the same sense that nonheterosexual marriage recognition is a rights situation. Third, same-sex marriage does not affect anyone except the two people involved; whereas polygamous marriage affects all of society because of its impact on women's status in Canada.
  9. In Canada, marriage is a partnership and a relationship. Polygamy turns marriage into a cattle drive.
  10. Canada should be prepared to protect the lifestyle choices of those who have sexual-family forms that are not marriages. A multiple sexual partners lifestyle is not and should never be illegal in Canada. In addition, having children with multiple partners or sharing one father for several women's children should never be illegal either. These are lifestyle choices. However, Canada has the right and the responsibility to recognize only one spouse as a legal spouse and refuse to recognize all others. In other words, Canada cannot prevent polygamists from doing what they do, but they can refuse to grant it any legal status.

Return To Top | Posted:
2014-01-02 13:41:58
| Speak Round
De@thDe@th (PRO)
My opposition has been all so loud framing polygamy as the most devilish thing, 2nd only to devil himself... I'd have really appreciated if he took the time to go through every statement I've made...at-least my conclusion where I've very specifically mentioned that "legalization of polygamy does never intend to encourage polygamy, on the contrary it only means that the individuals involving in such a relation with mutual consent and respect would not be treated as criminals and that there would be specific marriage laws to deal with such relations."
I've mentioned that just like other marriage rules, very specific and rational set of rules should be set of in case of polygamy also rather than considering it illegal. Particularly, in many of the western countries, where homosexuality is legal, it is only too ridiculous that polygamy is illegal.
Going step by step-
1) My opponent started with a very biased and ignorant statement that "In all polygamous cultures on the planet, women have extremely low status." and
"Polygamy is almost never polyandry".
Now, there are many cultures, some being nomadic, some restricted to specific regions like the Himalayas, where polyandrous culture exists and family is highly matriarchal as well.
So right with the basic understanding itself, my opponent has flawed miserably.
And now when the word polygamy instructs very well that it can be polygyny or polyandry, its highly immature to draw a conclusion that its almost never polyandry.

2) My opposition still continues with the bias that polyandry doesn't exist and makes his next flawed statement that "Polygamy skews the natural ratio of marriageable men and women. If one man can take 20 women as spouses, then 19 men must do without spouses entirely."
Like I mentioned, we live in cultured society, I hope my opposing friend also does...I fervently hope that because only then he can understand the depth of what I've mentioned in my post...."Often it is argued, opposing the legalization of polygamy, that it results in many individuals remaining unable to find suitable partners. But isn't this the case with any marriage, even monogamy? For example, when a girl gets married to a guy, the probability of another guy to find a partner decreases by a factor. But how is it a crime? It needs to be kept in mind that the institution of polygamy is never that of a forced relation, but one that is intended to bring more flexibility in a cultured society of mutually respecting individuals."
So if it is the probability of finding suitable partner that is the criteria, in an already existing world where there is no perfect balance in the sex ratio, polygamy is rather the only option. But I personally don't believe that idea of probability and if my opposition as he says he is concerned on probability, can try endorsing polygamy unlike what he is trying not to.... :P
So when 2 or more people willingly and understandingly involve in a marital relation,the entire probabilistic idea of another losing his/her chance becomes invalid since for those who are in a relation all that matters is that they remain together rather than sex ratio of the world...!!!
To end this point, will my opposition give away his/her partner to someone who doesn't have one???

3) My opposition has shown the audacity of comparing an uncultured family/groups of families to an entire world here...!!!!
"Most North American "families" in polygamous situations are on welfare or food stamps. The men in these "families" cannot financially support all the women and children, and the women are generally not permitted the freedom to choose a career and work outside the family compound. This shows that in a modern society, polygamous marriages are neither healthy nor stable institutions."
This only shows that that particular family/groups of families are uncultured, illogical and don't respect individual freedom. And world is bigger that "North America" the last time I looked at the map....!!!
Now as i told, it would have been a lot better if my opposition took his time to go through what I've written in my 1st post..."Certain legal aspects can also be introduced to ensure the logic of polygamy, that in a relation if the sole earning person is involving in polygamy, he/she should have the financial background to be able to take good care of either of his partners equally."
And the problem my opposition mentioned exists more because polygamy is treated like a crime in many places and these people often live a secluded life away from the mainstream society and jurisdiction, often increasing the crime rate for that reason. 
And the only solution being bringing them back to mainstream society, legalizing and acknowledging their existence and framing a logical set of laws regarding their marital status.
And to conclude the talk on this point, are these problem which my opposition has mentioned restricted only to polygamous families? These are present in every mainstream societies as well. How many of the unemployed and those living on welfare or food stamps, say in America or Canada alone which for my opposition is the world, are polygamists? How many crimes happen in everyday society, how many rapes, how many household abuses? Will my opposition again bring up the audacity to say that all these happen in polygamous societies/families and are done by polygamists? If so, I can only take pity on such a ridiculously narrow mindset....

4) Talking about religion, my opposition happened to frame a statement that goes as, "According to the religion of these cultures, women are only permitted into heaven by permission of their "husband."..."
Lemme clarify it stating that the idea of polygamy is not restricted to any religion. In the modern society, it is a purely personal choice which people take, respecting and loving each other. And by restricting polygamy to "religion of these cultures" if my opponent is trying to hint at the Mormon, Christian and Islam cultures, I should say, none of these makes it mandatory to be involved in polygamy. It is left upon the choice of individual. However, a few twisted interpretations have been given to some verses of Qur'an and Bible by some so called scholars that women are supposed to be weaker than men and that they are meant to be controlled and ruled over. But in the modern days of civilization and individual freedom what interpretations are given to these scriptures matters little, because as i mentioned, it is a choice taken by individuals.
Now considering the above mentioned cultures, particularly the Islam, they don't treat polygamy as wrong and so does the nations where there is a considerable Islam population, like the middle-east. And as a matter of fact, the problems which my opponent has previously mentioned in regard with polygamy is least there, compared to places where it is a crime. Because there are specific laws to deal with situation there. However, in this aspect of Islam alone, it is rather a matter of ridiculous nature that only polygyny is considered legal as per the texts. But a generalization based on that singularity would be suicidal in nature...!!!!
And with most other religion/cultures, they leave it totally as a personal choice of lifestyle, which my opponent should start admiring.

5) Talking about immigration, lemme clarify that no man/woman is married to half a nation unlike what you mentioned. So a man/woman who are involved in polygamy are denied their right to life when they migrate to a place where it is illegal. And this, as I mentioned, will only increase crime rates since people start living hiding from the government and mainstream society, the only solution being accepting them and providing proper legal existence for them and the related marital condition they live in.

6) And again and again my opponent is mixing the concept of polygamy with women's right. I don't know if my opponent lives in a society where there is no personal rights/choices. But I don't. And I know that with time the greater world has only grown broader in it's mentality. So polygamy is not synonym to rape. Neither does it mean that more and more individuals are added into a relation everyday. It is a closed relation involving more than 2 understanding and respecting individuals, which given a legal existence and proper jurisdiction will help many families/groups of families come into mainstream society and hence even reduce crime rates.
Also a person born in a polygamous family need not be a polygamist. Are every criminals born in criminal families? What about homosexuals?? Please don't tell they are born IN homosexual families. And please don't tell that homosexuality is always genetic/biological, since its many a times psychological and induced as well. 

7) And speaking about biology or natural instincts, which means as seen in nature, one can very easily see that polygamy is so very common in nature, unlike homosexuality. As a matter of fact most living beings in natural circumstances live in polygamous condition.

8) And finally speaking about Canada, there is a lot of difference between a puny little country, which annihilates the right of women/men, denying their right to share of property, stating that their very existence as spouse is not legally accepted and the rest of the world. So effectively my opposition is denying many people their right to live and their right to equal share of property of their spouse, which is practically diabolic and inhuman...and I request my opposition to be more gentle and humane at least in his words..!!!!

I'd like to conclude stating once again that legalization of polygamy does never intend to encourage polygamy, on the contrary it only means that the individuals involving in such a relation with mutual consent and respect would not be treated as criminals and that there would be specific marriage laws to deal with such relations.

Thank you....



Return To Top | Posted:
2014-01-02 19:55:32
| Speak Round
De@thDe@th (PRO)
Since my opponent has forfeited the round, I'd like to conclude my arguments with an Idea which I have already presented.

Legalization of polygamy does never intend to encourage polygamy, on the contrary it only means that the individuals involving in such a relation with mutual consent and respect would not be treated as criminals and that there would be specific marriage laws to deal with such relations...

I thank my opponent for being a part of this debate....Thank you all....

Return To Top | Posted:
2014-01-07 20:00:57
| Speak Round


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adminadmin
dtaylor972 - just a quick note that I'm warning you about the last round of this debate. There should be no profanities on EDEB8. This is important because I could actually get my site taken down because of posts like that. If you get another 2 warnings, you will be banned. Sorry about that.
Posted 2014-01-08 14:48:58
adminadmin
"Legalised" is a word for the record. I don't like to jump into debates like this but this is the UK spelling of the word, while the US spelling uses a z. This was probably a random topic, and when I'm writing random topics I'm careful to use the correct spelling, but where there are regional differences I inevitably will default to my New Zealand Oxford Dictionary. Sorry if this disappoints anyone.
Posted 2013-12-27 22:11:11
The judging period on this debate is over

Previous Judgments

2014-01-08 21:17:35
nzlockieJudge: nzlockie    TOP JUDGE
Win awarded to: De@th
Reasoning:
This is as clear a win to De@th as we will ever see. Not only has he made a solid case for a tricky resolution, but his opponent has been completely disrespectful. CON's first two rounds were just wasted and then the third round argument was copied and pasted from another debate: http://www.debate.org/debates/Polygamous-marriages-should-be-legalized-in-the-U.S./1/

Extreme bad form.

Feedback:
PRO should relax. You did a good job.
CON should forgive me if I'm being too harsh here but it really didn't look like you cared. If that was the case, either forfeit or better yet, suck it up and make a case anyway.
Plagerism is an insta-fail for me.
2 users rated this judgement as exceptional
0 comments on this judgement
2014-01-12 09:47:43
PinkieJudge: Pinkie    TOP JUDGE
Win awarded to: De@th
2014-01-14 04:43:45
JV-StalinJudge: JV-Stalin
Win awarded to: De@th

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