Historically, has there ever been a culture that did not value monogamy?

Answer 1

Arab/Muslim cultures accept the taking of multiple wives, and the Koran certainly does not discourage it. The vast majority of Mormons in Utah do not practice polygamy. Some "fundamentalist Mormon" sects still practice polygamy, but the main church now considers polygamy a sin in spite of the fact that their founder, Joseph Smith, had multiple wives.

Also, the Bible is full of references to the taking of multiple wives. King Solomon, for example, is said to have had hundreds of wives. King David also had many wives. It is safe to say that monogamy has not been universally valued throughout history.

Answer 2

There are several today that don't and of course in history.

Mormon's of old

Fringe Mormon's

Islam allows 4 wives not to mention Harems

Australian Natives didn't even really have marriage. A man or women came and went as they desired in their relationships.

Several Amazon Tribes still practice a very complicated marriage family tree. (Traditionally a child of 13 will get their first Husband or wife that is older, like 30 years old. As they get older they will marry others but still keep the previous spouses. In turn the spouse will also have other spouses. In a very real way a whole trip can be related both by blood and marriage.)

Shakers believed all sex was bad even to have children, so they didn't. Their numbers where increased by adoption. And men and women lived completely separately

Answer 3

Most cultures expect exclusive sexual fidelity in females only.
Polygamy was (and is in many places) the norm. Even in the Christian world of the present the norm seems to be serial monogamy - you don't have several spouses at the same time, but one after the other.

Answer 4

Throughout the animal kingdom monogamy is by no means the norm. It makes sense if you think that the sole purpose in life of many creatures is reproduction. Having only one partner is vastly inefficient to achieve this goal. In regards to humans, many of the above answers are correct, although I wouldn't consider Mormons as the poster child for polygamy anymore since its not a mainstream religion-wide belief anymore

Answer 5

Monogamy as in one spouse/sexual partner right? I'm sure there are many societies that encouraged Poligamy such as sodom and gamora or however you spell it and other societies who were concerned with extinction and just wanted to continue on....lol if you look at it Honestly and without blinders on we all encourage monogamy and at one point or another fail to practice it even if only in thought. How many times have you looked, thought, dreamed, about another i'm sure undoubtedly in history somewhere ther is/was a society who succumbed to mans innate desires of lust and DID NOT value monogamy.We only adhere to it here in america becuse it is taught to us that it is right but if i could have it my way why lie i'd proubably have a HAREM...LMAO!!!!! And the problem with those societies who had harems was that only the husband could have many wives not the other way around. i think because of the feelings that are created from sexual relationships and the violence that insues from those relationships due to poligamy it is proubably best the way it is. Excellent question something to think about....HMMMM

Answer 6

yes.i agree with sammany.furthermore,polygammy could define your status quo(in some african cultures).the more wives and children you had would be interpreted as a sign of wealth(since you would have to provide for them).people in authority(chiefs) and wealthy ones had a tendency of marrying many wives and having big families.it was widely practised and still is(presently not all that widely).

Answer 7

yes, the mormon religion was built on polygamy, but it has, within the later 20th century, been dismissed from the groups customs.

Example...
Elizabeth Smart (the girl kidnapped a few years back), her kidnapper believed God had told him to have multiple wives, so he took her a young girl (14) as a wife, by kidnapping her.

Answer 8

The Mormons in Utah believe in polygamy.

Answer 9

Of course, there are cultures today that still practice polygamy. There are even a select few that have practiced polyandry.

Answer 10

Yes,

there are many African tribes that believ in having children and that the husband will care for all children of his wife, not just his children.