Ye Ji Park / 111053 / 6
Mr.Moon
English Composition
September 17 2011
Should the Government Legalize Polygamy?
Bellum omnium contra omnes, “the war of all against all”. This is a famous quotation of Thomas Hobbes, the social philosopher who suggested the concept of social contract. In his book Leviathan, Hobbes claimed that belligerent and militant human nature would give arise to “the war of all against all”. To prevent the social chaos provoked, humans forged social contract, by giving some of their authority to the government. Hobbes now is valued to possess too negative opinion toward human nature; still, his argument about the government’ role to prevent conflicts between social members is beyond question. Thus, if something is assumed to cause social disturbance, it is government’s role to illegalize it. Representative is polygamy; despite banning this unique way of love seems like invading human rights, it is unquestionable that legalizing polygamy results in numerous conflicts.
Actually, during past millenniums, polygamy had been practiced frequently all over the world. In Korea, for example, since Gojoseon—the first nation existed in the Korean Peninsula—having a concubine was perfectly legal. Characteristics of ancient agricultural society made polygamy as a natural common phenomenon; many wives mean many children, many children mean labor abundance in fields, labor abundance means wealth. Additionally, men from prestigious family married many women to continue on the family line.
And there was no one who resisted against polygamy. This was because people, especially women, the weak in polygamous family, took their assigned role (childbirth) for granted. In other words, women thought the only thing they could do is delivering a baby; they never imagined they could gain financial independence and enter the workforce. – Until the modernization. As the world went through the feminist movement, women recognized their ability was not limited to childbirth, and started to pioneer new life instead of living as a concubine of a man. Since then, polygamy started to cover up its traces slowly, and now except few countries including Tibet and some African nations, keeping an official concubine is regarded as ignoring women’s rights and receives negative public gaze.
Those who engage in polygamy marriage say that they voluntarily choose to be a concubine instead of female worker. However, prejudice toward polygamy is already stuck in people’s mind. No matter how strongly the women insist their free will, majority stares them scornfully. What is more, this scorn is directed also toward children who didn’t choose to born in polygamous family. Rena and Kathleen Mackert, children from polygamous group of Fundamentalist Churst of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS), witnessed they suffered from local residents’ glances and unfair treat such as less employment opportunities. Likewise, considering the social bias toward polygamy, there is no doubt in outbreak of social conflicts between majority and polygamy family.
Polygamy also brings out serious family conflicts, too. Two women fighting over the husband’s favor is a common scandal in history; Sukjong, the nineteenth king of Chosun Dynasty, is a well-known example. Sukjong, who did not have baby in his relationship with Queen Inhyeon, married the royal concubine Jang. As soon as Jang gave birth to a child, she persuaded Sukjong to expel Queen Inhyeon. However, as Sukjong called Queen back into the palace few years later, Jang cursed Inhyeon spiritually and prayed for her death. Likewise, even in the past when keeping concubines were considered normal, women’s competitions to monopolize husband’s love existed. Such human nature is the same in the present; to give an actual instance, Carolyn Jessop, the polygamy survivor, witnessed there was “tremendous: competition between the wives to get the most favor with her husband in the interview with TIME. Disputes between wives result into rivalry between their children, and the family relationship would be very unstable. Considering these, legalizing polygamy will be condoning hostile conflicts between family members.
It is obvious that polygamy can be another way of expressing love, and to love is one of the most basic human rights. However, considering numerous public and family conflicts the legalization of polygamy would bring – such as contemptuous glances from the society, or jealousy between family members – the government should put their duty to prevent conflicts above insuring polygamous family’s way of loving.
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