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Until death do us part. Most people only make this appointment with one person at a time. It is the one with whom they take their wedding vows. But not everyone sticks to one person. Some people believe that a marriage does not have to be limited to themselves and one other person. They want to be in a relationship and married with several people at the same time.
People who are interested in relationships with multiple partners at the same time want a form of relationship known as polygamy. Curious about what polygamy exactly means, what different forms there are and what the options are in the Netherlands?
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What is polygamy?
Polygamy is a form of relationship in which you are married to multiple partners at the same time. A polygamous relationship may involve a man married to multiple wives, a woman married to multiple men, or a group of people married to each other. The relationship can take different forms, from informal arrangements that are not legally possible to legal marriages, depending on the laws and norms of a country or community. In some countries and cultures, polygamy is illegal and punishable.
Polygamy is prohibited by law in the Netherlands. But in some other countries it is an accepted form of relationship and is even seen as a status symbol. In countries where polygamy is not prohibited, there are often cultural or religious reasons why people choose this form of relationship. For example, in some parts of Africa and the Middle East it is very normal for a man to have multiple wives. In these cultures, polygamy is seen as a sign of prosperity and power.
In other parts of the world, polygamy is still a normal form of relationship, albeit often in secret or in informal relationships. For example, in some parts of the United States there are communities where multiple women are married to one man.
Although polygamy is prohibited in the Netherlands, there are people who are in a polygamous relationship. It does happen without official marriage certificates and often in informal relationships. However, it is important to realize that polygamy is not accepted in the Netherlands.
In this sense, polygamy is almost the opposite of monogamy , the situation in which you have only one partner and remain faithful to this person. Monogamy is most common in the Netherlands, polygamy almost not. However, polygamy was very common in the past and is still viewed that way in various parts of the world.
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Forms of polygamy
Polygamy is a type of relationship that can be divided into four forms. These are bigamy, polygyny, polyandry and group marriage. Each of these relationship types has its own characteristics and rules:
1. Polygyny
In polygyny, a man has multiple women as wives. This is the most common form of polygamy. In some cultures, having multiple wives is seen as a sign of status and power.
2. Polyandry
In polyandry, a woman has multiple men as husbands. This is less common than polygyny, especially in certain areas of Tibet and India.
3. Group marriage
In group marriage, several people are married to each other, creating a group of partners. This can be a combination of men and women and can range from a small group to a large community.
4. Bigamy
Bigamy is when someone is married to two other people. It does not matter what the gender of the people in this relationship is.
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Difference with polyamory
Polygamy and polyamory are both terms used to refer to the situation in which someone has multiple romantic and/or sexual partners. The terms are also very similar. But there are some important differences between the two.
Polygamy refers to multiple marriages or spouses at the same time. In most cases, this is associated with cultures where it is allowed or even customary to have multiple partners. Polyamory also involves having multiple romantic and/or sexual partners, but does not necessarily involve marriage.
The polyamorous relationship is also more on an equal basis. This means that all partners are aware of each other’s presence and consent to it voluntarily, which is not always the case with polygamy. In addition, polyamory is not prohibited by law in the Netherlands, while this is the case for polygamy.
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Polygamy in the Netherlands
Polygamy in any form is prohibited in the Netherlands. So it is not legal if you are already married and then tie the knot with someone else. This is not possible in the Netherlands. If you do manage to do this, you can risk a prison sentence of up to 4 years, which can increase to a maximum of 6 years if your partner is not informed. It is also a criminal offense if you marry someone while you know that he or she is already married to someone else.
The reason why it is punishable? This has to do with the fact that many polygamous marriages occur under duress. For example, many women are trapped in a marriage that was performed under duress, according to the Femmes for Freedom Foundation. This foundation labels polygamy as a form of ‘marital captivity’.
The last count of the number of polygamous marriages in the Netherlands took place in 2009. It has been some years, but these latest figures show that there are 1374 polygamous marriages according to the municipal personal administration. However, this only shows registered polygamous marriages, not all religious marriages. In practice, many illegal marriages occur where marriage is only for faith.
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The alternative
It only occurs in small numbers, but there are people in polygamous relationships who want to make this official somehow. Since it is not possible to marry each other, they have looked for other options. A kind of solution for voluntary polygamous relationships is the cohabitation contract. You may not be married to more than one person at the same time, although you can enter into a cohabitation contract with several people.
History of polygamy
Long ago, polygamy was not seen as a strange or unusual form of relationship, but rather as a normal way to structure a family. It was widespread in various cultures around the world. Even today, you can still find references to polygamy in sacred texts such as the Koran and the Bible.
Throughout human history, there have been several reasons for entering into a polygamous relationship. For example, some men had multiple wives to demonstrate their wealth and power. In some cases it was a way for women to obtain financial and social security. Furthermore, in some cultures polygamy was a way to promote population growth.
Although polygamy is prohibited by law in many countries, it is still permitted in some parts of the world, especially in Muslim countries. According to Islamic rules, a man may have a maximum of four wives, but he must meet certain conditions. For example, he must be able to care for all women and all women must give permission for the relationship.
Although most forms of polygamy are no longer accepted in Western countries, it is interesting to realize that it was once a common form of relationship throughout human history. If it were possible in the U.S., would you be open to it?
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