What is it about?
Many people believe that when some men marry multiple wives—a practice called polygamy or polygyny—many other men are left unable to marry. This idea shapes influential theories in political science about civil war and social instability, as well as evolutionary theories about where monogamy comes from. Our study tests this assumption using data from over 80 million people across 30 countries in Africa, Asia, and Oceania, as well as historical data from the United States. We find no clear evidence that polygyny leaves many men unmarried. In fact, men in communities with high rates of polygamy are often more likely to be married. These results challenge long-standing and influential beliefs.
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This page is a summary of: High rates of polygyny do not lock large proportions of men out of the marriage market, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, October 2025, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences,
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2508091122.
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