In polygamous societies, does every male have multiple wives?
‘Not necessarily. In polygamous societies, most men are monogamous and only a fraction of the marriages are polygamous. This is due in part to the fact that in most human societies there are roughly as many women as men, which makes it impossible for every man to have multiple wives. In many polygamous societies, the number of wives is an indicator of a man’s household productivity, prestige, and social position. More wives means more productivity, which leads to greater wealth. This wealth can be used to marry more women, which in turn further increases productivity. In other instances, men are polygamous because they have inherited a widow from a brother.
