Polygamy and Women as Property
This video suggested to me that women being considered the property of a man is rooted in the need for a man to have claim to her children as being his. If the woman is his property, then so too are her children.
The man needs to know which children he is responsible for: he should not have to invest time and energy providing for children who are not his.
When a woman is the PROPERTY of a given man, other men ought not have sex (babies) with her. So: one man per woman (though that man may claim multiple women).
Women as the PROPERTY of a man is found in the practice of a woman taking her husband's name. The children also take the father's name. That common name being the father's name is a way of identifying which man is responsible for a given woman and children. And that, since they are the PROPERTY of that man, no other man may lay claim to them.
Many of these practices still exist into modern day: wives and children still take their husband's/father's name. Some cultures still allow polygamy. Though polygamy also provides for quicker population growth: one man can father many more children than one woman can. So one man with many women can father multiple children in one year, each through multiple women. That may leave some men without access to a woman to procreate with. Just like wild lions: one male with a pride of females and their young. And males of various species competing with other males for the right to mate with a given female. The best male/man wins, thus passing on the best genes, the most wealth, to the next generation and, in turn, improving the species/culture. But, also, if more men die in battle, the excess women can be claimed by fewer men. Again, polygamy serves a practical purpose: to assure that no women goes unprotected.
The man needs to know which children he is responsible for: he should not have to invest time and energy providing for children who are not his.
When a woman is the PROPERTY of a given man, other men ought not have sex (babies) with her. So: one man per woman (though that man may claim multiple women).
Women as the PROPERTY of a man is found in the practice of a woman taking her husband's name. The children also take the father's name. That common name being the father's name is a way of identifying which man is responsible for a given woman and children. And that, since they are the PROPERTY of that man, no other man may lay claim to them.
Many of these practices still exist into modern day: wives and children still take their husband's/father's name. Some cultures still allow polygamy. Though polygamy also provides for quicker population growth: one man can father many more children than one woman can. So one man with many women can father multiple children in one year, each through multiple women. That may leave some men without access to a woman to procreate with. Just like wild lions: one male with a pride of females and their young. And males of various species competing with other males for the right to mate with a given female. The best male/man wins, thus passing on the best genes, the most wealth, to the next generation and, in turn, improving the species/culture. But, also, if more men die in battle, the excess women can be claimed by fewer men. Again, polygamy serves a practical purpose: to assure that no women goes unprotected.
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OK, this does not have much to do with religion - not directly. However, many religions do dictate the relationship between male and female, stipulate rules about who can and cannot have sex with each other, and are concerned with paternity issues. Marriage rites are often dictated by religion and is sealed by a religiously binding legal document. Some religions allow for polygamy, others prohibit it. Many religions prohibit divorce or make it very difficult. Adultery is a religious prohibition...
All of this may suggest that, when it comes to these family issues, religion is used to support the cultural/social values of a culture.
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