Polygyny in South Africa

Under apartheid in the 1970s and 80s, sororal polygyny increased the reproductive success of women who participated. Women who entered and allowed polygynous marriage explained its advantages as help from other adult women with child-rearing; sharing workload; increasing the freedom of individual wives; companionship, and economic gain. Polygyny continues in South Africa today despite the universal promulgation of the ideology of Christianity and of jealous and romantic love, replacing the former ideology of cooperation and female solidarity. Reasons currently given by participants are now usually qualified by listing the disadvantages as well; such reasons include companionship, a lack of men worth marrying, to increase the production of children, and the traditional belief that wealthy men should share their wealth widely among other families.