Polygamy

            In Kazakhstan, the issue of legalizing polygamy is periodically raised.

            This topic is not accidental. The fact remains that there are more women than men. This means that many women do not find a soul mate and are forced to remain alone, and thus unhappy.

            Those who decide to associate their lives with a married man fall into an unenviable legal position: officially she cannot be considered his wife, she and her children do not have the right to inheritance, etc. All this because our legislation explicitly states that a person cannot marry, if he is already married.

            I believe that the institution of polygamy should be legalized in Kazakhstan. But under some conditions.

            Firstly, the full consent of all participants in the relationship, that is, the husband, the first wife (wives) and the new wife. Everyone must know about each other and be in agreement on such a relationship.

            Secondly, in order to ensure equality of the sexes, it is necessary to simultaneously allow polydomism, that is, women, on a par with men, should have the right to have several spouses. Such cases in Kazakhstan will be extremely rare, but this opportunity must be provided in principle.

            I foresee the criticism of polygamy from lots of Kazakhstanis.

            I am going to respond to their most common arguments straight away.

           They say that polygamy will lead to the disintegration of families. I do not agree. If the second wife is brought into the house with the full consent of the first wife (wives), then this will not lead to any disintegration of the family. If there’s no consent – there is no tokal.

           If the first wives are afraid of losing their husbands, then it is silly to keep them by the lawful prohibition. The family will be destroyed not by the legalization of polygamy, but by the lack of love and mutual understanding.

          Many will say, why legalize what actually already exists. In Kazakhstan, there are already families with actual polygamy. This argument, on the contrary, confirms my correctness. If in fact it already exists, then what are we afraid of? By legalizing the second marriage, we will only give confidence in the future to the tokal and her children.

         I read one more argument on the Internet: the old men in the Parliament want to legalize their tokals in this way. So what?! What, now in their despite we should go against reasonable things? Let them get pleasure from it. If at the same time the whole society benefits, then why not, for God’s sake! It is necessary to rejoice at this coincidence of interests. I want to remind you that from the legalization of polygamy, it’s not the man who will benefit, but tokal and her children.

          It is said that polygamy casts our state back in the Middle Ages. By no means. Any society develops and at certain stages of development there can be different types of relations in this or that sphere. I believe that, on the contrary, we will move forward, as we will give more freedom of choice to people.

          Some believe that polygamy is a sign of the Islamization of our society. I do not agree. Personally, I, as an atheist, do not associate my call for the legalization of polygamy with Islam. For me, the citizen’s right to choose, his freedom is more important.

           I heard another argument: okay, Islam allows you to have up to four wives, but we have a multi-confessional state. What should Christians, Catholics, etc. do?

           I think this question is absurd. Permission is not an obligation. If you do not want to have several wives, just do not have them. But why should anyone forbid it?

           P.S. I myself do not intend to have a tokal, but I consider it a holy cause to grant such a right to those who want and can.