Difference between revisions of "Group marriage" - New World Encyclopedia

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'''Group marriage''' or '''Circle Marriage''' is a form of [[polygamy|polygamous]] [[marriage]] in which more than one man and more than one woman form a [[family]] unit, and all members of the marriage share [[parent]]al responsibility for any children arising from the marriage.{{ref|murdock-1949-definition}} Group marriage is occasionally called '''polygynandry''', from a combination of the words [[polygyny]] and [[polyandry]].
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'''Group marriage''' or '''Circle Marriage''' is a form of [[polygamy|polygamous]] [[marriage]] in which more than one man and more than one woman form a [[family]] unit, and all members of the marriage share [[parent]]al responsibility for any children arising from the marriage.{{ref|murdock-1949-definition}}
  
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Group marriage is judged by some experts to be rare in traditional societies. Others find this judgement to be unwarranted, since the modern understanding of such societies is less than perfect. Many traditional societies have been nearly or totally destroyed by [[colonization]] and other forces. Among the cultures listed in [[George Murdock]]'s ''[[Ethnographic Atlas]]'', the [[Caingang]] people of [[Brazil]] practiced group marriage most frequentally as a socially accepted form of marriage, and even among them, only 8% of unions were group marriage.{{ref|murdock-1949-caingang}}
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'''Line Marriage''' is a form of ''group marriage'' in which the family unit continues to add new spouses of both sexes over time so that the marriage does not end.
  
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Group marriage occasionally occurred in [[commune (intentional community)|communal]] societies founded in the 19th and 20th centuries.  An exceptionally long-lived example was the [[Oneida Community]] founded by the [[Congregationalist]] minister [[John Humphrey Noyes]] in 1848.  Noyes taught that he and his followers had undergone [[sanctification]]; that is, it was impossible for them to [[sin]], and that for the sanctified, marriage (along with private property) was abolished as an expression of jealousy and exclusiveness.  The Oneida commune practiced sexual communalism and shared parental responsibilities, and in effect functioned as a large group marriage until sometime in the period 1879-1881. [[Kerista]] Commune practiced group marriage in San Francisco from 1971 to 1991.
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Group marriage is occasionally called ''polygynandry'', from a combination of the words [[polygyny]] and [[polyandry]].
  
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Group marriage has been a theme in some works of [[science fiction]] — especially the later [[novel]]s of [[Robert A. Heinlein]], such as ''[[Stranger in a Strange Land]]'' and ''[[The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress]]''.  Both of these books describe a ''line marriage'' (see below).  Interest in, and practice of, [[poly relationships]] is well-known in modern [[science fiction fandom]].
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==Traditional Cultures==
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'''Group marriage''' is judged by some experts to be rare in traditional societies. Others find this judgement to be unwarranted, since the modern understanding of such societies is less than perfect. Many traditional societies have been nearly or totally destroyed by [[colonization]] and other forces. Among the cultures listed in [[George Murdock]]'s ''[[Ethnographic Atlas]]'', the [[Caingang]] people of [[Brazil]] practiced group marriage most frequentally as a socially accepted form of marriage, and even among them, only 8% of unions were group marriage.{{ref|murdock-1949-caingang}}
  
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It is difficult to estimate the number of people who actually practice group marriage in modern societies, as this form of marriage is not officially recognized in any jurisdiction, and illegal in many; however, it seems likely that its practice is limited to relatively small numbers of people. However, with the legalization of [[Same-sex marriage]] in some parts of the [[United States]] and [[Canada]], some members of the [[polyamory]] movement are talking about a reform movement to allow group marriage.
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==Modern Culture==
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Group marriage occasionally occurred in [[commune (intentional community)|communal]] societies founded in the 19th and 20th centuries. An exceptionally long-lived example was the [[Oneida Community]] founded by the [[Congregationalist]] minister [[John Humphrey Noyes]] in 1848.  Noyes taught that he and his followers had undergone [[sanctification]]; that is, it was impossible for them to [[sin]], and that for the sanctified, marriage (along with private property) was abolished as an expression of jealousy and exclusiveness. The Oneida commune practiced sexual communalism and shared parental responsibilities, and in effect functioned as a large group marriage until sometime in the period 1879-1881.
  
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==Variations in Group Marriage==
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The [[Kerista|Kerista Commune]] practiced group marriage in San Francisco from 1971 to 1991.
  
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'''Line Marriage''' is a form of ''group marriage'' in which the family unit continues to add new spouses of both sexes over time so that the marriage does not end. [[Robert A. Heinlein]] described line families in detail in ''[[The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress]]'' and may be the format of Valentine Michael Smith's family in the latter parts of ''[[Stranger in a Strange Land]]''.  Heinlein's characters argue that the line family creates economic continuity and parental stability in an unpredictable, dangerous environment. In the ''Mistress'', Manuel's line marriage is said to be over one hundred years old. The family is portrayed as being economically comfortable because the improvements and investments made by previous spouses compounded, rather than being lost between generations.  Heinlein also makes a point of telling the reader that this family is racially diverse.
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It is difficult to estimate the number of people who actually practice group marriage in modern societies, as this form of marriage is not officially recognized in any jurisdiction, and illegal in many; however, it seems likely that its practice is limited to relatively small numbers of people. With the legalization of [[Same-sex marriage]] in [[Canada]] and some parts of the [[United States]], some members of the [[polyamory]] movement are talking about a reform movement to also allow group marriage. {{Verify source}}
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==Group Marriage in Fiction==
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Interest in, and practice of [[Forms of nonmonogamy|nonmonogamy]] is well-known in modern [[science fiction fandom]]. Group marriage has been a theme in some works of [[science fiction]] — especially the later [[novel]]s of [[Robert A. Heinlein]], such as ''[[Stranger in a Strange Land]]'' and ''[[The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress]]''.  ''[[The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress|MiaHM]]'' describes a '''line marriage'''; the relationship in ''[[Stranger in a Strange Land|Stranger]]''  is a communal group, much like the [[Oneida Colony]].
 +
 
 +
[[Robert A. Heinlein]] described line families in detail in ''[[The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress]]''.  Heinlein's characters argue that the line family creates economic continuity and parental stability in an unpredictable, dangerous environment. In ''Mistress'', Manuel's line marriage is said to be over one hundred years old. The family is portrayed as being economically comfortable because the improvements and investments made by previous spouses compounded, rather than being lost between generations.  Heinlein also makes a point of telling the reader that this family is racially diverse.
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Line marriage is also commonly practiced in [[Joe Haldeman]]'s 1981 novel, '''Worlds'''. Haldeman describes how individual families joined forces, both in bed and on paper, in order to avoid inheritance taxes. Many of these consensual corporations were made up of three-mate marriages called triunes.
  
 
==References==
 
==References==
 
* [http://eclectic.ss.uci.edu/~drwhite/worldcul/Codebook4EthnoAtlas.pdf Ethnographic Atlas Codebook], derived from George P. Murdock’s ''Ethnographic Atlas''.
 
* [http://eclectic.ss.uci.edu/~drwhite/worldcul/Codebook4EthnoAtlas.pdf Ethnographic Atlas Codebook], derived from George P. Murdock’s ''Ethnographic Atlas''.
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* Emens, Elizabeth F. 2004. "Monogamy's Law: Compulsory Monogamy and Polyamorous Existence" in ''New York University Review of Law & Social Change'' Volume 29, Issue 2, Page 277.
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* {{cite journal
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* Murdock, George Peter. 1949. ''Social Structure'' New York, NY: The MacMillan Company. ISBN 0029222907
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| author=Emens, Elizabeth F.
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| title=Monogamy's Law: Compulsory Monogamy and Polyamorous Existence
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| journal=New York University Review of Law & Social Change
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| volume = 29
 +
| issue = 2
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| year=2004
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|pages=277
 +
}}
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* {{cite book
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| last = Murdock
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| first = George Peter
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| authorlink = George Murdock
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| title = Social Structure
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| location=  New York | publisher=The MacMillan Company
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| year =  1949
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| id = ISBN 0029222907
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}}
  
 
==Footnotes==
 
==Footnotes==
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{{Credit1|Group_marriage|32946022|}}
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{{Credit1|Group_marriage|75869107|}}

Revision as of 15:58, 26 September 2006


Group marriage or Circle Marriage is a form of polygamous marriage in which more than one man and more than one woman form a family unit, and all members of the marriage share parental responsibility for any children arising from the marriage.[1]

Line Marriage is a form of group marriage in which the family unit continues to add new spouses of both sexes over time so that the marriage does not end.

Group marriage is occasionally called polygynandry, from a combination of the words polygyny and polyandry.

Traditional Cultures

Group marriage is judged by some experts to be rare in traditional societies. Others find this judgement to be unwarranted, since the modern understanding of such societies is less than perfect. Many traditional societies have been nearly or totally destroyed by colonization and other forces. Among the cultures listed in George Murdock's Ethnographic Atlas, the Caingang people of Brazil practiced group marriage most frequentally as a socially accepted form of marriage, and even among them, only 8% of unions were group marriage.[2]

Modern Culture

Group marriage occasionally occurred in communal societies founded in the 19th and 20th centuries. An exceptionally long-lived example was the Oneida Community founded by the Congregationalist minister John Humphrey Noyes in 1848. Noyes taught that he and his followers had undergone sanctification; that is, it was impossible for them to sin, and that for the sanctified, marriage (along with private property) was abolished as an expression of jealousy and exclusiveness. The Oneida commune practiced sexual communalism and shared parental responsibilities, and in effect functioned as a large group marriage until sometime in the period 1879-1881.

The Kerista Commune practiced group marriage in San Francisco from 1971 to 1991.

It is difficult to estimate the number of people who actually practice group marriage in modern societies, as this form of marriage is not officially recognized in any jurisdiction, and illegal in many; however, it seems likely that its practice is limited to relatively small numbers of people. With the legalization of Same-sex marriage in Canada and some parts of the United States, some members of the polyamory movement are talking about a reform movement to also allow group marriage. [verification needed]

Group Marriage in Fiction

Interest in, and practice of nonmonogamy is well-known in modern science fiction fandom. Group marriage has been a theme in some works of science fiction — especially the later novels of Robert A. Heinlein, such as Stranger in a Strange Land and The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress. MiaHM describes a line marriage; the relationship in Stranger is a communal group, much like the Oneida Colony.

Robert A. Heinlein described line families in detail in The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress. Heinlein's characters argue that the line family creates economic continuity and parental stability in an unpredictable, dangerous environment. In Mistress, Manuel's line marriage is said to be over one hundred years old. The family is portrayed as being economically comfortable because the improvements and investments made by previous spouses compounded, rather than being lost between generations. Heinlein also makes a point of telling the reader that this family is racially diverse.

Line marriage is also commonly practiced in Joe Haldeman's 1981 novel, Worlds. Haldeman describes how individual families joined forces, both in bed and on paper, in order to avoid inheritance taxes. Many of these consensual corporations were made up of three-mate marriages called triunes.

References
ISBN links support NWE through referral fees

  • Ethnographic Atlas Codebook, derived from George P. Murdock’s Ethnographic Atlas.
  • Emens, Elizabeth F. (2004). Monogamy's Law: Compulsory Monogamy and Polyamorous Existence. New York University Review of Law & Social Change 29 (2): 277.
  • Murdock, George Peter (1949). Social Structure. New York: The MacMillan Company. ISBN 0029222907. 

Footnotes

  1. ^ , Murdock, 1949, p. 24.
    group marriage or a marital union embracing at once several men and several women.
  2. ^ , Murdock, 1949, p. 24.


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