Kadyrov proposes polygamy for Chechnya
Today in male privilege...
Polygamy proposal for Chechen men
Chechnya has lost so many men to war that survivors should be legally allowed to take several wives, acting Prime Minister Ramzan Kadyrov has said.
Speaking on Russian radio, the pro-Moscow leader said this was "necessary for Chechnya because we have war - we have more women than men".
He was backed by Russian parliamentary deputy speaker Vladimir Zhirinovsky. [BBC]
It should be noted that women only outnumber men by 10% in Chechnya.
I hope one of the Jonah Goldbergs in college right now pick up on this and try running with it at Bob Jones or someplace similar. College rates are usually around 10% favoring women, too.
Posted by: Tim | January 13, 2006 at 02:52 PM
How long before we have a mandatory 4 baby policy so that Muslim countries do not out-populate us?
The ad campaigns are being worked on now: FIGHT TERRORISM!!! HAVE BABIES FOR BUSH!
Posted by: will | January 13, 2006 at 02:55 PM
I Russia after WWII the ratio was in the neighborhood of 3/5 men/women (In the age group containing combat-eligible men). Frankly I'm surprised that Stalin didn't propose something like this.
Posted by: togolosh | January 13, 2006 at 02:57 PM
The main problem I have with laws allowing polygamy is that they tend not to be balanced by laws allowing polyandry -- ganders, geese, sauce (or is it sauciness?) and all that good stuff...
On the other hand, who needs laws _allowing_ anything? What is needed is the repeal of laws that dis-allow all sorts of things.
Posted by: Bob Koepp | January 13, 2006 at 03:25 PM
And what would Kadyrov suggest for China where there are approximately 3 men to 1 woman? A harem system for les girls?
Posted by: ghostcatbce | January 13, 2006 at 03:48 PM
If a jurisdiction wants to allow everyone to have multiple spouses, that's just fine. I just don't approve of legal polygamy without legal polyandry.
Posted by: Lindsay Beyerstein | January 13, 2006 at 03:50 PM
Zhirinovsky? The anti-Semitic nutbar who wants to re-conquer all the former Soviet territory, threatened to nuke Japan and praises Adolf Hitler?
Damn. What a perfect litmus test- if that freak supports a bill, you can pretty much take it for granted that whatever it is is both vile and stupid.
As for the need for laws to allow specific things, different societies have different traditions regarding the default position in the absence of a law. I remember reading about an American jurist who, after studying Eurpoean legal systems, summed them up like this:
In Germany, under the law, everything is prohibited except that which is permitted.
In France, everything is permitted except that which is prohibited.
In the Soviet Union, everything is prohibited, including that which is permitted,
and in Italy, everything is permitted, especially that which is prohibited.
Posted by: Ktesibios | January 13, 2006 at 04:01 PM
Somewhat related news, subject-matter-wise.
Posted by: Eli | January 13, 2006 at 04:26 PM
"I Russia after WWII the ratio was in the neighborhood of 3/5 men/women (In the age group containing combat-eligible men). Frankly I'm surprised that Stalin didn't propose something like this."
When I was in Russia, I heard it said that the low male/female ratio post-WW2 was the reason why Russian men treat their wives so badly - there was always the widow down the street if their wife called them on their assholeness.
"Zhirinovsky? The anti-Semitic nutbar who wants to re-conquer all the former Soviet territory, threatened to nuke Japan and praises Adolf Hitler?"
Thought he was after more than just the Soviet territory - that he wanted Alaska back and a good chunk of California north of the Golden Gate.
Posted by: Urinated State of America | January 13, 2006 at 04:32 PM
If a jurisdiction wants to allow everyone to have multiple spouses, that's just fine. I just don't approve of legal polygamy without legal polyandry.
Technically the term polygamy includes polynadry, although in practice, polygamy is restricted to polygyny and that's total Patriarchal bullshit.
And what would Kadyrov suggest for China where there are approximately 3 men to 1 woman? A harem system for les girls?
How about sending those man-less Chechnyan women to China or India for husbands, if the Russians are so worried about mate-less women?
Posted by: Nancy | January 13, 2006 at 04:49 PM
Alternatively, legalize marriage among women, try to force gay Chechen men into the closet so that they'll marry wives as is needed for gender balance issues, while encouraging both lesbian and at least somewhat bisexual Chechen women to keep their hands off Chechen men and marry each other.
Posted by: Julian Elson | January 13, 2006 at 06:33 PM
I don't know if I would call multiple wives a privilege :-)
Posted by: Mathias | January 14, 2006 at 02:51 PM
College rates are usually around 10% favoring women, too.
Posted by: Tim | January 13, 2006 at 02:52 PM
obviously you are not in an engineering school where boys are 70%+ Man, competition is tough.. :p
I should have applied to early childhood education or something...
heh...
Posted by: Squashed Lemon | January 15, 2006 at 11:06 AM
And what would Kadyrov suggest for China where there are approximately 3 men to 1 woman? A harem system for les girls?
3-to-1? Try 1.2-to-1.
Personally I would suggest for the country to battle the root cause of the shortage of males - i.e. war - but for some reason I don't think anyone's likely to try that.
Posted by: Alon Levy | January 17, 2006 at 02:00 AM
Chinese sex ratios according to the ever-so-reliable CIA:
at birth: 1.12 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.13 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.06 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.91 male(s)/female
total population: 1.06 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Posted by: Julian Elson | January 17, 2006 at 05:07 AM