Polygyny, Descent, And Local Fission: A Comparative Hypothesis

Abstract

By enabling us to predict with reasonable accuracy the presence or absence of polygyny, Goody’s latest statement on the topic (1976) represents a major step ahead although his model, like every other current one, fails to explain variations in the incidence and intensity of polygyny in polygynous societies. The Abutia Ewe, for instance, have a relatively low incidence of plural marriage (16%) and I am interested in accounting for this low incidence. After having tried to elicit what type of matrimonial strategy Abutia polygyny represents, I conclude that this approach in terms of strategy cannot serve to generate any useful hypotheses to account for variations in the incidence of polygyny across societies. Turning then to a ‘macro-structural’ approach grounded in a new model of descent elaborated elsewhere (Verdon 1980b), I contrast the Abutia to the Anlo Ewe and to the Tallensi to elucidate some of the organizational factors which seem to affect the expression of polygyny.