The Influence Of Polygamy

In 1862 Morrill Act was passed by congress in an attempt to keep polygamy from altering or hindering the very fabric of American Democracy (Abrams, 2015). That act was put in place because Mormons and Chinese immigrant had a different view that was hostile to the growing democracy and federalism implied by congress that perpetuated certain family norms not to be polygamous (Abrams, 2015). In September 24, 1890, the Church of Latter Day Saints bowed to the government and withdrew from the polygamous practices, but evidence shows that they are still active to this day (Berkowitz, 2007). Since Mormons and practitioners of polygamy had to go underground, widespread sexual abuse of minors and women, and welfare fraud become increasingly hard to catch (Kincaid, 2003). Some twenty-thousand to sixty-thousand people practice polygamy in the United States (Kindcaid, 2003). With so many people hidden in secrecy the courts need a different way to approach polygamy. …show more content…
This paper will investigate the claims against polygamy, and argue that polygamy should be legalized in order to prevent abuse from secrecy, welfare fraud, and give the right to families to decide on their structure in the United