Why did the West embrace strict monogamy when most societies throughout history allowed polygamy? Drawing on evidence from ancient Greece, Rome, and early Christianity, Kierstead argues that monogamy helped suppress elite dominance, reduce male violence, and enable the development of democracy and liberalism. But with polyamory gaining popularity among Western elites, are we at risk of undermining one of the key foundations of our civilisation? This is a narrated version of "Monogamy and the Making of Western Civilisation," written by Dr James Kierstead for Quillette: https://quillette.com/2025/02/26/mono... .