From Sir Edward Creasy’s discussion of Marathon in Fifteen Decisive Battles of the World:
It is also a striking fact that the governments of all the great Asiatic empires have in all ages been absolute despotisms. And Heeren is right in connecting this with another great fact, which is important from its influence on both the political and the social life of Asiatics. ‘Among all the considerable nations of Inner Asia, the paternal government of every household was corrupted by polygamy; where that custom exists, a good political constitution is impossible. Fathers being converted into domestic despots, are ready to pay the same abject obedience to their sovereign which they exact from their family and dependents in their domestic economy.’
This may prove to be significant, as given how the courts are intent on removing the last judicial restraints on state-approved homogamous and polygamous relationships, we can expect the government to move in an increasingly despotic direction.
It is only one factor, to be sure, and there are certainly some countervailing elements simultaneously at work, but I thought it was an interesting thought to consider.