History Main / LoveIsACrime

* It's considered taboo for [[HornyDevils succubi and incubi]] in ''ComicBook/FinePrint'' to feel or express love because it can become addictive to their kind. Even familial love is off-limits, preferring to show pride or respect.

[[folder:Music]]
* ''If Love Was Illegal'' by Music/DavidOlney.
* "Love Makes You Crazy" by Mike Batt.
* "Liebe wird verboten" by Peter Maffay.

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* According to one Christian legend, in 3rd century Rome, an emperor by the name of Claudius issued a decree to his soldiers that they were forbidden to marry. A guy named Valentine defied this decree and issued marriages to the soldiers in secret. Claudius found out, was furious, and had Valentine beheaded. Thus, one theory on how the legend of Valentine's Day was born.
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* In the FreeLoveFuture of ''BraveNewWorld'', not just monogamy but feeling too strongly attached to someone is highly frowned upon and considered backwards and unnatural, if not outright illegal (Lenina's friend encouraging her to be "more promiscuous" to avoid trouble could very well mean "be more promiscuous so you're not suspected of breaking the law").

Should the love banned be physical, then it's NoSexAllowed, or at least NoHeterosexualSexAllowed to [[PopulationControl keep the population down]] or because HetIsEw.

The penalization of romance stems from the idea that ThePowerOfLove either [[LoveMakesYouEvil Makes You Evil]], [[LoveMakesYouCrazy Crazy]], [[LoveMakesYouUncreative Uncreative]] or just plain [[LoveMakesYouDumb Dumb]]. Love just seems like [[TheEvilsOfFreeWill a bad idea]], so what better way to better the human condition than just banning love all together?

* In ''Theatre/OnceUponAMattress'', Queen Aggravaine passes a law banning her subjects from marrying until [[spoiler:after her son is married, in hopes that her subjects will inspired to find a suitable princess]]. Since the women of the kingdom aren't interested in being wooed unless there's a hope of getting married, the marriage ban effectively serves as a ban on courtly love as well.

* Some very extremist totalitarian regimes took control of everything, including who can marry, how and when, and repress sexuality, cases like China during Mao's Cultural Revolution, Pol Pot's Cambodia and to a lesser extent Stalin's USSR.

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Should the love banned be physical, then it's NoSexAllowed, or at least NoHeterosexualSexAllowed to [[PopulationControl keep the population down]].

* In ''VisualNovel/SteamPrison'', the population of the Heights is strictly controlled by the government, which arranges all marriages as part of this system. As a result, romance or sex with anyone other than one's designated spouse is a crime that can get you sent to the Depths. This is how Rielith ended up in the sanctuary district, and why [[spoiler:poor Fin]] can't admit his feelings for Cyrus until it's far too late.

->''Because love... is dangerous. It weakens... it rots... it destroys order, and without order, what is left? CHAOS!''
-->-- The Bog King, ''WesternAnimation/StrangeMagic''

* According to one Christian legend, in 3rd century Rome, an emperor by the name of Claudius issued a decree to his soldiers that they are forbidden to marry. A guy named Valentine defied this decree and issued marriages to the soldiers in secret. Claudius found out, was furious, and had Valentine beheaded. Thus, one theory on how the legend of Valentine's Day was born.

* According to one Christian legend, in 3rd century Rome, an emperor by the name of Claudius issued a decree to his soldiers that they are forbidden to marry. A guy named Valentine defied that and issued marriages to the soldiers in secret. Claudius found out, was furious, and cost Valentine his head. Thus, one theory on how the legend of Valentines Day was born.

This is [[FascistButInefficient a strange, if-not impossible law to regulate and enforce]] [[ArtisticLicenseLaw in real life]], so those that enforce it are [[TotalitarianUtilitarian foolishly idealistic at best]], [[DystopianEdict unreasonable and tyrannical at worst]], inspiring various [[YourTerroristsAreOurFreedomFighters rebellions]] of various shapes and sizes in the process. The EvilOverlord behind it could have a variety of reasons for doing so. They could have had a personal experience with failed love, thinking that if they can't have love, then no one can, or maybe they feel that they are committing a service to other and preventing heart-break. If completely eradicated from society, people could ask "WhatIsThisThingYouCallLove"

* Both physical and emotional love are forbidden in ''[[NineteenEightyFour 1984]]'' because the only acceptable attachment is devotion to Big Brother.

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* Some very extremist totalitarian regimes took control of everything, including who can marry, how and when, and repress sexuality, cases like China during Mao's Cultural Revolution, Pol Pot's Cambodia and to a lesser extent Stalin's USSR.

* The state of Libria in ''Film/{{Equilibrium}}'' criminalizes love alongside all other emotions, and [[GovernmentEnforcedDrug legally requires the population to take emotion-suppressing drugs]]. It is strongly implied, however, that even drugs cannot fully eradicate human capacity for love, since even John Preston, who dutifully took them all his life, displayed behavior consistent with emotional reaction when the state took his wife away from him.

Should the love banned be physical, than NoSexAllowed, or at least NoHeterosexualSexAllowed to [[PopulationControl keep the population down]].

* ''If Love Was Illegal'' by Music/DavidOlney

* The state of Libra in ''Film/{{Equilibrium}}'' criminalizes love alongside all other emotions, and legally requires the population to take emotion-suppressing drugs. It is strongly implied, however, that even drugs cannot fully eradicate human capacity for love, since even John Preston, who dutifully took them all his life, displayed behavior consistent with emotional reaction when the state took his wife away from him.

* The Peacekeepers in ''Series/{{Farscape}}'' are totalitarian CommieNazis, and a totally military society who use TheSpartanWay for upbringing. While non-procreative sex is accepted as a form of physical recreation, love is absolutly banned. When one female character was discovered to have fallen in love with a man and conceived a child by him without eugenic selection, she was forced to choose between [[SadisticChoice killing her lover or child]].