The Surprising History Behind Monopoly

The Surprising History Behind Monopoly Intro Did you know that Monopoly, a game that basically celebrates unfettered capitalism, was originally designed to throw shade at the system? Meet Elizabeth Magie, the woman who invented Monopoly. Now meet Charles Darrow, the man who got all the credit and royalties for the game. We'll come back to him. But for now, let's rewind to the late 19th century. The Gilded Age Magie, a feminist and staunch anti-capitalist, grew up in an era known as the Gilded Age, a time of robber barons and monopolies on railroads, steel, oil and other industries. Laissez-faire capitalism was in its heyday, and the rich were only getting richer. Magie was inspired by the writings of Henry George, a land reformer and political economist who believed that wealthy landowners were unfairly profiting off the rent and labor of others. George's solution: a single tax on land that would replace all other taxes and ultimately lead to a fairer economy. Fast-forward to 1903, when Magie wanted to popularize Henry George's progressive ideas. The Landlords Game She invented and patented a board game, designed to educate the public about Henry George's progressive ideas. It was called the Landlord's Game. The Landlord's Game had two sets of rules that players could choose from. The first was anti-monopolist, where all players gained money each time someone got a new property. The goal was to show how a public tax on land meant that everyone could benefit. The second set of rules was monopolist, or winner takes all. Individual players could get ahead by buying up properties and collecting rent from unlucky players who happened to land there. Whoever built the most wealth and bankrupted the other players would win the game. Magie's mission was educational. She wanted to show how American capitalism was a race to the bottom, a flawed system that thrived on the ever-deepening divide between rich and poor. But only one part of the game, the version where monopolies were created and competitors were crushed, began to spread quickly. The game wasn't sold in a box. It was passed from friend to friend. And as it did, people began referring to it as "the monopoly game." During the Depression, the game's popularity only grew. People had few resources to spend, and the game offered a fun and affordable escape, one in which you could play with money you didn't have. The Parker Brothers Enter Charles Darrow, an ambitious and unemployed heater contractor from Philadelphia. After playing the game at a dinner party in 1932, Darrow created his own version and then sold the rights to the Parker Brothers in 1935. The company would go on to buy out Magie's patent for the Landlord's Game, and thus monopolizing the territory of the new game. The game, which appropriately rewards land grabbing and greed, became a massive success. Now more than 80 years old, Monopoly has grown to be one of the bestselling board games in modern history and has been translated into 47 languages. With Parker Brothers writing Magie out of Monopoly's origin story, Darrow became a millionaire and received royalties throughout his life. Elizabeth Magie, on the other hand, received a total of $500 for her patent and two other games she invented. So next time you buy Illinois Avenue, pay rent on Park Place or even get stuck in jail, remember the woman behind Monopoly. And consider this: The game's original intent was to show the pitfalls of capitalism, not to celebrate it.