The Feed

Here is an interesting exercise any group can put together to illustrate social inequality using the readily available Monopoly board-game. Read on for the rules — give it a try and let us know what you think and how it went!

Rules for Modified Family Monopoly

Introduction: Monopoly, the Parker Brothers’ Real Estate Trading Game was developed by an unemployed American named Charles B. Darrow and trademarked by Parker Brothers (1935). Published in 43 countries, most will have familiarity with the game. The objective of the traditional game is based on one primary rule to “…become the wealthiest player through buying, renting, and selling property.

The game begins and assumes equality on the social, political, and economic playing board of American life. Sociological research shows the country to be stratified along a number of dimensions including class. This version, originally constructed by Morten G. Ender, the Sociology Program Director in the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership at West Point, modifies the rules of Monopoly to more realistically represent the forms of social inequality that exist.

Monopoly represents a simulation of a significant feature of a capitalistic political economy and when played can help highlight the experiences of living in the Western world. However, one assumption of the rules of the game is that everyone begin equal–$1,800. This version of the game is called Modified Family Monopoly (MFM). This classroom version accounts for the socio-economic error and distributes income according to four different classes–upper, middle, working, and lower socio-economic to more robustly represent class distributions in the United States. Other rules are also stratified along class lines.

Family Roles: First, students must be “born.” Students must draw slips of paper from a hat containing the social-class families. The drawing is random with no replacement. Eight possible family arrangements representing the four different social classes are available. After all students have drawn a socio-economic class, they next get with their respective family members and adopt family roles. For example, if four students draw middle class family, then they must decide what type of family they will be: mother, father, and two children or two single parent mothers or four adult sisters, and so on. Ages must be identified for purposes of voting, described below. Family roles are static.

Beginning Salaries: Each family begins with the following amounts of money: 1) upper socio-economic class receives $2,000; 2) middle socio-economic class receives $1,500; 3) working socio-economic class receives $1,000; and 4) lower socio-economic class receives merely $500.

Taking Turns: Turns are taken in descending order, beginning with the upper socio-economic status (SES) family. Upper SES classes can move the number showing on the dice or plus or minus one. Middle SES classes can move the number showing on the dice or plus one. Working SES classes can move the number showing on the dice or minus one. Lower SES classes move only the number showing on the dice.

Buying Property: The lower SES can buy only the purple and the light blue properties; the working SES can buy lower SES and maroon and orange properties; the middle SES can buy lower and working SES properties, red and yellow properties, plus utilities and railroads; the upper SES can buy any properties it can afford. If an SES family lands on a property that is for sale but is ineligible or declines to purchase a property, the property is auctioned off to the highest bidding eligible SES families. Bidding runs in increments of $10.00.

Passing Go Salaries: Salaries are a major feature of Monopoly and they are obtained by passing “GO.” When a family passes GO, the lower SES receives $85; working SES receives $130, middle SES receives $150, and upper SES receives $200.

Taxes and Jail: Any family landing on the corner “Free Parking” spot must pay a flat tax fee of $200 each time. Similarly, when landing on “GO TO JAIL,” the lower SES must go directly to jail and remain there until doubles are rolled; the working SES must go directly to jail, but can pay $50 to get out on the next or any of the following turns or remain there until doubles are rolled; middle SES must go directly to jail and roll greater than 7 to be released or pay $50 on any following turn. Upon receiving instructions to “GO TO JAIL,” the upper SES immediately rolls the dice. If an even number turns up, they do not have to go to jail. If an odd number turns up, they go to jail but can roll again immediately. If the second roll is greater than 7, they are released; if less, they must remain until a number greater than 7 is rolled or pay $50 on any following turn.

The Lottery: A $50.00 lottery ticket can be purchased prior to a family’s turn. In order to double their money, they must roll a 12 on dice on their turn (an odds ratio of 1:36). The bank invests the initial $50.00 for the lottery.

Outside of the above specified rules, all other Monopoly game rules apply. The instructor is the bank. Finally, the breach of a rule by any player (voted on by referendum by all players playing rolls that are 18 years or older) sends a family to jail. Get out of jail rules then apply. Three violations constitute expulsion from play completely.