Monopoly, like socialism, wants to take your money

.

Monopoly, sort of like a socialist society, wants your money.

The Hasbro game now has a socialism edition, and for people who can laugh at its tongue-in-cheek tagline, “winning is for capitalists,” it could be a great addition to board game night.

Be warned, though, that if you do choose to enlighten your guests about the potential perils of socialism, including universal healthcare and no-tip vegan restaurants, you might not want to invite this guy.

Author and historian Nick Kapur posted a 21-tweet-long thread about Monopoly Socialism on Wednesday, writing that the game is “mean-spirited and woefully ill-informed.”


He’s offended that the tokens are all throwbacks to the 1950s, the cards poke fun at dairy-free coffee shops and minimum wage increases, and you only collect $50 when you pass go.

But the game isn’t making fun of voting or environmentalism, just wokeness and a deficient economic system. It’s like socialism with an understanding of human nature thrown in. According to the game’s description, you can “Contribute to the Community Fund…unless you choose deplete it. Consider the best interest of the group…unless you want to forget that and just do what you need to do.”

It’s only not funny if you don’t understand the history of socialism, which apparently some people don’t. “Get ready for laughs as the twists and turns of life put a damper on working toward a shared, utopian society. Cooperation isn’t always what it’s cracked up to be,” the game’s description reads.

This isn’t the first time Monopoly has made money off a lampoon. Last fall, it released Monopoly for Millennials, with the tagline, “Forget real estate. You can’t afford it anyway.” Some millennials, who had as much of a sense of humor as disgruntled socialism apologists, were not amused.

Fortunately, it’s just as easy to ignore Monopoly as it is to pick up a box at your local store. If it’s offensive to you, don’t play it. And if you find it humorous instead, you’re in good company.

Related Content

Related Content