Econ
BX06332
March 5, 2013
POLI 387
A Monopoly, Not a Democracy
The board game Monopoly has been a source of entertainment for many years and millions of people have played it. It is even distributed in several countries, and in several languages. When one analyzes the game Monopoly it can be compared to a political-economic system. The game Monopoly can be compared to an obvious political-economic system: a monopoly. A monopoly is quite different than a market oriented enterprise. It is often thought that monopolies are evil. According to Charles Lindblom in Politics and Markets, political democracy is associated with market-oriented enterprise (Politics and Markets, 116). Lindblom, as well as other scholars often imply that monopolies are not a type of political-economic system that promotes political democracy. This is indeed correct. Monopolies undermine political democracy, and this can be seen by simply playing and analyzing the board game Monopoly. The remainder of this essay will take into account political and economic instruments that are essential to the set-up of the game Monopoly. The game will also be compared to monopolies that occur in reality. By the conclusion of this essay, one should understand how the game Monopoly does not represent a political-democracy with regards to Lindblom’s definition.
As previously stated, Charles Lindblom, the author of both The Market System and Politics and Markets, believes that a market system is essential for democracy. In fact, he even points out that “no democratic nation-states have existed, except those tied to market systems (The Market System, 226).” This is because in a market system, the masses have some control over the elites. This includes both control over elite entrepreneurs and government officials. In the game Monopoly, as with a monopoly in reality, the masses do not have control over the elite. In the game of Monopoly, the elite would be the player with money. Typically in an actual
March 5, 2013
POLI 387
A Monopoly, Not a Democracy
The board game Monopoly has been a source of entertainment for many years and millions of people have played it. It is even distributed in several countries, and in several languages. When one analyzes the game Monopoly it can be compared to a political-economic system. The game Monopoly can be compared to an obvious political-economic system: a monopoly. A monopoly is quite different than a market oriented enterprise. It is often thought that monopolies are evil. According to Charles Lindblom in Politics and Markets, political democracy is associated with market-oriented enterprise (Politics and Markets, 116). Lindblom, as well as other scholars often imply that monopolies are not a type of political-economic system that promotes political democracy. This is indeed correct. Monopolies undermine political democracy, and this can be seen by simply playing and analyzing the board game Monopoly. The remainder of this essay will take into account political and economic instruments that are essential to the set-up of the game Monopoly. The game will also be compared to monopolies that occur in reality. By the conclusion of this essay, one should understand how the game Monopoly does not represent a political-democracy with regards to Lindblom’s definition.
As previously stated, Charles Lindblom, the author of both The Market System and Politics and Markets, believes that a market system is essential for democracy. In fact, he even points out that “no democratic nation-states have existed, except those tied to market systems (The Market System, 226).” This is because in a market system, the masses have some control over the elites. This includes both control over elite entrepreneurs and government officials. In the game Monopoly, as with a monopoly in reality, the masses do not have control over the elite. In the game of Monopoly, the elite would be the player with money. Typically in an actual
Bibliography: Lindblom, Charles Edward. Politics and Markets: The World 's Political - Economic Systems. New York: Basic Books, 1977. Lindblom, Charles Edward. The Market System. New Haven: Yale University Press, 2001. Seabright, Paul. The Company of Strangers: A Natural History of Economic Life. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 2004.