On my blog Back to Civics (link in my profile), I not only discuss social issues important to me, but wish to talk about how social issues are reflected in pop culture. A regular theme that I will be running on my blog is an in-depth conversation with memes, and their weird internet attempts to make a point.
Dear Mr. Pennybags,
First let me say how much joy, and fun I had arguing with my parents and siblings over the costs of hotels, the benefits of buying utilities, and the much maligned “free parking rule”. My favorite part of any game night was the moment when conflicts over owning Marvin Gardens caused the board to be flipped over, plastic houses cast to the air like a cascading rain of green and red choking hazards. Your lovely game taught me many things about capitalism. That winning involves the complete taking of property and money, and that your luck can change at any point either by winning a beauty pageant or collecting inheritance. The fear of seeing myself within your shrugging shoulders, empty pockets exposed to the world was too much to bear. So like any enterprising juvenile, I gobbled up property and made back deals not listed in the rules, so that I with my metallic shoe stood victorious in the end. So when I saw this article in my newsfeed which claimed to explain liberal beliefs (in all caps) PERFECTLY! I was shocked when I found out it was modeled after my favorite capitalism for babies board game. If you will indulge me Mr. (or is it Uncle) Pennybags, I have a few issues with its content.
Let us assume by you “passing go” and “collecting 200 dollars” indicates your average income be it weekly, monthly, or however mustachioed men in top hats collect earnings. Socialism doesn’t require you to give up property, it asks you to give in taxes. I don’t believe any system communist or otherwise asks you to lend your house for the sake of the collective. Every time you collect earnings it doesn’t go to the poor it goes to the government who dictates services for the welfare of the country (mentioned in Article 1 Section 8 of the Constitution). Even if you don’t actively use them they are available to you as a citizen. Unfortunately Mr. Rich Uncle Milburn Pennybags, the first trouble I have with libertarian thinking is the naive belief that freedom exists in a vacuum, and all money attained received no aid from the public. In this flawed thinking taxes are tantamount to theft because money you earn has everything to do with your hard work and the super powers of freedom, and everything someone gains out of the government is leeching. In actuality your relationship with the government is a lot more mutualistic than you tend to admit. Being a member of a society especially America offers you certain benefits (privileges if you will) that sustain your wealth which in return require revenue streams to sustain them. In order to pass go you need to first drive on roads paid for by taxes. Your suite in the problematic Oriental Heights is considered your property because it is recognized and protected by law enforcement and government paid by taxes. The reason I am not able to smack you in the face with a thimble and steal your stuff is because there are laws enforced by and at the benefit of the public through our government agencies. The workers maintaining your wealth are educated by the government, the land rights that connect your train systems, every function of your unfettered wealth is privileged to you because the public has been paying into it, and allowing it. The libertarian logic wishes both to receive the absolute benefit of legitimacy from government without thinking you owe anything to it. If you as a citizen don’t pay into the collective tax pool, you are in fact the one stealing from and burdening everyone else who does. That means for every time you don’t pay your chance or community chest it breaks the general order of the rules which makes the game a lot less fun then if we shared our money.
Socialism is and always has been conflated with communism. Communism dictates that all goods be publicly shared with the commons which is the root of its name. Socialism is more of a transition phase in which the means of production, distribution, and exchange should be owned or regulated by the public. While I am not advocating for Communism in Monopoly Herr Pennybags, I do think there is an overall benefit to playing the game in which the goal is mutual fun for everyone. Socialism as a game mechanic wouldn’t dictate how you play on the board, how to roll or what to buy. Instead it would be more relative to the role of “banker” that is a clear role in making Monopoly function. The banker gives you money when you earn and charges money when stated. It wouldn’t instantly take your money when you pass go (like communism), it dictates that when you do pass go, you receive those pink twenties and yellow hundreds with the understanding that there needs to be enough bills left in the bank to play the game. It’s why the game of monopoly has aspects like chance, property tax and jails because if everyone only exchanged money within themselves eventually the money would only be held by a few players and every other player would have to resort to drawing Monopoly money on cut up pieces of paper, and that’s no fun. The fact that you pass go and get free money is in itself a helpful aspect of Socialism. It means that as long as I am playing I have access to money afforded by my playing, so that when I land on your spaces, I can afford a stay at your lovely Pacific Avenue vista.
Instead of seeing Socialism as a not fun version of Monopoly, let’s admit that Monopoly is a not fun version of Monopoly. Your game pushes people to assume the role of a soul less venture capitalist. You start with money in your hand BEFORE you start playing. Money you got by pure happenstance. You get access to resources and real estate by sheer luck of the roll, with the eventual goal that you are the only one left playing. That’s the win state! Losers end in bankruptcy, without homes, or their little terrier to ride with on the Reading Railroad. I have never once thought to myself “Wow if only the world was like this” because it means I end the game alone having screwed my friends over. So I implore you Senor Uncle Milburn Pennybags Sr. Esquire. Check your privilege. Understand that we are not just salaries, transactions, and individual freedom islands. We are a collective of people who do not solely strive for personal enrichment, but are a progressive nation interested in better outcomes. While you may end up the winner alone at the board through cunning ruthless attention towards wealth. The rest of us will be the ones enjoying ourselves to the side with some delicious pizza rolls, and thankfully no longer playing in your system.
Sincerely,
K.P. Mauros