The Secret History of Leftist Board Games (Brian Van Slyke)

"Think board games are "just games"? Think again. There's a little known but vibrant history of leftist board games that stand in opposition to the endless number of other games about war, conquest and profiteering."


The History of Leftist Board Games is an interesting piece about the games longing for another world - The Landlord's Game which is the original and critical version of Monopoly; Suffragetto that kept company with Suffragette women in their fight for liberty; and The Class Struggle which puts the realities of capitalism on board. It is not just about the 'history' of leftist games though. The last part of the article names several alternative modern board and video games worth checking out. Now it's your turn: Read, play, resist!


(Original illustration from the game Rise Up: The Game of People and Power)