Monopoly and the wealth gap

The wealth gap in the United States is wider than it has been in many decades and increases every day. The political divide is just as wide. The right accuses the left of being too socialistic, and the left accuses the right of being too capitalistic. Actually, the U.S. economy has long combined both philosophies. We have some programs that have shared resources, like schooling, police and armed forces (socialism). And we also have for-profit companies (capitalism).

The game of Monopoly relies on profit and loss, winners and losers (capitalism). Maybe solutions to the wealth gap can be found by modifying the rules. For example, you could forbid the building of hotels, showing what it would look like to cap mass profits. You could also try taxing everyone when they pass “go” five times.

Try adding $50 to the $200 you win when you pass go each time. This will show what raising the minimum wage or having a minimum national income might look like.

We live in a nation that for too long has allowed poverty and greed to flourish. The top 1% have been helped along by all of us and by a government that refuses to appropriately tax those in this class.

This must change. A modified game of Monopoly could provide a reference for how we move forward and propose changes we can apply in real life — and be fun to try out in the game. Joseph Diethelm, Brookfield