Rock, Paper, Scissors & Karl Marx

World Geography

Rock, Paper, Scissors & Karl Marx

Purpose: The game is played to demonstrate Karl Marx’s view of capitalism and the free market system (economies in which the government has little/no control).

Rules:

1.  Each student is given two paper clips (units of money).

2.  One paper clip is the minimum necessary for your survival. Any more than one paper clip allows you to do with what you will.

3.  Everyone has the same opportunity to earn more money by challenging others to a game of rock, paper, and scissors.

4.  You may accept or refuse a challenge to play, except from a player with more units of money, in that case you must accept the challenge.

5.  You may go at it alone, pool resources, divide winnings or create alliances.

6.  The winner of each challenge takes one unit from the loser.

7.  Once a player has no units and loses a match, they become the employee of the winner of said match.

a.  As an employee, the individual must challenge others on behalf of their boss. Once two units are earned for the boss, the employee keeps one unit, gives one to the boss and gains their independence.

8.  If an employee with nothing loses to another, he becomes the employee of the new winner, unless the new winner is also an employee. Then both work for the original employer. (The employee plays with his labor, not the units of the employer. If your employee loses, you lose your employee to the person who won, and he works for the new employer.)

9.  Employees may not challenge their boss.

Name: World Geography

Date:

Core:

Post Simulation Discussion Questions…

Directions: Answer the following questions based on your experience during the simulation.

1.  What did it feel like for students who were employees during the simulation? ______

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(i.e. did you have much power? Did you feel hopeful that you would be a boss one day too? Why or why not?)

2.  Why did people become employees instead of bosses? (Was it a choice, was it because they lacked skill, was it due to bad luck? - explain) ______

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3.  If you were an employee, how many rounds did you stay an employee for? (short amount of time or long amount of time? ______

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4.  Was it easy or difficult for most employees to gain their independence? Explain.______

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5.  How did people become bosses (skill? Luck? ) Explain. ______

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6.  If you were a boss, how long did you stay a boss for (short period of time, long period of time)? ______

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7.  Describe the distribution of wealth (paperclips) at the end of our simulation (even, uneven, - provide evidence to support claim).______

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