(OPE-L) 'Capitalism' -- a Board Game

[gerald_a_levy <gerald_a_levy@xxxxxxx>]

A methodological digression: 

 

Can we not all agree that there are many puzzling characteristics

of the subject matter of capitalism?

 

Let's take this metaphor of a puzzle a step further and develop

rules for a new board game called:

 

 "Capitalism --  The Puzzle."  

 

Here's the way I conceive of the game:

 

The 'game' begins with each player being given an unspecified

number of puzzle pieces.  The puzzle pieces are parts of

capitalism -- the real and the concrete. The game begins by

attempting to comprehend how all of the pieces fit together and

in what order.  Thus, it is not a deductive game where after we

put in one piece we go on to consider logically what the next

piece to be fitted will be.  Instead, we must have a grasp from

the outset before we select the first piece (or write about the

puzzle) how all of the pieces are at least basically and

essentially related to each other.  A crucial step in the game

begins when each player selects a first piece -- because if

one selects the wrong first piece (e.g. 'population')  then one

can't be able to go on to complete the game.  This is a very

difficult game, though, for various reasons -- not the least of

which is that there are  six different levels of the game and each

of those levels is further sub-divided.  The game is concluded

and a player wins when all  of the puzzle pieces are pieced together. 

 

*  Has anyone yet completed this game? 

 

*  How should the game rules be further specified?

 

*  Is there anything essentially wrong or misleading with

      the explanation of the game above?

 

 * How is this game related to the board game developed

     by Bertell Ollman called "Class Struggle "?  

 

In solidarity, Jerry