The Monopolists

Buchzusammenfassung

Mary Pilon is a reporter for The New York Times, and has also written for The Wall Street Journal, New York Magazine and USA Today.

Monopoly, a cultural icon often linked to Charles Darrow’s rags-to-riches tale during the Great Depression, has a far more complex and obscured origin. While Darrow is credited with creating the game, he merely redesigned it after learning it from friends. Parker Brothers, struggling financially, perpetuated this myth to secure exclusive rights and protect their interests, even acquiring the patent for Lizzie Magie’s earlier game, the Landlord’s Game, which shared striking similarities with Monopoly. Magie’s creation, intended as a critique of monopolistic practices, had evolved through community adaptations before Darrow’s involvement. Decades later, Ralph Anspach, disturbed by Monopoly’s glorification of greed, created Anti-Monopoly, sparking a legal battle with Parker Brothers. His investigation revealed the game’s true history, including Magie’s role, but his efforts to challenge Parker Brothers’ trademark ultimately failed in court, despite exposing the company’s deceptive practices.

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