Monopoly is a multi-player economics-themed board game. In the game, players roll two dice to move around the game board, buying and trading properties, and developing them with houses and hotels. Players collect rent from their opponents, with the goal being to drive them into bankruptcy. Money can also be gained or lost through Chance and Community Chest cards, and tax squares. Players receive a stipend every time they pass "Go", and can end up in jail, from which they cannot move until they have met one of three conditions. The game has numerous house rules, and hundreds of different editions exist, as well as many spin-offs and related media. Monopoly has become a part of international popular culture, having been licensed locally in more than 103 countries and printed in more than 37 languages.
Monopoly is derived from The Landlord's Game created by Lizzie Magiein the United States in 1903 as a way to demonstrate that an economy that rewards wealth creation is better than one where monopolists work under few constraints, and to promote the economic theories of Henry George—in particular his ideas about taxation. The Landlord's Game had two sets of rules originally, one with taxation and another one mainly based on current rules. When Monopoly was first published by Parker Brothers in 1935, it did not include the less capitalistic taxation rule, which resulted in a more competitive game. Parker Brothers was eventually absorbed into Hasbro in 1991. The game is named after the economic concept of monopoly—the domination of a market by a single entity.
History with the Macy's Parade[]
The Monopoly Game Train (1985)[]
In 1985, for the Monopoly Board Game's 50th Anniversary, Parker Brother's partnered with Macy's to craft a float for the 59th Macy's Parade. The float depicted a vintage train, chugging down Broadway with Mr. Monopoly on board. By next year, the float's Monopoly branding was replaced over by Macy’s sponsorship and was renamed to “The Herald Square Express Train".
Mr. Monopoly (2002)[]
In 2002, Mr. Monopoly traded Atlantic City for the Big City as he gathered his trusty moneybag and get-out-of-jail-free card to take flight in The 76th Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, in the form of a brand-new giant helium balloon. While the real-estate wizard runs above the Parade route and winks to the spectators as he tips his hat, he is said to be as tall as his favorite building, the Fort Knox in Kentucky. After two more appearances in the 2003 and 2004 Parades, Mr. Monopoly was retired, making the usual three appearances.
After he was deflated and rolled up one last time, he was shipped back to the Macy's Parade Studio. He was then later sent to the float warehouse in spring 2014, where he currently remains to this very day.
Since the balloon's retirement, Mr. Monopoly, as well as the Monopoly game itself, have yet to be represented by the Parade again.
Defect[]
- In 2004, Mr. Monopoly's right arm was bent