DWC 100 Women: Elizabeth "Lizzie" Magie, Monopoly (The Landord's Game)

Long before Monopoly became the household name we know today, Lizzie Magie had a vision. She was a bold and outspoken woman who dared to challenge the status quo. 

At a time when women’s roles were largely confined to the home, Lizzie was deeply engaged in the intellectual and social movements of her era. She was an ardent advocate of Georgism, a belief system inspired by the economist Henry George, who argued that land should be shared equally among all people. 

Lizzie saw the devastating effects of unchecked capitalism and the way it allowed the wealthy to grow wealthier at the expense of the poor. She wanted to expose the injustices of the system, and she believed that a game could be the perfect tool to do so.

In 1904, Lizzie Magie patented "The Landlord's Game," a board game that she designed to illustrate the dangers of land monopolies. The game had two sets of rules: one that rewarded all players when wealth was created, and another that led to monopolies and the eventual ruin of everyone except the richest player. 

Lizzie’s game was not just for entertainment; it was a powerful teaching tool, a way to educate people about the perils of greed and the need for a more equitable society.

But Lizzie's journey was far from easy. In a male-dominated society, her contributions were marginalized, and her voice was drowned out by the clamour of more powerful interests.

When Monopoly was eventually mass-produced and sold by Parker Brothers in the 1930s, Lizzie’s name was all but erased from the story. The game that millions of people would go on to play was stripped of its original intent, becoming a celebration of capitalism rather than a critique of it. Yet, Lizzie Magie never stopped fighting for what she believed in. She continued to speak out against the injustices of the economic system and fought to have her role in the creation of Monopoly recognized.

Lizzie Magie’s legacy is a reminder of the power of ideas and the importance of standing up for what is right, even when the odds are against you. Her life was a series of challenges, from the struggle to have her voice heard in a society that dismissed her, to the pain of seeing her creation co-opted and distorted. 

Her story serves as a powerful inspiration to all of us, especially to women who are fighting to make their voices heard in a world that often tries to silence them. Her game may have been about land and money, but her life was about so much more—about fairness, equality, and the belief that everyone deserves a chance to prosper.