THE BILLIONAIRE'S BOOTSTRAP GAME

 

THE BILLIONAIRE'S BOOTSTRAP

Where Some Players Are More Equal Than Others™

![Board Game Layout](A circular game board divided into sections. The outer ring contains properties in different tiers from "Abandoned Neighborhoods" to "Tax Havens." The center features the game logo with a top hat sitting askew on a broken bootstrap.)

GAME OVERVIEW

Welcome to The Billionaire's Bootstrap – a satirical board game that demonstrates how modern economics actually works! Unlike traditional Monopoly where everyone starts equal, this game accurately reflects real-world conditions where opportunity depends entirely on where you begin.

COMPONENTS

• 1 Circular Game Board
• 6 Player Tokens (Broken Boot, Golden Yacht, Private Jet, Food Stamp, Student Loan Certificate, and Medical Bill)
• 2 Sets of Cards: "Lobbyist Opportunity" and "Market Reality"
• Play Money in denominations from $1 to $1,000,000,000
• Property Deeds
• Tax Haven Certificates
• Factory Layoff Tokens
• Social Safety Net Cards (limited supply)
• 2 Dice
• Rulebook

SETUP

1. Players select their starting class by random draw or by paying the Game Master (banker) a "campaign contribution."
2. Each player receives starting money based on their class:
   • Trust Fund Kid: $50,000,000 and one free Tax Haven
   • Corporate Executive: $10,000,000 and one Lobbyist Opportunity card
   • Small Business Owner: $100,000
   • White Collar Worker: $50,000 and student debt of $100,000
   • Blue Collar Worker: $5,000 and a Healthcare Debt of $20,000
   • Minimum Wage Worker: $200 and a "Pull Yourself Up" motivational pamphlet

GAMEPLAY

Players take turns rolling dice and moving around the board, but with a twist – different players move at different speeds:

• Trust Fund Kids and Corporate Executives use both dice
• Small Business Owners and White Collar Workers use one die
• Blue Collar and Minimum Wage Workers use one die but must skip a turn every third round for "mandatory overtime"

THE BOARD

The board is divided into several sections:

PROPERTIES

Properties are arranged in tiers with vastly different costs and returns:

• Tax Havens (Cayman Islands, Luxembourg, Panama) - Most expensive but generate enormous passive income and immunity from certain penalties
• Luxury Districts (Hamptons, Beverly Hills, Manhattan Penthouses) - High cost, extremely high rent
• Gentrification Zones (Former Industrial Areas, Arts Districts, Historic Districts) - Medium cost, rapidly increasing rent
• Working Neighborhoods (Suburban Areas, City Apartments) - Medium cost, moderate rent
• Struggling Communities (Rural Towns, Industrial Wastelands) - Low cost, low rent
• Abandoned Neighborhoods (Foreclosure Alley, Factory Town USA) - Very low cost, minimal rent

SPECIAL SPACES

• START/PAYDAY: Pass this space to collect salary (amount varies by class)
• AUSTERITY: Government cuts to essential services. All players using social safety nets lose one turn.
• TRICKLE-DOWN: All players roll a die. Trust Fund Kids and Corporate Executives gain $1,000,000 × their roll. All other players gain $10 × their roll.
• TAX AUDIT: Upper class players may skip by using a Tax Haven Certificate. All others pay 15% of their wealth.
• LOBBYIST CORNER: Draw a Lobbyist Opportunity card if you can afford the $1,000,000 fee
• GO TO JAIL: Two tiers:
  • White Collar Crime: Pay a fine and continue playing
  • Working Class Crime: Go directly to jail, lose three turns and half your money

MARKET REALITY CARDS

Examples:

• "Medical Emergency! Pay $50,000 (unless you have Premium Insurance)"
• "Tuition Increase! Student loan payments double"
• "Factory Relocates Overseas! All players with properties in Working Neighborhoods lose 50% of their value"
• "Tax Cut for Job Creators! Players in the top two classes receive $10,000,000"
• "Housing Bubble Bursts! Property values decrease except for Tax Havens"
• "Minimum Wage Increase Defeated! Players in bottom two classes lose one turn to work a second job"

LOBBYIST OPPORTUNITY CARDS

Examples:

• "Political Donation: Pay $2,000,000 to cancel any Market Reality card"
• "Regulatory Capture: Pay $5,000,000 to take ownership of one utility from the bank"
• "Corporate Subsidy: Receive $10,000,000 in government 'incentives'"
• "Tax Loophole: Purchase a Tax Haven Certificate for half price"
• "Golden Parachute: Immunity from one bankruptcy"
• "Privatization: Purchase one Community Asset at half price"

SPECIAL RULES

THE BOOTSTRAP PARADOX

Any player who complains about game inequality must pay a "Whining Tax" of $1,000 and listen to a mandatory lecture on "personal responsibility" from the highest-wealth player.

MONOPOLY FORMATION

When a player controls all properties in a tier, they can:

• Triple the rent
• Build "Luxury Developments" that displace lower-tier players from adjacent spaces
• Form a Political Action Committee to influence Market Reality card effects

SOCIAL SAFETY NETS

Limited cards that prevent bankruptcy but come with significant movement penalties and "Welfare Stigma" tokens that reduce your ability to acquire properties.

INHERITANCE

When a player goes bankrupt, their assets don't return to the bank—they go to the wealthiest player.

WINNING

The game ends when:

1. One player controls 90% of the total wealth
2. Social unrest reaches critical levels (tracked on the "Inequality Meter")
3. All players except one go bankrupt

The winner receives a "Self-Made Success" certificate and the right to lecture other players about how "anyone can make it if they just work hard enough."

EDUCATIONAL NOTES

This game is designed to illustrate:

• How initial advantage compounds over time
• How different rules apply to different economic classes
• How wealth concentration affects economic mobility
• The relationship between economic power and political influence

DISCLAIMER

Any resemblance to actual economic systems is entirely intentional. Some players may experience frustration, helplessness, and increased class consciousness. The manufacturers assume no responsibility for subsequent sociopolitical awakening.

"It's called The American Dream because you have to be asleep to believe it." — Game box tagline