Communism vs.

Capitalism

ROCK-PAPER-SCISSORS SIMULATION
Purpose: The first round of this simulation is used to demonstrate Karl Marxs view of
capitalism, exploitation of the working class, the control of the means of production and the
difference between the bourgeoisie and proletariat. The second round will reveal some aspects of
a communist society, including the decline of motivation, the equal distribution of wealth, and
the characteristics of a classless society.
General Rules: (Applies to BOTH rounds)
1. Each student is given two paperclips (units of money).
2. One paperclip is the minimum necessary for your survival. Anything more than one paperclip
allows you to do with what you will.
3. Everyone has the same opportunity to earn more money by challenging others to a game of
rock-paper-scissors.
4. You may accept or refuse a challenge to play, except from a student with more units of
money, in that case you must accept the challenge.
5. You may go at it alone, pool resources, divide winnings or create alliances.
6. The winner of each challenge takes one paperclip from the loser.
7. Once a student has not units and loses a match, he/she become the worker of the winner of
said match.
a. As a worker, the individual must challenge others on behalf of their boss. Once two
paperclips are earned for the boss, the worker keeps one paperclip, gives one to the
boss and gains their independence.
8. If a worker with nothing loses to another, he/she becomes the worker of the new winner,
unless the new winner is also a worker. Then they will both work for the original boss.
a. The worker plays with his labor, not with the paperclips of the boss.
b. As the boss, if your worker loses, you lose your worker to the person who won, and
he/she will now work for the new boss.
9. Workers may not challenge their boss.

There will be two rounds of this simulation, with each round lasting 15 minutes.
A. Capitalist Round
a. The first round will take place within a capitalistic economy, and students will engage in
Rock-Paper-Scissors until the end of the 15 minute round.
b. While students are engaged in the simulation, the teacher will pause the simulation every
5 minutes to document the top students on the board. The teacher will do this to show the
changes that have taken place in the economy. Students will then be able to see which
bosses own the most workers and seek to overthrow them.
c. At the end of the capitalist round, the teacher will lead a discussion with the following
prompts on a PPT:
1. What was it like to be an employee?
2. Was it easy to gain your independence?
3. Was it easy to become a boss?
4. Was it easy to stay a boss?
5. How does this simulation relate to the criticism against capitalist economies during
the Industrial Revolution?
B. Communist Round:
a. The second round will take place within a communist economy.
b. Again, students will engage in Rock-Paper-Scissors for 15 minutes;
however, the teacher will now interrupt students every 3 minutes to
redistribute the paperclips evenly amongst the students so that each
student will have 2 paperclips again.
c. With these 5 interruptions (including the last interruption at the end of
the game where each student will have 2 paperclips again), the
teacher will begin a discussion with the following prompts on a PPT:
1. What are your immediate feelings after participating in the
communist round?
2. Did your feelings of winning paperclips and becoming bosses
change?
3. Who benefited more from the communist round?
4. How is the communist round different from the capitalist round?
5. In what aspects was Karl Marx correct about criticizing capitalism,
and in what aspects was he wrong?