Pig Farmer

A basic economics/politics game that can get as complicated as you want. Basic goal: stay alive! Additional goals can be added--earn enough money to marry and raise children, win political office, earn more money than the rest of the players, make sure all players are well off. To start, give each player one of the following: land, money, seed, male pigs, or female pigs. Give them basic assumptions on the productivity of the land, feed needed by the pigs, etc. Let them trade with each other and see what happens to prices of pigs, land, etc. Add extra details to the game to teach various aspects of economics and politics. Add an export market. Add the possibility of capital improvement in their land. Establish a basic personal consumption minimum to stay in the game. Allow students to hire out their labor. Establish a religion that doesn't eat pork! Set up a political system to regulate trade, provide welfare, redistribute wealth, etc.