"Electric Company" and "Water Works" are the two utility assets in the standard edition of monopoly. They may have various names in different versions of the game; for example, in the "Here & Now" edition, the utilities are replaced by Service Providers (Internet Service Provider and Cell Phone Service Provider). The utilities are replaced by Solar Energy and Wind Energy in the "Here & Now: The World" edition.
Monopoly is a multi-player board game with an economics theme. Players travel about the game board by rolling two dice, purchasing and trading properties, and developing them with homes and hotels. The idea is for players to collect rent from their opponents in order to bankrupt them. Chance and Community Chest cards, as well as tax squares, may be used to win or lose money. Players get a stipend every time they pass "Go," and they may end up in prison, where they can't leave unless one of three requirements is satisfied. There are multiple house rules for the game, as well as hundreds of distinct editions, spin-offs, and associated media. Monopoly has been licensed in over 103 countries and printed in over 37 languages, making it a part of worldwide popular culture.
Monopoly is based on Lizzie Magie's 1903 game The Landlord's Game, which was designed to show that an economy that rewards people is better than one in which monopolies control all of the wealth and to promote Henry George's economic views, particularly his taxation concepts. Originally, the Landlord's Game featured two sets of rules, one dealing with taxes and the other with the present regulations. When Parker Brothers initially released Monopoly in 1935, it didn't have the less capitalistic taxes rule, which made the game more hostile. Parker Brothers was acquired by Hasbro in 1991.
