Communism (& Socialism) in RPGs

[Oligopsony]

So we are playing capitalist propaganda?

Sorta. Certainly not in the sense that E. Gary Gygax was rubbing his hands together, cackling about the oppression of the proletariat, but simply in the sense that D&D and other RPGs are, like everything else around us, the products of a particular time and place and are going to reflect those local assumptions. Sort of like how you might read some old pulp and think "geez, why are all the villains 'swarthy'?" and conclude "oh, it's just a product of the time" - you can do that with modern stuff, too; it's just harder because you probably share a lot of the same assumptions.

(This is a different explanation from the one that Kwalish gives, mind. I think for his argument to be true D&D (&c.) would have to be primarily exalting the consumer, rather than the entrepreneur, which are two distinct subjects produced by capitalism, whereas I only really see glorification of the latter.)

This doesn't preclude even the most doctrinaire Marxist from enjoying some D&D, with or without dramatic irony - literary analysis is basically just something hedonistic and geeky, like gaming itself.

 

[Storm Raven]

Sparta can't be communist because communism is predicated on workers controlling the means of production. In Sparta, they didn't.

As has been noted before in this thread, only certain varieties of communism/socialism make these assumptions.

 

[lukelightning]

D&D adventuring groups often are communistic (is that a word? it is now). "From each according to his ability" and all that goodness, equal shares of loot, and many groups also put a large share of their resources into a "party pool" for group expenses, raise deads, etc.

 

[eyebeams]

As has been noted before in this thread, only certain varieties of communism/socialism make these assumptions.

And those notes were specious, because any definitions that broad are virtually meaningless, though comforting to some due to reasons that would violate the TOS to describe. The OP is clearly discussing contemporary ideological positions, not simply whether people shared stuff sometimes and how.

 

[Sir Brennen]

China Miéville's Bas-Lag novels have very strong socialist themes running through them, and were adopted as a D&D setting in a Dragon Magazine article a year or two ago.

 

[Kwalish Kid]

(This is a different explanation from the one that Kwalish gives, mind. I think for his argument to be true D&D (&c.) would have to be primarily exalting the consumer, rather than the entrepreneur, which are two distinct subjects produced by capitalism, whereas I only really see glorification of the latter.)

Oh, I agree with your take, as well. The creation of a consumer culture is not about exalting the consumer, it's about creating a culture where people are more likely to be consumers or more likely to be higher consumers of a certain product or of products in general. As The Cardinal points out, Magic is a perfect example of a game that creates it's consumer culture. The original rules promote such a culture (whether or not Richard Garfield realized it) and subsequent tournament rules changes only add to the effect.

In D&D (and many other RPGs), there is also a consumer culture created by the nature of the rules. In previous editions, the access to new character classes, monsters, weapons, spells, and magic items encouraged players to buy new books (not counting adventure modules). Now the addition of prestige classes and feats only encourages consumption and, in turn, encourages the inclusion of these as rules through the continued success of the company that offers such rules.

It's not that these are bad rules. It's not even that the steady stream of new rules is bad. It's just that it is part of a consumer culture.

 

[Storm Raven]

And those notes were specious, because any definitions that broad are virtually meaningless

I'm so glad you are here to tell us that pre-Marx versions of socialism are "virtually meaningless". Bellamy's socialism, for example, would not necessarily include workers controlling the means of production. Perhaps you need to go and look at some stuff that wasn't written by Marx, Engels, Lenin, or Mao. They didn't invent the idea, nor did they write the best stuff in the field.

 

[DM_Matt]

Another problem with Communism in DND: Atheism is completely untenable in all published and most homebrew settings.

 

[Kwalish Kid]

Another problem with Communism in DND: Atheism is completely untenable in all published and most homebrew settings.

Belief in a deity is not incompatible with communism. Just look at the Housemartins!

Seriously, though, translating the atheistic, monolithic USSR into D&D would be difficult due to the presence of so many other deities. Perhaps the effective worship of gods could play the same role that nuclear weapons did in the cold war, though.

(We should also remember, though, that D&D is not the only RPG.)

 

[Kahuna Burger]

Another problem with Communism in DND: Atheism is completely untenable in all published and most homebrew settings.

only when you metagame....

Not that atheism is in any way required for communism....