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THE CONDITION OF ENGLAND

The Condition of England, 1841

by Joseph Sramek

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Reform during a time of tremendous social and economic change. 

This game examines the various competing ideologies of early industrial Britain such as paternalism, Utilitarianism, free trade/laissez faire capitalism (as represented by the Anti-Corn Law League), and early socialism and radicalism (as represented by a congeries of ex-Chartists, early feminists, and other radical reformers). Set in a London debating society, students will debate policy solutions to thorny problems such as treatment of the poor (the Poor Laws), whether agricultural protectionism or free trade should be the dominant economic policy (the Corn Laws), and whether there ought to be additional factory laws or whether the economic laws of supply and demand should be allowed to take their course. Other issues such as democratization of society, the role of women, temperance, and education, penal, and colonial reform are also addressed in the game. The possibilities and hindrances to effective coalition building among the various single-cause factions is also a key emphasis in the game.

ABOUT THE GAME

Details

Disciplines
Economics & Economic History, Philosophy, Political Science & Government, Sociology, Western Civ/History, World History

Sample Class Titles
Victorian Britain, England Since 1688, Western Civ

Themes and Issues  
Industrialization, Paternalism, Utilitarianism, Free-Trade Liberalism, Suffrage, Labor, Class, Gender


Era 
19th Century

Geography 
Europe

Notable Roles

Notable Texts
Edmund Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France; Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations; Jeremy Bentham, Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation

Level
Short Game Under Review

Player Interactions 
Coalition-Building, Collaborative, Competitive, Factional 

Mechanics
Formal Debate, Formal Podium Rule, 

Chaos and Demand on Instructor 
Low Chaos, Low Demand on Instructor.


Using the Game

Class Size and Scalability 
This game is recommended for classes with 12-30 students.

Class Time
For this short game, 1-2 setup sessions and 3 full game sessions are recommended. Sessions 3 can be shortened or lengthened depending on instructor needs and class size.

Assignments
You can adjust the assignments based on the desired learning outcomes of your class. This game includes traditional paper/research/thesis-driven writing. All roles are expected to give a speech during the game. 




GAME MATERIALS

Reacting Consortium members can access all downloadable materials below. You will be asked to sign in before downloading.  

Please Fill out the Permissions Request Form Before Using The Condition of England, 1841 in Your Class!

Gamebook

Students need a Gamebook, which includes directions, resources, and historical content.

Instructor's Manual

The Instructor's Guide includes guidance for assigning roles, presenting the game's context and topics, assignments, and more. 

Role Sheets

Students also need a Role Sheet, which contains biographical information, and their character's secret victory objectives.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Joseph Sramek

Dr. Joseph Sramek is Associate Professor of History at Southern Illinois University Carbondale. He is also the author of  "Politics, Religion, and the Birth of the Public Sphere: England, 1685-1688."

QUESTIONS

Members can contact game authors directly if they have questions about using the game. We also invite instructors join our Facebook Faculty Lounge, where you'll find a wonderful community eager to help and answer questions. 


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