Hegemony: Lead Your Class To Victory

Categories: Economic, Educational, Negotiation, Political

Mechanics: Action/Event, Hand Management, Roles with Asymmetric Information, Simulation, Variable Player Powers, Voting

Players: 2–4

Ages: 14+

Playtime: 90–180 Min

The Nation is in turmoil, with a fierce war waging between the classes. The working class is grappling with a dismantled welfare system, capitalists are seeing their hard-earned profits dwindle, the middle class is gradually disappearing, and the state is sinking deeper into deficit. Amidst this chaos, only one person can steer the nation—will it be you?

Will you align with the working class and champion social reforms, or will you side with corporations and advocate for the free market? Perhaps you'll support the government’s struggle to keep everything together, or instead, push your own agenda, regardless of the cost to the country.

Hegemony is an asymmetric, politico-economic, card-driven board game for 2-4 players that places you in the role of one of the socio-economic groups in a fictional state: The Working Class, the Middle Class, the Capitalist Class, and the State itself.

• The Working Class controls the workers.
• The Capitalist Class controls the companies.
• The Middle Class balances between both, having workers who can be employed in capitalist companies while also having the ability to build smaller companies of its own.
• The State tries to keep everyone content, providing benefits and subsidies when necessary while also striving to maintain a steady income through taxes to avoid debt.

While each player has their own unique objectives, all are constrained by a series of policies affecting most of their actions, such as Taxation, Labor Market, and Foreign Trade. Voting on these policies and using influence to change them is crucial. Through careful planning, strategic actions, and political maneuvering, you'll work to increase the power of your class and advance your agenda.

Will you be the one to lead your class to victory?

Hegemony is deeply rooted in real-world academic principles such as Social-Democracy, Neoliberalism, Nationalism, and Globalism, allowing players to explore their real-world applications through engaging gameplay. There are many paths to achieving hegemony—which one will you choose?