Rules That Favor Insiders: Protectionism Capture

In our episode, we learned how rules can sometimes make it easier for some people or businesses to succeed while making it harder for others. This Ranger Mission will help you see how these kinds of "insider rules" can show up in everyday life.

The Big Question

How can we tell if a rule is helping everyone, or just a few?

What You'll Need

• A notebook or paper
• A pencil or crayon

Mission Steps

1. Identify a Game. Choose a board game, card game, or even a playground game your family enjoys playing.
2. Examine the Rules. Read through the game's rules together. Are there any rules that seem to help one player more than others, or make it easier for someone to win?
3. Discuss Advantages. Talk about which players might have an advantage because of these rules. Does anyone have to do extra work or face bigger challenges?
4. Imagine a Change. If you could change one rule to make the game more fair for everyone, what would it be and why?

Talk About It

• What was your favorite game to look at the rules for?
• Did you find any rules in your games that seemed to favor certain players? How did they do that?
• If you could create a brand new game with perfectly fair rules for everyone, what would it be like?

Take It Further

For older rangers (ages 9-12), try to find an example of a real-world rule or law that might be an example of protectionism or regulatory capture. Think about things like local laws about building businesses, or rules about imported foods. Discuss with your family who might benefit from that rule and who might not.

FAQ

Q: My kids don't want to write anything down. A: That's okay! Encourage them to draw a picture of the game or the rule they want to change instead of writing.

Q: We don't have any board games. A: You can use playground games like tag or Red Light, Green Light. Discuss the "rules" of those games and who they might favor.

Q: This seems too simple for my older kids. A: Challenge them to think about why a game designer might include a rule that favors some players, just like governments might have reasons (even if not good ones) for protectionist policies.