"monopoly" was created by elizabeth magie as a teaching tool based on the economic concept of land monopoly. magie created the game in 1903, to explain the single tax theory of henry george. she wanted her game to be an educational tool to highlight the negative aspects of concentrating land in private monopolies. her game, which she called "the landlord's game", was self-published, beginning in 1906. the original rules included several ways to play the game, including one where players could agree to share the land rents and everyone would win.