Contextualization

Capitalism is an economic system based on free enterprise, private ownership of the means of production, and the pursuit of profits. It emerged between the 15th and 16th centuries, in the transition from feudalism to the capitalist system. Capitalism has gone through various stages, such as mercantilism, industrialism, and financial capitalism, which is the current stage. Today, capitalism is the predominant economic system in the world, but it is characterized by great inequalities and the exploitation of natural resources.

Within capitalism, there are different economic models that vary according to government policy decisions. There is the model of liberal capitalism, in which the government plays a smaller role in the economy and the market is left to self-regulate. On the other hand, in the model of social welfare capitalism, the government plays a more active role in the economy, providing public services and regulating the economy to reduce social inequalities.

Learning about capitalism is essential to understand the world we live in, the economic relationships that shape our lives, social inequalities, and environmental crises. Geography, as a discipline that studies space and its relations with society, is the perfect environment for this investigation. Furthermore, understanding capitalism is fundamental for the formation of critical and conscious citizens, capable of understanding and acting on social issues.

Resource Suggestions

• Book "Capital in the Twenty-First Century" by Thomas Piketty: Provides a detailed analysis of capitalism and the wealth accumulation process.
• Documentary "Capital in the Twenty-First Century" by Justin Pemberton and Thomas Piketty, available on Netflix, based on the book of the same name.
• Videos from the YouTube channel Nerdologia, which discuss various topics related to capitalism, economics, and geopolitics in an accessible and playful way.
• Book "Capitalism and Freedom" by Milton Friedman: Presents a liberal view of capitalism.
• Book "The Age of Capital: 1848-1875" by Eric Hobsbawm: Provides a deep analysis of the era of industrial capitalism.
• Series of articles "Capitalism" from BBC Brazil: Articles that contextualize and discuss various aspects of capitalism.

Practical Activity

Activity Title: "Capitalism: A Trail Through Time"

Project Objective:

The objective of this project is to understand more deeply the functioning of capitalism, its different models, and its impact on the economy, society, and the environment. Students will develop a Board Game that will allow them to analyze in a playful and interactive way the evolution of capitalism from Feudalism, the impacts of industrialization, and the transition to the current financial capitalism.

Detailed Project Description:

Groups will be formed by 3 to 5 students. Each group should develop a Board Game in which players will "travel" from the transition from feudalism to capitalism, passing through the stages of capitalism (mercantilism, industrialization, and financial) to the current model of social welfare capitalism. Each stage of the game will represent a phase of capitalism, with its respective economic, social, and environmental characteristics. The group should elaborate the game rules, which should include challenges and questions that reflect the studied concepts.

Required Materials:

• Cardboard or cardboard for the base of the board.
• Colored paper for making game pieces.
• Colored markers.
• Dice.
• Computer with internet access for research and report preparation.

Detailed Step-by-Step for Activity Execution:

1. Division of students into groups of 3 to 5 members.

2. Study and research on the stages of capitalism and their impacts on the economy, society, and the environment.

3. After the research, students should plan the Board Game. Each group must agree on the design of the board, the game rules, and the questions to be formulated.

4. Making the Board Game: construction of the board itself, elaboration of the pieces, question and answer cards (if any), and elaboration of the game manual with the rules.

5. Game Testing: each group must test their game to verify if the rules are clear and the game is challenging enough.

6. Presentation of the Board Game to the class.

7. Writing the report detailing the research conducted, the game development, and reflection on the topic.

8. Delivery of the Board Game and the report.

Project Deliverables:

Each group must deliver the developed Board Game, along with a written report.

The report should contain:

1. Introduction: The student must contextualize the theme, its relevance and real-world application, as well as the objective of this project.

2. Development: The student must explain the theory behind the central theme of the project (capitalism), explain the activity carried out in detail, indicate the methodology used, the game development, and finally present and discuss the results obtained.

3. Conclusion: The student must conclude the work by summarizing its main points, explaining the learnings obtained, and drawing conclusions about the project.

4. Bibliography: The student must indicate the sources on which they relied to work on the project.

The report should be submitted in typed text format, with a minimum of 5 pages.