Absolutism (noun) UK /ˈæb.sə.luː.tɪ.zəm/ US /ˈæb.sə.luː.t̬ɪ.zəm/
— a political system in which a single ruler, group, or political party has complete power over a country
Absolutism is a scenario game. The big one, the premise of the entire game is—you give up some of your liberties to see your political ideals materialize with your next vote. There’s always a barter. Nothing comes for free. Giving more power to your leaders means keeping less power for you. Always. And in a few short years we’ll have a story told like this:
Once upon a time, there will be one absolute ruler who we, the people, call the Supreme Leader (May He Rule Forever).
The Supreme Leader will hate immigrants, writers, scientists, environment and extinct species.
We, the people under his rule, will be proud to live in our pure and glorious Motherland. Because we’ll have little to eat, no entertainment, no self-respect, no freedom, no rights, and no access to the outside world, we’ll be happy.
To find out how this beautiful story unfolds, play Absolutism.
On a second level, once inside the BIG scenario of the game, the party card game Absolutism presents you with unfathomable small scenarios of daily life in a totalitarian society to which you, the player, have to offer solutions. But as no sane solutions can save you in a real dictatorship, in Absolutism your solutions will be absurd and hilarious, based on modern life values.
Why use a game to make light of a bleak situation?
Because when you explain it in abstract theories, people tend to doze off. But when you throw them into a scenario and push them to think and act on it, they begin understanding. And when that scenario forces the player to make a joke, to think in terms of humor, it’s even better. We’ve learned early in our lives that sarcasm is the best medicine against oppression.
And maybe after playing Absolutism, people will see that Russia, China, and North Korea are not exceptions. And realize that absolutism it is not something that can happen only there. It is already knocking on our door.