Abstract

I present an in-class exercise (one full class, then discussions in subsequent classes) designed to help establish a community experience useful in discussions of economic, social and political philosophy. Students engage in a “poker market,” trading playing cards to assemble particular “hands” that are valuable, as an analog to the libertarian free market. Various alterations to the basic rules can be instituted, or just discussed, as ways to explore different philosophies of socio-political organization in an accessible and relevant manner for students.