Power For The People (2023)

Power for the People is a political satire game that recreates the current divisive political environment. Players take on the role of an already powerful party leader. Each party leader is revered and respected by supporters and opponents alike, but are plagued with an insatiable desire for more power. Power is gained by gathering support from the party and by winning the influenceable party members of opponents’.

One party leader is the chairman for the round and takes on certain roles and responsibilities. He or she starts the round by saying, “for the people” at which point everyone picks up the hand they have been dealt and begins to play in an orderly fashion, always abiding by the rules and laws. Proper respect and decorum must be maintained during play including only speaking at appropriate times and only when required by rules and laws. Players keep each other in check by giving a penalty card from the top of the deck for observed deviation from the rules and laws. One player wins the round by playing his or her last card and proclaiming “Power for the People!”. The winning player collects power, creates a secret law, and becomes the chairman for the next round.

Play continues with the next round. All of the existing rules and laws are in force, but now a secret law is in play. Opponents of the new chairman must deduce the action or lack of action that the secret law requires. Doing so will avoid penalties and enable a potential future win allowing him or her to gain power and write a secret law of their own, for which he or she can penalize other players.

By the final round there may be up to 10 secret laws in effect. At this point it becomes challenging to remember all the laws and rules in order to avoid getting additional cards through penalties. At the end of the final round, the player with the most power becomes the Supreme Leader!

To review, in Power For The People, players establish the party platform, gain power, create and follow secret laws, penalize offenders, and become Supreme Leader!