Sarkar game

The Sarkar Game is a role-playing exercise rooted in Indian philosopher [[ P.R. Sarkar ]]’s theory of social change, designed to explore power dynamics, leadership styles, and macrohistorical cycles. Developed by futurists Peter Hayward, Joseph Voros and Sohail Inayatullah, it is widely used in workshops to help participants understand societal evolution and organizational transformation¹².

Theoretical Basis

The game models Sarkar’s concept of four cyclical societal stages dominated by distinct power groups:

1. Workers: Represent labor and grassroots movements (chaos/disruption as power).
2. Warriors: Symbolize military/executive force (physical power).
3. Intellectuals: Encompass knowledge/ideology creators (persuasive power).
4. Capitalists: Control economic resources (financial power).

The ultimate goal is to transcend these stages by cultivating sadvipras – leaders who integrate the progressive aspects of all classes while prioritizing collective planetary welfare¹³.

Game Structure

Setup

• Participants split into four groups, each assigned a class:
  • Workers: Given labor tools (e.g., hammers)
  • Warriors: Provided plastic weapons
  • Intellectuals: Receive books/documents
  • Capitalists: Allocated prop money¹².
• Groups occupy corners of the room, with a facilitator at the center.

Phases of Play

1. Role Scripts: Each group receives a script outlining their motivations:
   • Workers seek security → comfort → wealth.
   • Warriors prioritize order but may resort to coercion.
   • Intellectuals focus on ideology and moral authority.
   • Capitalists strategize to accumulate and control resources¹².
2. Interaction Rounds:
   • Groups enter the game in Sarkar’s historical sequence (workers → warriors → intellectuals → capitalists).
   • Negotiations, alliances, and conflicts unfold as groups assert dominance.
   • Facilitators introduce challenges (e.g., resource scarcity, crises) to test group responses³².
3. Reflection and Transcendence:
   • Participants analyze how power dynamics shifted and which traits became regressive.
   • Discussions focus on identifying sadvipra qualities: balancing service, protection, innovation, and equitable resource distribution¹².

     Key Outcomes and Applications

• Leadership Audits: Organizations use the game to assess if leadership styles overemphasize one power type (e.g., excessive warrior-like aggression)¹.
• Personal Growth: Participants confront “shadow” traits (e.g., pacifists discovering latent assertiveness)¹.
• Foresight Training: Integrated into futures studies workshops to illustrate how societal cycles influence strategic planning³².

The game’s strength lies in making abstract theories of social change tangible through experiential learning, revealing how power structures shape both history and potential futures¹²³.

References

Additional References