Capricorn Full Moon: Monopoly or Prosperity?

In 1904, stenographer Elizabeth Magie was granted a patent for her creation, The Landlord’s Game. A big hit with her friends in Maryland, Magie’s circular board game featured properties for sale and a ‘Go to Jail’ space, much like its later, more famous iteration – Monopoly. But Magie’s version had a much different purpose. She created it as a teaching tool to show the dangers of monopolies and how a few wealthy people could end up owning everything, leaving everyone else struggling to get ahead.

An ardent feminist and reformer, Magie had designed two sets of rules for her game. One was the ‘monopolist’ version where the goal was to crush opponents through acquisition. The second, forgotten, set of rules was the ‘prosperity’ version. In that game, all players benefited and shared the wealth when one person earned something. It was meant to demonstrate a more fair and equitable system. 

In the 1930s, a man named Charles Darrow sold a simplified version of Magie’s game to Parker Brothers, who then tracked down Elizabeth Magie. They bought the patent for her Landlord’s Game for just $500, with no future royalties. This effectively secured their rights to the game and allowed them to credit Darrow as the sole inventor. For decades, Charles Darrow inventing the game in his basement was the official story, while Lizzie Magie and her original, critical message were all but forgotten.

How might America’s trajectory have been different had its most popular board game been one which showed the value in sharing wealth and the harm of relentless greed? Perhaps we wouldn’t be dealing with draconian laws that make the rich even richer at the expense of the poor.

Lizzie Magie (May 9, 1866), was a practical Taurus with a caring Pisces Moon and Venus in clever Gemini. Since her chart is now having its Venus return, it seemed a good opportunity to tell her story. And, the upcoming Capricorn Full Moon (July 10, 1:37 p.m. PDT) is a great time to celebrate Magie’s astuteness and persistence. Capricorn is a sign associated with business and commerce, and is also connected to handcrafts, farming and other earthy pursuits. The Moon is in detriment in Capricorn, where it can struggle to express its caring, nurturing nature in a sign ruled by taciturn Saturn. Yet many of us know people with Capricorn Moons who are loving in their way – as well as terrific at taking care of business.

This practical lunation at 18 Capricorn-Cancer is supported by a sextile from Mars in efficient Virgo, lending even more earth energy for accomplishment, clearing things out and creating order. Yet there are several planetary slowdowns that call for caution. Saturn is stationary in go-for-it Aries as it prepares to turn retrograde on July 12 near nebulous Neptune, which stationed retrograde on July 4. And Mercury is moving slowly before it turns retrograde in spitfire Leo on July 17. These events urge us to place careful decision-making front and center rather than leaping forward without thinking – even if we’re tempted to do just that, with electric Uranus jumping into Gemini on July 7. Impulsive words, quick actions and brilliant ideas are sure to be rampant. But Uranus is only in Gemini briefly through October, giving us a taste of its seven-year transit through that lightning-fast air sign that fully begins in late April of 2026.

Don’t be discouraged if you feel a bit frustrated at this Capricorn Full Moon. Ruled by stationary Saturn, this could be a solemn or dutiful lunation. Saturn urges us to prune what no longer belongs in our lives, like a rosebush with fading blossoms. This includes relationships that bring us down, emotional attachments that cause pain, and bad habits that only make things worse.

Capricorn is a “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” energy, and we may be called to do just that, to benefit ourselves or others. But the Capricorn Moon magnetizes the Sun in Cancer, which is about nurturing and mothering. And Jupiter is currently in Cancer, blessing our efforts to feed, nourish and uplift the world. If you need inspiration to carry on, think about Elizabeth Magie, who birthed her game-changing creation during a time that was unsupportive to women’s efforts. She had a vision, and even though it didn’t manifest as fully as she’d hoped, she still made her mark on the world. And so can we.