The Legacy of the Game of the Goose as a concept

The second part of this book is devoted to exploring the ‘legacy’ of the Game of the Goose in the modern era, that is to say, in the 20th century and beyond. The term ‘legacy’ needs some explanation. As used here, it goes beyond saying that examples of the Game of the Goose continued to be produced in some European countries after the 19th century, though that is obviously true. However, the term is not so wide as to encompass all spiral race games. For example, as discussed below, it would not be correct to claim that all such games developed in the USA have as their source the Game of the Goose: the seminal influences on early race games in that country are quite evidently different. Nor could one reasonably claim that British race games in the 20th century were influenced by Goose games, even though the occasional Game of the Goose did appear. However, in some countries of Continental Europe there is a clear case for saying that game designers in the 20th century continued to be influenced by the Game of the Goose.

That influence was felt in three main areas: games for amusement and for the education of young children; games of propaganda and polemic, aimed at an adult audience; and games of advertising and promotion of goods and services. Each of these areas has its own chapter in what follows. Excluded from this list are games intended for adult gambling, where the Game of the Goose does not have a continuing legacy. Nor are Goose-variants today used for the instruction of older children or young adults, whose ideas of a worthwhile game do not encompass one with no skill or choice of move. Nevertheless, even with these restrictions, the legacy of the Game of the Goose in modern times is considerable

As a preliminary to exploring that legacy, it is useful to bring together some observations on the state of the game in various countries towards the end of the 19th century.