The Serious Business of Play: How Toys, Games, and Tools of Conflict Define Progress

Humanity’s energy is often channeled into two seemingly contradictory endeavors: the creation of tools for playful leisure and the relentless pursuit of superior weaponry for conflict.

Yet, a closer examination reveals a deep, continuous vein connecting the chessboard to the cannon, and the rattle to the razor. The ingenuity required to develop a complex strategy game is often directly transferable to the demands of war, logistics, and survival.

The Strategy of the Square: Games as Simulations of War and Life

Before computer simulations, war games were often literally games, played on boards by leaders seeking strategic advantages.

Chess: The Hindustan War Game

One of the oldest board games still actively played, chess traces its origins to a Hindustan game called chaturanga in the sixth century A.D. or earlier.

The name chaturanga referred to the four parts of the army: elephants, horses, chariots (or boats), and foot soldiers. Initially a four-handed dice game, it migrated from India to Persia and eventually reached the West.

By the 7th or 8th century, it had adopted the format we recognize today: a two-player game featuring 16 pieces, moved strategically across a 64-square board to achieve checkmate (capture) of the opponent’s king.

An 18th-century Frenchman named Philidor is regarded as the first world chess champion.

Checkers: From Battle to Social Amusement

Checkers (or draughts) also derived from conflict-oriented models. The game of alquerque was adapted to the chessboard by the French around A.D. 1100.

The modern game evolved with the addition of compulsory capture in the 16th century—if a player had a jump, they were required to make it, or else the opponent could “huff” (take) the piece.

The French called this rule-bound game Jeu Force, while calling the simpler version Le Jeu Plaisant de Dames (“The Pleasing Game of Ladies”)—indicating it was a social amusement for women.

The term “checker” itself is a 14th-century word derived from the French eschec, meaning “king.”

Parcheesi: Imperial Leisure

The popular American board game Parcheesi originated from the royal Indian game of pachisi.

Mogul emperors of the 16th and 17th centuries designed their courtyards as elaborate pachisi boards with inlaid marble. In a spectacular display of imperial leisure, the game pieces were 16 beautiful harem girls, each dressed a different color, who moved among lush gardens according to the throw of cowrie shells used as dice.

The modern board version made its way to England in the Victorian era as Ludo and was trademarked in the U.S. as Parcheesi in 1874.

Weapons of War, Tools of the Home

While games simulated conflict, real technological progress often moved from military demands to civilian convenience.

The Razor: From Straight Edge to Disposable Safety

Before the late 19th century, shaving relied on the straight, or cut-throat, razor—a long, single-sided blade that posed a potential hazard to all but the most skilled barber.

The revolutionary solution was the disposable blade concept championed by King Camp Gillette. Believing success lay in making something that would always need replacing, Gillette persuaded an MIT professor to help produce a cheap, thin, throwaway steel blade.

His first disposable razors debuted in 1903, and their widespread adoption was cemented when the U.S. government contracted Gillette to supply razors for the Army during World War I.

Duct Tape: Military Necessity to Household Essential

Duct tape was developed during World War II by Johnson & Johnson as a waterproof sealing tape for ammunition cases. Soldiers discovered its versatility and began using it for repairs of all kinds.

After the war, the tape found civilian use in HVAC systems (hence “duct” tape), and its utility has made it a household essential ever since.

The Internet: From ARPANET to World Wide Web

Perhaps the most consequential military-to-civilian transfer is the Internet itself. ARPANET, developed by the U.S. Department of Defense in the late 1960s, was designed to maintain communication even if parts of the network were destroyed.

The decentralized architecture that made it robust for military purposes made it equally robust for civilian communication, commerce, and culture.

Toys and Their Serious Origins

Many children’s toys have surprising connections to adult concerns.

The Teddy Bear: Political Merchandising

The teddy bear was named after President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt following a 1902 hunting trip where he refused to shoot a captive bear, considering it unsportsmanlike.

The story was widely reported, and toymakers Morris Michtom and the Steiff company independently created stuffed bears named after the president. The teddy bear became one of the most popular toys in history.

LEGO: From Wooden Ducks to Plastic Bricks

LEGO began in 1932 when Danish carpenter Ole Kirk Christiansen started making wooden toys. The name derives from the Danish phrase “leg godt” meaning “play well.”

The iconic interlocking plastic bricks were introduced in 1958, and the company’s emphasis on systematic building has made LEGO one of the most educational toys ever created—teaching engineering principles through play.

Key Takeaways

  • Chess originated as military training—representing the four parts of ancient armies
  • Checkers has gendered history—the simpler version was called “The Game of Ladies”
  • Parcheesi used human game pieces—Mogul emperors played with harem girls
  • Gillette’s success came from planned obsolescence—disposable blades that need replacement
  • Military technology transfers to civilian life—duct tape, the Internet, and countless other innovations
  • Toys often have political origins—the teddy bear commemorated Roosevelt’s sportsmanship