Tropico 1 places you in the role of the president of an island.
You have to develop the island in order to keep all the inhabitants happy. There are several factions in the game that each want different things. The Capitalists want luxuries, the Communists want good living conditions for the working class, the environmentalists want low pollution levels, the Religious want churches, the Intellectuals want good education and low corruption and the Militarists want a stronger army.
Each inhabitant has their own needs and wants, and weight of each need is determined by the faction that they belong to. You need to keep them happy while skimming a little off the top for your retirement.
I can't emphasize enough how easy it is to get into the game and yet how much strategic depth if offers.
Tropico 1 and it's expansion by themselves are worth the price. With even the sequel Tropico 2 thrown in, it's a real steal. If you don't get any other game, be sure to get this one.