Forum Post: Parallels Between Ancient and Modern Republics

Originally, I posted this on another forum a month ago, but I thought it might be worth posting here as well:

by GypsyKing » November 20th, 2011, 7:24 am

I first posted this under an article related to this movement by a major news network, and five hours later I couldn't find either the article, or the comment I posted - so I thought I would post it again here . . . The relevence pertains to education about the justification for our cause.

Historically democracies/republics (I equate these terms here for the sake of convienance - in order that I might not fall into a long diggression regarding their differences - and also because both systems were in radical varriance to the predominant dictatorical monarchies of antiquity), have generally failed primarily due to self-destruction, rather than from outside invasion or changing environmental factors.

These internal-causes for the "decline and fall" of representitive government have remained surprizingly consistent over time. As an example, I will give a brief description of the circumstances surrounding the fall of Ancient Rome.

The first, and formost reason for that failure was the concentration of aggragate wealth and power into fewer and fewer hands. Although this slow transfer of power from small landholders and rural estates to Rome itself, with it's relatively small ruling class, had many consequences in the early Republic, it came to it's first true crisis from within, threatening Roman survival, with the Republican overthrow by Julius Caesar.

Interestingly, and not widely appreciated, is the fact that Caesar was alligned with the oppressed citizenry and empoverished veterans, against the concentrated greed and corruption that had taken root in Rome, symbolized by Crassus - whereby we derive the modern word, "crass." The eventual victory of Augustus, Caesar's appointed heir, in the civil wars restored the balance of power between the competing classes, and Rome thrived for a significant period of time subsequent to the rise of Augustus. So it might be said that, although the Republic lost, the spirit of Republicanism won.

Over time however, this balance gradually shifted once again in favor of the ruling elite, giving rise to the same problem of overly concentrated wealth and power. The result was the alienation of the colonies, resenting their economic supression, and the alienation of impoverished Italian peasants, freeholders, and even rural patricians from the establishment in Rome. Furthermore, the increasing loss of touch of the Roman elite with the real conditions of the Roman citizenry, and their gravitation to blatant decadence - in some cases to the degree of outright insanity, were all contriduting factors to Roman decline. Finally, and perhaps fatally, was the loss of the loyalty of the italian yeoman soldiers, who had always composed the backbone of the Roman army, forcing the ruling class to turn primarily to foreign mercenaries with no alligance to Rome itself or to the tradition of democratic/republican principles. Under such decaying circumstances Rome was gradually overrun - it simply imploded.

The parellels to the current situation should be precise enough to be chilling, and a concerted effort to convey those similarities to every American would powerfully justify, to any thinking person, the urgent reason we have finally taken to the streets in revolt.