Perhaps the most terrifying part of the Roman Empire's demise is how many alarming parallels exist between today's culture and the Roman Empire's demise. It's easy to overlook how far ahead of their time the Romans were.
Printing Money Doesn’t Save an Economy
Surprisingly, a Chinese official has cautioned that the U.S. national debt is spiraling out of control. The official also stated that the U.S. was "creating money" rather than selling bonds, as some had assumed.
Emperor Nero decided to use less silver in minting Roman coins as the empire became larger and the cost of living increased. The price of Roman wheat grew 200-fold during the next two centuries, and their coinage was nearly worthless.
Emperor Nero decided to use less silver in minting Roman coins as the empire became larger and the cost of living increased. The price of Roman wheat grew 200-fold during the next two centuries, and their coinage was nearly worthless.
Overseas Low-Cost Labor Will Not Be Able to Produce Your Items Indefinitely
Money poured into Rome during its peak. Each monarch and government official was awash in money, allowing them to rule over the majority of the known globe. This did not, however, imply that Roman citizens were becoming wealthy.
Instead of employing their population, Roman leaders and aristocrats hired foreign slaves to undertake the bulk of their work.
Instead of employing their population, Roman leaders and aristocrats hired foreign slaves to undertake the bulk of their work.
The lesson Rome teaches us is that cheap labor does not persist forever. Slaves eventually grew intelligent and demanded more, leading to a revolt. Then, when citizens of Rome began to object to the use of slaves, Christian ethics began to spread.
People Who Are in Debt Can Be Easily Controlled
The plebes of Rome urged their rulers to forgive their debts and relieve their financial difficulties, just as we hear from people today. When the lower classes gained political equality, the Roman government began to hear their cries and cater to them.
Politicians who wanted to appeal to the public promised "bread and circuses," or food, entertainment, and debt relief. Citizens in Rome had gotten so desperate that it didn't matter what politicians did as long as their debts were forgiven. Even when their elections and their ability to vote were suspended, people didn't seem to mind because the bread and circuses continued coming.
Don't Underestimate the Barbarians
The barbarians Rome confronted on the battlefield were perhaps one of the greatest ironies of the Roman Empire. Against other mighty empires, they were always able to hold their place. Both Egypt and Greece had been conquered by the Romans. Even though the world's most advanced civilization had collapsed at their feet, barbarians managed to defeat Rome.
Big Military Budgets Eventually Bankrupt Big Nations
When you are the world's superpower, you become the world's biggest target as well. The Romans have to learn this the hard way. As they expanded in size, their opponents and threats rose in size as well.
They were forced to invest a significant portion of their riches in the military due to the vast amount of territory they had to defend. The only way to deal with an ever-growing military, as the Romans realized, was to raise taxes. Tax cuts, on the other hand, only make things worse in the long run since they increase poverty and unemployment, which leads to an increase in crime.
They were forced to invest a significant portion of their riches in the military due to the vast amount of territory they had to defend. The only way to deal with an ever-growing military, as the Romans realized, was to raise taxes. Tax cuts, on the other hand, only make things worse in the long run since they increase poverty and unemployment, which leads to an increase in crime.
Empires Don’t Collapse Overnight
The fact is that the Roman Empire did not crumble in a single swoop of fire and rubble. It took many years and hundreds of bad choices to bring about the unavoidable outcome. Unfortunately, many of the judgments that caused long-term harm were thought to be brilliant ideas at the time.
The fact is that the Roman Empire did not crumble in a single swoop of fire and rubble. It took many years and hundreds of bad choices to bring about the unavoidable outcome. Unfortunately, many of the judgments that caused long-term harm were thought to be brilliant ideas at the time.