Lessons from Rome

"There was once a dream that was Rome. You could only whisper it. Anything more than a whisper and it would vanish...it was so fragile."
--Marcus Aurelius (Gladiator)

Freedom remains the radical idea. Its place in history is tiny compared to designs of conquest, tyranny, and aggression. When they have been tried, designs of freedom have not lasted long.

Take Rome, for example. In its prime, Rome was the marvel of the world. Rule of law rather than discretionary rule. Productivity unleashed by freedom to produce and trade. Standard of living far ahead of its time--unmatched anywhere on earth.

However, the free state of Rome lasted only a couple of hundred years. The true republic of Rome was dead before the time of Christ.

If we are to reverse our own failing design of freedom, then we should learn the lessons of failed designs before us. Here is an interesting summary of some factors contributing to the decline of the Roman republic.

Gradual decline. Although Rome was born out of revolt against monarchy (similar to the US) around 500 BC, the end came gradually. As decline set in, no person or event ended the Roman republic overnight.

Empire building. At some point, Rome set out to build an empire, to conquer other lands. Power shifted toward military leaders. Taxes diverted resources from individual pursuits to projects of conquest. As more civilians went away to fight battles abroad, mischief increased at home. People's attention was spread thin, and agency problems arose.

Welfare state. To fix 'economic injustice,' welfare programs were implemented to redistribute resources by government force. Taxes increased further, the central government bailed out profligate locales, and inflationary monetary policies were deployed to 'stimulate' the economy. Even in Rome's twilight, public welfare was enshrined as a right rather than as a program of temporary assistance.

Constitutional erosion. Although the Roman constitution was unwritten, it featured characteristics similar to the US Constitution such as separation of powers, guarantee of due process, and habeas corpus. Over time, however, Rome's rule of law was displaced by discretionary rule. By the time barbarians overran the remnants of Rome in 476 AD, Rome's constitution was a distant memory.

Can we learn from history's rhyme?