Mind: OT brainstorm/stream follows...
Let's see if Bush is a hero, or a Nero...
The Germanic tribes were clearly a symptom, not a cause, of the downfall. They were just reacting naturally (PO'd) to the hundreds of Roman invasions of their country for resources.
Any present day parallels (or should I say barrel-els?) come to mind?
As far as I can tell in my reading, the overall tax burden in the Roman empire was fairly constant, to maybe even dropping at the end. The real issue was the burden was shifted from those who could pay to those who could not. How? The upper classes simply bribed corrupt tax collectors and politicians, and the bulk of the cash in the economy fairly rapidly concentrated into a few powerful estates and/or families. In the face of this hoarding of wealth, the tax burden fell increasingly onto the lower classes, who had less and less ability to pay. As the general economy collapsed, hoarding became worse.
Are the rich getting richer, and paying less taxes, or is it just my imagination? No politician got bribed by Enron or Global Crossing, right?
The same rich families did not want their sons to go off and get killed by the Germans, so they got them exemptions from what was otherwise universal conscription. The peasant boys were smart enough not to like the concept of being "catapult-fodder", so they deserted. Besides, there was not enough money raised in taxes to feed and arm them, as well as fix the broken aqueducts and roads!
What rich family got their son into the National Guard to avoid Vietnam? And we are sure taking good care of the roads and waterways now, aren't we?
Similar lessons are there in Chinese and Egyptian history too.
Now that is what I call De'ja Vu!
Have a good weekend!
:-)
-Own |
