Rome\'s decline and the U.S.

[Robert Vermaat]

Yes. I agree that our spending on defense is not as great a share as welfare programs; medicare ect. Fiscal crisis is more worrying.

I agree there, because although the collapse of Rome in the West during the 5th century cannot be compared to any modern state in crisis, there are elements that are worrysome for any society. When at some point public funds are no longer sufficient to guarantee a ceratin level of security, society can slip downwards. Trade was far more vulnerable 1500 years ago than it was today, but than modern markets as a whole are far more vulnerable today. But when a central government does no longer have the means to 'look after' the population, people might look to their own region first. This certainly did happen in the Late Roman West, and there are similar trends in modern US society. I cannot help but wonder how the US would react to situations now developing in the UK (Scotland), Belgium (Flanders) and Spain (Catalunya)?

I began this thread just thinking of the parallels between Rome and the U.S. So far, nobody has commented on how our Society has decayed moraly and socially. This is where I feel we have fallen.

Although I'm not rejoicing about modern society as a whole, I'd be careful there when you start thinking so negative. Comparing modern society, whether in Europe or in the US, to Late Roman society (or even the Republic) hsa ours come out on top, shing, miles ahead of the Romans. We are way better off, even at this very moment, especially where the rights of the indivudual are concerned. Enlightenment and other developments have seen to that, and even some 'moral setbacks' of the past years do not cancel that out. Ans as long as enough people ask themselves questions about all this, we are crtainly not 'fallen'.

We value Kim Kardashian and Sports figures, actors. Political debates are graded on 'entertainment' value as opposed to content.... :?

Well, not much has changed there, people always go for quick entertainment. Gladiators were also revered by the masses, right? Hammurabi already complained about the younger generation growing up without any respect - 3600 years ago!