When the Republic Isn’t Worth Defending

[Jacquerie]

I vaguely recall from Gibbon, or maybe it was from a high school class, that the Roman Empire didn’t go out with a bang. With a nod to Alaric and his Visigoths of 410 AD, there really isn’t a singular event to mark the beginning of the long slide. In broad strokes it is fair to say that Roman society declined together, simultaneously with government. For centuries, Roman citizenship was a precious possession, a jewel of unsurpassed value. As such it was held closely and kept in short supply, for among other privileges, the Roman citizen wasn’t taxed. He was exempt from the possibility of torture, and could under certain circumstances appeal judicial rulings to the Emperor.

By the end, Roman citizenship was a burden to be avoided. The citizen was taxed to the hilt. Government couldn’t protect him from domestic or foreign born violence. Once a rarity, local populaces built defensive walls as the means to a protection which devolved from the state to whatever communities could scrabble together.

Self-preservation is our first right, the first one granted to us by God. Because God infused it in us all, it is a component of our nature. This nature is constant. No matter how long ago, men’s nature in ancient times is identical that of today.

Enclaves of law abiding citizens near Ferguson have hired private security. More Americans renounce their citizenship every year. Bug out plans and SHTF oriented websites are common. Rulers live separate existences in an imperial city, far removed in interest and wealth from the ruled.

This isn’t to say we should expect Luis Gutierez to lead wild eyed barbarians from the south to sack and pillage Washington DC anytime soon.

Thanks to Barack Obama, he doesn't have to.

[arthurus]

Charlemagne and Mohammed

Try it, you'll like it.

A Review of it

[Jacquerie]

Agree. Islam is ascendant, Christianity/Western Civilization are in retreat. There is little time to stop the approaching dark age. In this regard, we could learn a lesson from Russia and China. They know what to do with muzzies.

[Age of Reason]

In fact, the main reason given, even at the time, for Caracalla's Edict giving citizenship to all free men of the Empire was to expose them to taxes

Good point; I seem to remember reading that.

And it reminds me of one reason I heard our government likes to flood the country with immigrants: to increase the number of taxpayers, especially to increase the number of contributors to social security, because that last has turned into a kind of Ponzi scheme.

[Age of Reason]

Read City of God by Augustine.

Why?

[onedoug]

Thanks for your input. Very interesting indeed.

Happy Thanksgiving!

[LongWayHome]

We have reached the tipping point. What’s coming is going to be worse than most people suspect. I suspect the United States will break apart within 30 or 40 years. The UK will be lost to the Islamic tide. France will follow. Eastern Europe has a chance....the rise of the Chinese super-state will clash with Islam & cause a world-wide war the likes of which we have never seen. Indeed you are right. A new “Dark-Age” is coming.

[demshateGod]

Because I said so. No because he was writing during the time of the fall of Rome. He describes it well. The popular theory then was Rome fell because they abandoned pagan gods.

[Nifster]

On that you and I are in agreement. It is definitely time for Article V activity