Empires (Like the U.S.) Fall When Corruption Becomes Rampant

Zero Hedge ^ | January 8, 2016 | Tyler Durden

[Perseverando]

Widespread corruption destroys empires.

By way of example, corruption was one of the main causes of the collapse of the Roman Empire:

The Praetorian Guard—the emperor’s personal bodyguards—assassinated and installed new sovereigns at will, and once even auctioned the spot off to the highest bidder [and see this]. The political rot also extended to the Roman Senate, which failed to temper the excesses of the emperors due to its own widespread corruption and incompetence. As the situation worsened, civic pride waned and many Roman citizens lost trust in their leadership.

The Ottoman Empire started its decline when the sale of offices, bribery and corruption became widespread. Indeed:

Most historians point to "degenerate Sultans, incompetent Grand Viziers, debilitated and ill-equipped armies, corrupt officials, avaricious speculators, grasping enemies, and treacherous friends.

The Yuan Empire (led by the Mongols) also collapsed due to corruption:

The decline of the [the Yuan empire] was a result of a number of factors, these being incompetent and rivaling leaders, corruption, revolts, decadence, factional struggles, assassinations, external attacks, and disease.

Moreover:

Toward the end, corruption and the persecution became so severe that Muslim generals joined Han Chinese in rebelling against the Mongols.

Former history professor at the University of Alabama Larry Clayton notes:

The [Roman] republic evolved into an empire and the empire grew corrupt from its own tremendous power. There arose, like mushrooms after a long rain, self-indulgent vices driven by pride and power. An oft quoted observation noted:

“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely” wrote the English essayist and historian Lord Acton in 1887.

[Perseverando]

Those who fail to learn from history....

[1rudeboy]

Have to read the warnings from a blogger named after a movie character. (Just finishing your sentence).

[Perseverando]

Know Jesus, know peace. No Jesus, no peace.

(Correction: The article was submitted by “George Washington” at Zero Hedge.)

[TalBlack]

We’ll find out how far we are down that road when PIAPS is or isn’t indicted.

[2banana]

To “obama” something - to make something as corrupt and politicized as possible.

[1rudeboy]

Seriously? ZeroHedge pulled-out the "George Washington" moniker for this piece? Now we know it's important.

[smokingfrog]

Though liberty is established by law, we must be vigilant, for liberty to enslave us is always present under that very liberty. Our Constitution speaks of the ‘general welfare of the people.’ Under that phrase all sorts of excesses can be employed by lusting tyrants to make us bondsmen.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2388765/posts

[Perseverando]

Corruption in business, government, society? Important?

Seriously? Yeah!

[1rudeboy]

If so, one needn’t look to the Praetorian Guard. Just sayin’.

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

“Rampant” is not as strong a descriptor as “the most highly admired characteristic in society”.

[Attention Surplus Disorder]

“Rampant” is not as strong a descriptor as “the most highly admired characteristic in society”.

[kabar]

We will know the extent of the corruption when the FBI fails to indict Hillary or the DOJ declines to prosecute her.

[blueunicorn6]

You want a perfect government? Staff it with perfect people.

People are just bags of water and emotions that are walking around.

Nobody robs banks anymore. The crooks all go into politics or get a government job.

I’m sorry, but we are going to have to start hanging thieves. There are too many of them and they aren’t afraid of jail.

[varon]

Empires (Like the U.S.) Fall When Corruption Becomes Rampant

Empires (Like the U.S.) Fall When Corruption (Like the Clintons) Becomes Rampant

[cherry]

there's little we can do....WE should have booted bammey but the voters didn't do their job...

look at the govt workers...and yes, ALL of them....they never get fired, get huge benefits and an obscene pension at early age and get every single holiday off and then some...

they have sunk this country....

we elected a grifter in 1992 and re-elected him and we did the same damn thing with bammy, and now we'll elect Hitlery...

accept they indulge in billion dollar grifting...

the elite rich bankers from Wall Street run the whole damn show, and as long as they get their cut, they could care less if 1000 rampaging animals rape young women on the street...