Your Daily Dose of Doom 'N' Gloom
Because it's always fun drawing parallels to the decline and fall of the Roman Empire (a habit I indulge in way too often myself):
"All Transactions To Be Conducted In The Presence Of A Tax Collector"
In the terminal collapse of the Roman Empire, there was perhaps no greater burden to the average citizen than the extreme taxes they were forced to pay.
The tax 'reforms' of Emperor Diocletian in the 3rd century were so rigid and unwavering that many people were driven to starvation and bankruptcy. The state went so far as to chase around widows and children to collect taxes owed.
By the 4th century, the Roman economy and tax structure were so dismal that many farmers abandoned their lands in order to receive public entitlements.
At this point, the imperial government was spending the majority of the funds it collected on either the military or public entitlements. For a time, according to historian Joseph Tainter, “those who lived off the treasury were more numerous than those paying into it.”
Sound familiar?
Semper idem, or not...
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Comments:
Aug '10
Re: Your Daily Dose of Doom 'N' Gloom
I am sure that thousands of black farmers are moving back into agriculture.From the number of payouts from Pigford, the population of black farmers was alot greater than previously recorded. This means your proposal may be wrong.
Oct '10
Re: Your Daily Dose of Doom 'N' Gloom
Farming from a windowbox in Chicago most likely.
Apr '12
Re: Your Daily Dose of Doom 'N' Gloom
I already said this but my husband and i just paid fifty percent of our retirement income in taxes and we are retired. That's a disgrace. Then add in our sales tax, gas tax, property tax and it is way up. For what? Crummy health care that terrifies me. It is a big scam, I am not the only Canadian who thinks like this.
Aug '10
Re: Your Daily Dose of Doom 'N' Gloom
wilberwith 40% of the cabbage to the lawyer that found 'em
Oct '10
Re: Your Daily Dose of Doom 'N' Gloom
At last count, prior to being expanded, the price tag was 2.4 billion and climbing. How many Chicago windowbox farmers one might think collect other subsidies ? Quite an industry there.
Jul '11
Re: Your Daily Dose of Doom 'N' Gloom
Yes the federal gravy train is easier than growing the food yourself. Until no growers exist without shackles. But as the cannibals said in Rome,"We come to curry Caesar not to braise him".
Oct '10
Re: Your Daily Dose of Doom 'N' Gloom
No mention of the Roman entertainment spectacles ?
Appears the Bread and Circuses analogy applies today.
Jul '11
Re: Your Daily Dose of Doom 'N' Gloom
Perhaps the answer to the happy Roman joke could satisfy all your criteria. Complete coc to explain.
Jan '12
Re: Your Daily Dose of Doom 'N' Gloom
The late Romans also opened their borders to the Goths and, in a kind of DREAM Act, filled their armies with foreign mercenaries. Eventually Odoacer showed up at the gates to demand full payment.
Dec '11
Re: Your Daily Dose of Doom 'N' Gloom
I'm another Canadian who thinks like you! Also, welcome to Ricochet.
Aug '10
Re: Your Daily Dose of Doom 'N' Gloom
wilber forge
No mention of the Roman entertainment spectacles ?
Nothing wrong with entertainment spectacles, as long as they're funded privately.
The Roman arenas were paid for out of taxes, were they not? Good cautionary tale for any municipality that wants taxpayers to pony up for a football stadium or hockey arena.
Oct '10
Re: Your Daily Dose of Doom 'N' Gloom
Pay for the entertainment venue through taxes, levies and or bonds, then have to buy pricey tickets. What a deal. Then one cannot even bring ones own bread to the circus.
Dec '10
Re: Your Daily Dose of Doom 'N' Gloom
Huh. I didn't know it was possible to indulge too much in comparing our situation to the decline and fall of the Roman Empire. I'll have to keep that in mind.
Aug '10
Re: Your Daily Dose of Doom 'N' Gloom
Well, at some point, the audience starts wondering if you have only ever read 1 book of history. It's better to throw in references to the falls of Greek city-states, the collapse of various Chinese dynasties, the decline of the British empire, the end of Spain's military and commercial might, and so on.
Despite all that, recently, the best parallels have come from Rome. Good news for those who have studied Roman history a lot; bad news for everyone, generally.