Brute_Force
Really Experienced
- Joined
- Aug 14, 2007
- Posts
- 214
Part I:
Mideast Oil, Roman Slaves
What does oil have to do with Roman slaves?
Empires are driven to more and more extensive conquests by the need for the energy source that sustains them. With Rome it was slaves, and possibly wheat; with the US it is oil.
Roman conquests brought back much spoil: gold, silver, anything portable of value, but historian after historian remarks that the most precious spoils were the captives; they became the slaves that built the aqueducts, the roads, the imperial buildings; they were the labor that quarried the stone and manned the mines (a form of punishment for recalcitrant slaves); most importantly, they were the workers who farmed the huge latifundia that fed the empire (both in Italy and in conquered North Africa), and that drove out the yeoman peasantry. They made the conquerors wealthier than any previous aristocracy; they were also the skilled artisans and the "factory" workers; they drove every part of the imperial machine, except the military: slaves were banned from the military until the last days of the Empire, when Rome became desperate for soldiers.
Today, slavery may still be a problem in sweat shops and the sex trade, but the energy of the American empire is derived, largely, from oil . American warships and planes run on oil, or its derivatives, with a few exceptions, and the American military machine on the ground runs on oil. So, too, does the American economy, yet the US can no longer produce even half of its oil needs; we reached domestic "peak oil" in the 1970's, yet we still needed more and more, which may be one of the reasons why the US became the largest debtor nation in the early 1980's. But it's also the reason why we've become more and more active militarily in the Middle East, and in other places which possess "our" oil.
In other words: (relatively) cheap gasoline and fuel oil, which drives the US economy, is the real reason why we have to have the largest military forces on the planet and why we have to have the "projection capability" to send our military into virtually any country in the world. Speak about subsidies! Think of a good portion of that $600 billion defense budget as a subsidy to the oil companies.
No other nation spends more than about 15 percent (China) of what the US spends on its military (the US spends about $500 billion--over $600 billion if current war expenses are included; the rest of the world combined spends no more than $500 billion on its defense ), and only the last empire, the UK, has much projection capability--but nothing compared to ours.
We do not have this huge military establishment to keep world peace; we have it so that we can enforce our access to oil. It was, of course, the prime reason why we invaded Iraq; it was also one of two or three reasons why we attacked Afghanistan, too; the Taliban would not satisfactorily negotiate on building an oil pipeline from the Transcaspian oil basin.
Luckily for Hugo Chavez, we don't have enough military forces to invade Venezuela, at least as long as we're tied down in Iraq. So, he can flaunt his independence. But you can see, from the result in other Latin countries (Bolivia, Ecuador, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Nicaragua) why MORE American forces are needed if we are to enforce an empire. Without them, the natives are getting restive, no, downright unruly.
Of course it isn't just oil, as it wasn't just slaves in the Roman Empire. Conquest brought all kinds of riches to Rome, mostly to its aristocracy. The people, rendered superfluous by the abundance of slaves, were given the crumbs: the proverbial "bread and circuses," which really included a lot more than that: cooking oil, pork, wine, as well as bread; gladiatorial and wild animal contests as well as pageants in the coliseums, the chariot races in the circus, and also the public baths, in which you did much more than just get clean; you could also swim, play ball, lounge and chat, or even get a massage.
Now, for the equivalent, all you need is a credit card. (A slight exaggeration: Americans borrowed and spent more than they earned in 2006).
If it isn't just oil, then what is it? US control of world markets, or at least enough influence to predominate in institutions like the WTO, the UN Security Council and the World Bank, and to insure that large corporations, most US-based, are free to exploit the rest of the world--and the US itself, of course. "Free trade" (which really means freedom for corporations to invest) was an idea invented by another imperial power, the British, but it serves US imperial interests very well.
If the world, and the US, turns to other energy sources, like solar power and wind in order to slow global warming, and to secure "energy independence," the US might no longer need an empire; these kinds of energy are widely distributed, locally available everywhere.
That would mean that the huge US military establishment could become superfluous! I'm sure it will attempt to reinvent itself; after all, what half-trillion dollar establishment would go quietly into that dark night? Perhaps it will become the enforcer for global corporations. However, can Americans be fooled into continuing to pay for it? They, in effect, would be asked to pay for outsourcing, lower pay, lower standards of living, global competition for their own jobs and US bankruptcy. Doesn't sound likely, does it?
Empires do not benefit the majority of the people in them, although the people are told that they do; empires only enrich a tiny elite. Everyone else would be a lot better off without the US empire. After all, think what the nation could do with an extra $400 billion a year (leaving the US still spending more than any other nation on its military). That money could go to many alternative uses, like paying for universal health care without raising taxes and paying down the debt.
The US life-style could also become de-militarized; its whole public culture could change dramatically.
We might actually become a humane society!
Douglas C. Smythe
Part II:
Reasons for the fall of the Roman Empire
All left Rome open to outside invaders
adapted from History Alive material
There were many reasons for the fall of the Roman Empire. Each one intertwined with the next. Many even blame the introduction of Christianity for the decline. Christianity made many Roman citizens into pacifists, making it more difficult to defend against the barbarian attackers. Also money used to build churches could have been used to maintain the empire. Although some argue that Christianity may have provided some morals and values for a declining civilization and therefore may have actually prolonged the imperial era.
Decline in Morals and Values
Those morals and values that kept together the Roman legions and thus the empire could not be maintained towards the end of the empire. Crimes of violence made the streets of the larger cities unsafe. Even during PaxRomana there were 32,000 prostitutes in Rome. Emperors like Nero and Caligula became infamous for wasting money on lavish parties where guests ate and drank until they became ill. The most popular amusement was watching the gladiatorial combats in the Colosseum. These were attended by the poor, the rich, and frequently the emperor himself. As gladiators fought, vicious cries and curses were heard from the audience. One contest after another was staged in the course of a single day. Should the ground become too soaked with blood, it was covered over with a fresh layer of sand and the performance went on.
Public Health
There were many public health and environmental problems. Many of the wealthy had water brought to their homes through lead pipes. Previously the aqueducts had even purified the water but at the end lead pipes were thought to be preferable. The wealthy death rate was very high. The continuous interaction of people at the Colosseum, the blood and death probable spread disease. Those who lived on the streets in continuous contact allowed for an uninterrupted strain of disease much like the homeless in the poorer run shelters of today. Alcohol use increased as well adding to the incompetency of the general public.
Political Corruption
One of the most difficult problems was choosing a new emperor. Unlike Greece where transition may not have been smooth but was at least consistent, the Romans never created an effective system to determine how new emperors would be selected. The choice was always open to debate between the old emperor, the Senate, the Praetorian Guard (the emperor's's private army), and the army. Gradually, the Praetorian Guard gained complete authority to choose the new emperor, who rewarded the guard who then became more influential, perpetuating the cycle. Then in 186 A. D. the army strangled the new emperor, the practice began of selling the throne to the highest bidder. During the next 100 years, Rome had 37 different emperors - 25 of whom were removed from office by assassination. This contributed to the overall weaknesses of the empire.
Unemployment
During the latter years of the empire farming was done on large estates called latifundia that were owned by wealthy men who used slave labor. A farmer who had to pay workmen could not produce goods as cheaply. Many farmers could not compete with these low prices and lost or sold their farms. This not only undermined the citizen farmer who passed his values to his family, but also filled the cities with unemployed people. At one time, the emperor was importing grain to feed more than 100,000 people in Rome alone. These people were not only a burden but also had little to do but cause trouble and contribute to an ever increasing crime rate.
Inflation
The roman economy suffered from inflation (an increase in prices) beginning after the reign of Marcus Aurelius. Once the Romans stopped conquering new lands, the flow of gold into the Roman economy decreased. Yet much gold was being spent by the romans to pay for luxury items. This meant that there was less gold to use in coins. As the amount of gold used in coins decreased, the coins became less valuable. To make up for this loss in value, merchants raised the prices on the goods they sold. Many people stopped using coins and began to barter to get what they needed. Eventually, salaries had to be paid in food and clothing, and taxes were collected in fruits and vegetables.
Urban decay
Wealthy Romans lived in a domus, or house, with marble walls, floors with intricate colored tiles, and windows made of small panes of glass. Most Romans, however, were not rich, They lived in small smelly rooms in apartment houses with six or more stories called islands. Each island covered an entire block. At one time there were 44,000 apartment houses within the city walls of Rome. First-floor apartments were not occupied by the poor since these living quarters rented for about $00 a year. The more shaky wooden stairs a family had to climb, the cheaper the rent became. The upper apartments that the poor rented for $40 a year were hot, dirty, crowed, and dangerous. Anyone who could not pay the rent was forced to move out and live on the crime-infested streets. Because of this cities began to decay.
Inferior Technology
During the last 400 years of the empire, the scientific achievements of the Romans were limited almost entirely to engineering and the organization of public services. They built marvelous roads, bridges, and aqueducts. They established the first system of medicine for the benefit of the poor. But since the Romans relied so much on human and animal labor, they failed to invent many new machines or find new technology to produce goods more efficiently. They could not provide enough goods for their growing population. They were no longer conquering other civilizations and adapting their technology, they were actually losing territory they could not longer maintain with their legions.
Military Spending
Maintaining an army to defend the border of the Empire from barbarian attacks was a constant drain on the government. Military spending left few resources for other vital activities, such as providing public housing and maintaining quality roads and aqueducts. Frustrated Romans lost their desire to defend the Empire. The empire had to begin hiring soldiers recruited from the unemployed city mobs or worse from foreign counties. Such an army was not only unreliable, but very expensive. The emperors were forced to raise taxes frequently which in turn led again to increased inflation.
THE FINAL BLOWS
For years, the well-disciplined Roman army held the barbarians of Germany back. Then in the third century A. D. the Roman soldiers were pulled back from the Rhine-Danube frontier to fight civil war in Italy. This left the Roman border open to attack. Gradually Germanic hunters and herders from the north began to overtake Roman lands in Greece and Gaul (later France). Then in 476 A. D. the Germanic general Odacer or Odovacar overthrew the last of the Roman Emperors, Augustulus Romulus. From then on the western part of the Empire was ruled by Germanic chieftain. Roads and bridges were left in disrepair and fields left untilled. Pirates and bandits made travel unsafe. Cities could not be maintained without goods from the farms, trade and business began to disappear. And Rome was no more in the West.
???? Fall of the United States ????
Mideast Oil, Roman Slaves
What does oil have to do with Roman slaves?
Empires are driven to more and more extensive conquests by the need for the energy source that sustains them. With Rome it was slaves, and possibly wheat; with the US it is oil.
Roman conquests brought back much spoil: gold, silver, anything portable of value, but historian after historian remarks that the most precious spoils were the captives; they became the slaves that built the aqueducts, the roads, the imperial buildings; they were the labor that quarried the stone and manned the mines (a form of punishment for recalcitrant slaves); most importantly, they were the workers who farmed the huge latifundia that fed the empire (both in Italy and in conquered North Africa), and that drove out the yeoman peasantry. They made the conquerors wealthier than any previous aristocracy; they were also the skilled artisans and the "factory" workers; they drove every part of the imperial machine, except the military: slaves were banned from the military until the last days of the Empire, when Rome became desperate for soldiers.
Today, slavery may still be a problem in sweat shops and the sex trade, but the energy of the American empire is derived, largely, from oil . American warships and planes run on oil, or its derivatives, with a few exceptions, and the American military machine on the ground runs on oil. So, too, does the American economy, yet the US can no longer produce even half of its oil needs; we reached domestic "peak oil" in the 1970's, yet we still needed more and more, which may be one of the reasons why the US became the largest debtor nation in the early 1980's. But it's also the reason why we've become more and more active militarily in the Middle East, and in other places which possess "our" oil.
In other words: (relatively) cheap gasoline and fuel oil, which drives the US economy, is the real reason why we have to have the largest military forces on the planet and why we have to have the "projection capability" to send our military into virtually any country in the world. Speak about subsidies! Think of a good portion of that $600 billion defense budget as a subsidy to the oil companies.
No other nation spends more than about 15 percent (China) of what the US spends on its military (the US spends about $500 billion--over $600 billion if current war expenses are included; the rest of the world combined spends no more than $500 billion on its defense ), and only the last empire, the UK, has much projection capability--but nothing compared to ours.
We do not have this huge military establishment to keep world peace; we have it so that we can enforce our access to oil. It was, of course, the prime reason why we invaded Iraq; it was also one of two or three reasons why we attacked Afghanistan, too; the Taliban would not satisfactorily negotiate on building an oil pipeline from the Transcaspian oil basin.
Luckily for Hugo Chavez, we don't have enough military forces to invade Venezuela, at least as long as we're tied down in Iraq. So, he can flaunt his independence. But you can see, from the result in other Latin countries (Bolivia, Ecuador, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Nicaragua) why MORE American forces are needed if we are to enforce an empire. Without them, the natives are getting restive, no, downright unruly.
Of course it isn't just oil, as it wasn't just slaves in the Roman Empire. Conquest brought all kinds of riches to Rome, mostly to its aristocracy. The people, rendered superfluous by the abundance of slaves, were given the crumbs: the proverbial "bread and circuses," which really included a lot more than that: cooking oil, pork, wine, as well as bread; gladiatorial and wild animal contests as well as pageants in the coliseums, the chariot races in the circus, and also the public baths, in which you did much more than just get clean; you could also swim, play ball, lounge and chat, or even get a massage.
Now, for the equivalent, all you need is a credit card. (A slight exaggeration: Americans borrowed and spent more than they earned in 2006).
If it isn't just oil, then what is it? US control of world markets, or at least enough influence to predominate in institutions like the WTO, the UN Security Council and the World Bank, and to insure that large corporations, most US-based, are free to exploit the rest of the world--and the US itself, of course. "Free trade" (which really means freedom for corporations to invest) was an idea invented by another imperial power, the British, but it serves US imperial interests very well.
If the world, and the US, turns to other energy sources, like solar power and wind in order to slow global warming, and to secure "energy independence," the US might no longer need an empire; these kinds of energy are widely distributed, locally available everywhere.
That would mean that the huge US military establishment could become superfluous! I'm sure it will attempt to reinvent itself; after all, what half-trillion dollar establishment would go quietly into that dark night? Perhaps it will become the enforcer for global corporations. However, can Americans be fooled into continuing to pay for it? They, in effect, would be asked to pay for outsourcing, lower pay, lower standards of living, global competition for their own jobs and US bankruptcy. Doesn't sound likely, does it?
Empires do not benefit the majority of the people in them, although the people are told that they do; empires only enrich a tiny elite. Everyone else would be a lot better off without the US empire. After all, think what the nation could do with an extra $400 billion a year (leaving the US still spending more than any other nation on its military). That money could go to many alternative uses, like paying for universal health care without raising taxes and paying down the debt.
The US life-style could also become de-militarized; its whole public culture could change dramatically.
We might actually become a humane society!
Douglas C. Smythe
Part II:
Reasons for the fall of the Roman Empire
All left Rome open to outside invaders
adapted from History Alive material
There were many reasons for the fall of the Roman Empire. Each one intertwined with the next. Many even blame the introduction of Christianity for the decline. Christianity made many Roman citizens into pacifists, making it more difficult to defend against the barbarian attackers. Also money used to build churches could have been used to maintain the empire. Although some argue that Christianity may have provided some morals and values for a declining civilization and therefore may have actually prolonged the imperial era.
Decline in Morals and Values
Those morals and values that kept together the Roman legions and thus the empire could not be maintained towards the end of the empire. Crimes of violence made the streets of the larger cities unsafe. Even during PaxRomana there were 32,000 prostitutes in Rome. Emperors like Nero and Caligula became infamous for wasting money on lavish parties where guests ate and drank until they became ill. The most popular amusement was watching the gladiatorial combats in the Colosseum. These were attended by the poor, the rich, and frequently the emperor himself. As gladiators fought, vicious cries and curses were heard from the audience. One contest after another was staged in the course of a single day. Should the ground become too soaked with blood, it was covered over with a fresh layer of sand and the performance went on.
Public Health
There were many public health and environmental problems. Many of the wealthy had water brought to their homes through lead pipes. Previously the aqueducts had even purified the water but at the end lead pipes were thought to be preferable. The wealthy death rate was very high. The continuous interaction of people at the Colosseum, the blood and death probable spread disease. Those who lived on the streets in continuous contact allowed for an uninterrupted strain of disease much like the homeless in the poorer run shelters of today. Alcohol use increased as well adding to the incompetency of the general public.
Political Corruption
One of the most difficult problems was choosing a new emperor. Unlike Greece where transition may not have been smooth but was at least consistent, the Romans never created an effective system to determine how new emperors would be selected. The choice was always open to debate between the old emperor, the Senate, the Praetorian Guard (the emperor's's private army), and the army. Gradually, the Praetorian Guard gained complete authority to choose the new emperor, who rewarded the guard who then became more influential, perpetuating the cycle. Then in 186 A. D. the army strangled the new emperor, the practice began of selling the throne to the highest bidder. During the next 100 years, Rome had 37 different emperors - 25 of whom were removed from office by assassination. This contributed to the overall weaknesses of the empire.
Unemployment
During the latter years of the empire farming was done on large estates called latifundia that were owned by wealthy men who used slave labor. A farmer who had to pay workmen could not produce goods as cheaply. Many farmers could not compete with these low prices and lost or sold their farms. This not only undermined the citizen farmer who passed his values to his family, but also filled the cities with unemployed people. At one time, the emperor was importing grain to feed more than 100,000 people in Rome alone. These people were not only a burden but also had little to do but cause trouble and contribute to an ever increasing crime rate.
Inflation
The roman economy suffered from inflation (an increase in prices) beginning after the reign of Marcus Aurelius. Once the Romans stopped conquering new lands, the flow of gold into the Roman economy decreased. Yet much gold was being spent by the romans to pay for luxury items. This meant that there was less gold to use in coins. As the amount of gold used in coins decreased, the coins became less valuable. To make up for this loss in value, merchants raised the prices on the goods they sold. Many people stopped using coins and began to barter to get what they needed. Eventually, salaries had to be paid in food and clothing, and taxes were collected in fruits and vegetables.
Urban decay
Wealthy Romans lived in a domus, or house, with marble walls, floors with intricate colored tiles, and windows made of small panes of glass. Most Romans, however, were not rich, They lived in small smelly rooms in apartment houses with six or more stories called islands. Each island covered an entire block. At one time there were 44,000 apartment houses within the city walls of Rome. First-floor apartments were not occupied by the poor since these living quarters rented for about $00 a year. The more shaky wooden stairs a family had to climb, the cheaper the rent became. The upper apartments that the poor rented for $40 a year were hot, dirty, crowed, and dangerous. Anyone who could not pay the rent was forced to move out and live on the crime-infested streets. Because of this cities began to decay.
Inferior Technology
During the last 400 years of the empire, the scientific achievements of the Romans were limited almost entirely to engineering and the organization of public services. They built marvelous roads, bridges, and aqueducts. They established the first system of medicine for the benefit of the poor. But since the Romans relied so much on human and animal labor, they failed to invent many new machines or find new technology to produce goods more efficiently. They could not provide enough goods for their growing population. They were no longer conquering other civilizations and adapting their technology, they were actually losing territory they could not longer maintain with their legions.
Military Spending
Maintaining an army to defend the border of the Empire from barbarian attacks was a constant drain on the government. Military spending left few resources for other vital activities, such as providing public housing and maintaining quality roads and aqueducts. Frustrated Romans lost their desire to defend the Empire. The empire had to begin hiring soldiers recruited from the unemployed city mobs or worse from foreign counties. Such an army was not only unreliable, but very expensive. The emperors were forced to raise taxes frequently which in turn led again to increased inflation.
THE FINAL BLOWS
For years, the well-disciplined Roman army held the barbarians of Germany back. Then in the third century A. D. the Roman soldiers were pulled back from the Rhine-Danube frontier to fight civil war in Italy. This left the Roman border open to attack. Gradually Germanic hunters and herders from the north began to overtake Roman lands in Greece and Gaul (later France). Then in 476 A. D. the Germanic general Odacer or Odovacar overthrew the last of the Roman Emperors, Augustulus Romulus. From then on the western part of the Empire was ruled by Germanic chieftain. Roads and bridges were left in disrepair and fields left untilled. Pirates and bandits made travel unsafe. Cities could not be maintained without goods from the farms, trade and business began to disappear. And Rome was no more in the West.
???? Fall of the United States ????
I'm sorry Brute, but you pushed my "Rant" button...and it ain't gonna be pretty:
