Then maybe you should start a thread about the limited powers of federal government since we are all talking about olive oil.
"Free Republic advocates a return to constitutionally limited government, reserving all government powers not expressly delegated by the constitution to the United States to the States respectively, or the people, emphasizing sovereign state governments, local government, self-government and self-rule, while restricting government powers to only those enumerated in the constitution and maximizing individual rights and liberty as originally envisioned and established by our Founding Fathers and secured and defended by the blood of patriots and statesmen for over two hundred years. "
Hit abuse if you don't think it's appropriate.
/johnny
The Athenian nobility sponsored credit unions to make loans to olive farmers. The result of this risk spreading was that Athens became immensely wealthy from profits on exported olive oil, and olive products (e.g. soap).
The Athenian state also became immensely wealthy from the taxes on olives and olive oil.
A rich middle class demanded better performance of the noble class and over a period of about 50 years three major figures came forward out of the nobility to give the Greeks what amounted to democracy.
Although there were bouts of traditional Greek tyranny during that period, in the end the combination of the credit union, wealthy middle class, and general enrichment of the nation as a whole resulted in formal development of voting, voters, political parties, campaigining, etc.
Olives are inextricably linked to any discussion of the limits or powers of democratic self-rule by the people.
We can discuss both simultaneously. History says we must!