Posted on 10/07/2016 5:30:24 PM PDT by Beave Meister
In 449 B.C., the Roman government passed the Law of the Twelve Tables, regulating much of commercial, social, and family life. Some of these laws were reasonable and consistent with an economy of contract and commerce; others prescribed gruesome punishments and assigned cruel powers and privileges given to some. Other regulations fixed a maximum rate of interest on loans of approximately 8 percent. The Roman government also had the habit of periodically forgiving all interest owed in the society; that is, it legally freed private debtors from having to pay back interest due to private creditors.
The Roman government also set price controls on wheat. In the fourth century, B.C., the Roman government would buy grain during periods of shortages and sell it at a price fixed far below the market price. In 58 B.C., this was improved upon; the government gave grain away to the citizens of Rome at a zero price, that is, for free.
The result was inevitable: farmers left the land and flocked to Rome; this, of course, only made the problem worse, since with fewer farmers on the land in the territories surrounding Rome, less grain than before was being grown and brought to the market. Also, masters were freeing their slaves and placing the financial burden for feeding them on the Roman government at that zero price.
(Excerpt) Read more at fee.org ...
This is FASCINATING!!!
Who knew Rome had a liberal period?
But still, they lasted WAY after these decrees
I shall read the full article to find out more.
Bread and circuses.
But still, they lasted WAY after these decrees
Rome didn't have foreign dependents. For instance, they weren't saddled with providing military protection, loans, and humanitarian aid, and grain assistance to Parthia or Dacia.
All modern communist and socialist countries have depended on the USA for support in one way or another, including the USSR.
Very interesting. We could have some talk over a beer and a shot!!
It would have been my pleasure.
Cause i got a feeling you got a ton of info about Rome in that head :)
We need a year of Jubilee
Thanks for posting this article... once on the FEE website, it was hard to get off as there are endless interesting articles and the writing is quite good.
Yes, it’s a really interesting website especially for history buffs...
Very interesting. Thanks for posting!
Good article.
“Who knew Rome had a liberal period?”
Wait, there’s more. Look up what the Romans were doing in the days of the late Republic. They formed two political factions: the Optimates, or Conservatives, and the Populares, or Liberals. In the early 1st century B.C., one general, Lucius Cornelius Sulla, thought he could solve Rome’s political problems by killing all the liberals, and retired when it looked like he succeeded. However, it didn’t work because he let one Optimate go; he was persuaded to spare this man because he was only nineteen years old. Still, Sulla had his misgivings because the young man was obviously ambitious, and said, “In this man I see many Mariuses,” referring to Marius, the liberal leader. I’m sure you’ve heard of the young man who got away. His name was Gaius Julius Caesar.
This is a TRUE story?!?!
for later
Interestingly, the Romans got their wheat and other grains from North Africa - Egypt to Mauritania; later turned into semi-arid country by the deliberate overgrazing of goats by the invading Islamic Varsity. Also interestingly, the large (barge type) ships used by the Romans to transport the grain were not duplicated until the 19th century after the fall of Rome and the onset of the Muslim-inspired Dark Ages.
Here’s another Roman article:
Anti-Commerce and Quietism in Ancient Rome
https://fee.org/articles/anti-commerce-and-quietism-in-ancient-rome/
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