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OSN posted this on another forum
#5
The end of a long article about the fall of the Roman empire:
Nevertheless, the revenues of the state remained inadequate to
maintain the national defense. This led to further tax increases, such
as the increase in the sales tax from 1 percent to 4.5 percent in
444 A.D. (Bernardi 1970: 75). However, state revenues continued to
shrink, as taxpayers invested increasing amounts of time, effort and
money in tax evasion schemes. Thns even as tax rates rose, tax revenues
fell, hastening the decline of the Roman state (Bernardi 1970: 81—3).
In short, taxpayers evaded taxation by withdrawing from society altogether.
Large, powerful landowners, able to avoid taxation through
legal or illegal means, began to organize small communities around
them. Small landowners, crushed into bankruptcy by the heavyburden
of taxation, threw themselves at the mercy of the large landowners,
signing on as tenants or even as slaves, (Slaves, of course, paid no
taxes.) The latter phenomenon was so widespread and so injurious to
the state’s revenues, in fact, that in 368 AD. Emperor Valens declared
it illegal to renounce one’s liberty in order to place oneself under the
protection of a great landlord (Bernardi 1970: 49).
In the end, there was no money left to pay the army, build forts
or ships, or protect the frontier. The barbarian invasions, which were
the final blow to the Roman state in the fifth century, were simply
the culmination of three centuries of deterioration in the fiscal capacity
of the state to defend itself. Indeed, many Romans welcomed the
barbarians as saviors from the onerous tax burden.
Although the fall of Rome appears as a cataclysmic event in history,
for the bulk of Roman citizens it had little impact on their way of
life. As Henri Pirenne (1939: 33—62) has pointed out, once the invaders
effectively had displaced the Roman government they settled into
governing themselves. At this point, they no longer had any incentive
to pillage, but rather sought to provide peace and stability in the areas
they controlled. After all, the wealthier their subjects the greater their
taxpaying capacity.
In conclusion, the fall of Rome was fundamentally due to economic
deterioration resulting from excessive taxation, inflation, and overregulation.
Higher and higher taxes failed to raise additional revenues
because wealthier taxpayers could evade such taxes while the middle
class—and its taxpaying capacity—were exterminated. Although the
final demise of the Roman Empire in the West (its Eastern half
continued on as the Byzantine Empire) was an event of great historical
importance, for most Romans it was a relief.
#6
Basically ...
The "Love of Money" is the problem.
Without an understanding of how a society should work, lazy people who love money end up grinding it into pure shit.
These uneducated types just want to get to the top 0 the heap and figure out new ways to get more money given to them to misappropriate.
Viewing Smilies , you trying to access privileged system?¤Somewhere 0ut There¤}]
#7
Paul.... So what is wrong with Ron Paul?
Cuz all I hear from Extreme Right Wing Supporters... Is that he is all wrong. Must be because, he doesn't tow the party line and cater to big corporate interests.
- - - Updated - - -
Since this is a Car Audio Forum... Let's keep it simple. Money is just like bass. No matter how much you have.... You always want a little more.Originally Posted by Hic
I am so fucking rad I shit rainbows
#8
problem is the definitions of right wing and left wing. Left wing = socialism, communism, etc .. right wing = fascism, monarchy, etc .. Problem is, they look the same from the outside. Both of these "sides" have a small group at the top that control everything and it appears here in the US that they have joined teams to control the sheeple. Although lumped with the right wing, the conservatives are not - it's why they are fighting against the republican establishment right now.
#9
I don't suppose there is anything wrong with Ron Paul, he just can't win a national election as a Republican because he is a conservative.
#10
I hope your not talking about the fucking Tea Party?
Sent from my Springfield XD with love!
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