On the fall of the Roman republic : lessons for the American people / Thomas E. Strunk.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Strunk, Tom, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Democracy--United States.

Democracy.

Rome--History--Republic, 265-30 B.C.

Rome.

United States--Politics and government--2017-2021.

United States.

United States--Politics and government--2021-.

United States--Civilization--Roman influences.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xvii, 132 pages) : digital, PDF file(s).

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

London : Anthem Press, 2022.

Summary:

Violence exploding in public spaces, corruption by political figures and economic elites, the will of the people thwarted in both elections and votes in the senate, military misadventures abroad, and rampant economic inequality at home diminishing a shared sense of the common good - in sum, a republic in disarray. These descriptions are not only familiar from ancient Roman political and social life but are also recognizable to any United States citizen who follows the news and American civic life. On the Fall of the Roman Republic proceeds chronologically through the fall of the Roman Republic beginning in 133 BCE and continuing down to around 14 CE, providing a continuous narrative of the fall of the Roman Republic juxtaposed with the contemporary political landscape of the United States. In twenty short chapters, the book explores how the United States now faces many of the same challenges that toppled the Roman Republic - political divisions, economic inequality, and creeping authoritarianism. How we respond to these challenges today will determine the future of American democracy.

Contents:

Introduction: Why Rome?

1 Anacyclosis: No Regime Is Exceptional and Democracy Is Not Inevitable

2 Mighty Republics Can Fall Because of Slow Corruption Rather Than Dramatic Revolutions

3 A Revered Tradition of Liberty Can Be Exploited by Authoritarians

4 Economic Inequality Drives Civil Strife

5 Political Violence Can Become Normalized

6 Strongmen Do Not Save Republics

7 The Rights and Responsibilities of Citizenship Need to Be Shared and Extended

8 Civic Virtue Is as Important as the Constitution and Laws

9 A Reckoning with the Oppressed Cannot Be Denied

10 Elections Only Work When Everyone Is Willing to Lose

11 Disregard for The Civil Liberties of Some Erodes the Legal Rights of All Citizens

12 Military Misadventures Abroad Lead to Instability at Home

13 Organized, Armed Gangs Tear Apart a Political System

14 Institutions May Not Be Able to Save the Republic

15 A Tyrant Backed into a Corner Is a Danger to the Republic

16 The Real Problem Is Not Simply a Tyrannical Leader

17 Free Speech Can Disappear

18 The Crisis Can Be Manufactured to Continue

19 The Revolution Can Be Advertised as a Restoration

20 Freedom Lost Cannot So Easily Be Regained.

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 02 Mar 2022).

Other Format:

Print version: Strunk, Thomas E. On the Fall of the Roman Republic

ISBN:

9781839980565

OCLC:

1291315969