reedettes

It’s time for a history lesson as we are less than two month away from voting day.

“The essence of freedom is the proper limitation of government!” – Founding Fathers

“That men do not learn very much from the lessons of history is the most important of all the lessons that history has to teach.” ― Aldous Huxley, Collected Essays

Initially, since government was limited (a Republic), the people were free to produce with the understanding they could keep the fruits of their labor. In time, Rome became wealthy and the envy of the world. In the midst of many, people forgot what freedom entailed. They forgot that the essence of freedom is the proper limitation of government. When government power grows, people’s freedom recedes.Once the Romans dropped their guard, power seeking politicians began to exceed the powers granted to them in the Roman constitution. Some learned that they could elect politicians who could use government power to take property from some and give it to others. Agricultural subsidies were introduced followed by housing and welfare programs. Inevitably, taxes rose and controls over the private sector were imposed. Soon a number of Rome’s producers could no longer make ends meet and they went on the dole (Note: “dole” means to be unemployed and receiving money from the government). Productivity declined, shortages developed, and mobs began roaming the streets demanding bread and circuses  from the government (Note : “Bread and circuses” has become a convenient general term for government policies that seek short-term solutions to public unrest.). Many were induced to trade freedom for security. Eventually, the whole system came crashing down. They went from a Republic to a Democracy and ended up with an Oligarchy under a progression of the Caesars.