[thecavemaster]

From Greeks & Romans Bearing Gifts: How the Ancients Inspired the Founding Fathers by Carl J. Richard:

The Founding Fathers learned valuable lessons from the stirring stories of Greece and Rome, tales they first encountered as children. From the story of the Spartans they learned the importance of individual liberty to a republic. From the Persian Wars they learned that the inherent strengths of republican government made it possible for republics to defend themselves against strong, centralized monarchies like Persia or Great Britain. From the fall of Athens they learned that majority rule must be tempered by checks and balances if the instability and oppression of ochlocracy (mob rule) were to be averted. From the fall of Greece to Macedon and Rome they learned that a certain degree of centralization was necessary if a confederacy of republics were to avoid fragmentation and interstate warfare. From the early Roman republic they learned the importance of individual and societal virtue to the success of the republic. From the decline and fall of the Roman republic they learned to be wary of ambitious individuals, who might conspire to subvert the republic in order to expand their own power. Finally, from the Roman emperors they learned that just as vice led to tyranny, tyranny led to even greater vice, thereby producing the most degraded society imaginable. (From the Conclusion)...

...very good book.

[Deathstar 80]

From Greeks & Romans Bearing Gifts: How the Ancients Inspired the Founding Fathers by Carl J. Richard:

The Founding Fathers learned valuable lessons from the stirring stories of Greece and Rome, tales they first encountered as children. From the story of the Spartans they learned the importance of individual liberty to a republic. From the Persian Wars they learned that the inherent strengths of republican government made it possible for republics to defend themselves against strong, centralized monarchies like Persia or Great Britain. From the fall of Athens they learned that majority rule must be tempered by checks and balances if the instability and oppression of ochlocracy (mob rule) were to be averted. From the fall of Greece to Macedon and Rome they learned that a certain degree of centralization was necessary if a confederacy of republics were to avoid fragmentation and interstate warfare. From the early Roman republic they learned the importance of individual and societal virtue to the success of the republic. From the decline and fall of the Roman republic they learned to be wary of ambitious individuals, who might conspire to subvert the republic in order to expand their own power. Finally, from the Roman emperors they learned that just as vice led to tyranny, tyranny led to even greater vice, thereby producing the most degraded society imaginable. (From the Conclusion)...

...very good book.

Thanks for teaching us the different reasons why our country's founding fathers made our country the way it is today. I find this very interesting.

Just curious, is there a message in this post that I didn't see? When I read the last line of your book, I see that there could be a message in it, but I'm a little unsure. If there's not, I still find this topic interesting.

[thecavemaster]

Thanks for teaching us the different reasons why our country's founding fathers made our country the way it is today. I find this very interesting.

Just curious, is there a message in this post that I didn't see? When I read the last line of your book, I see that there could be a message in it, but I'm a little unsure. If there's not, I still find this topic interesting.

Our Founding Fathers saw the dangers of tyranny as well as mob rule as well as a ruling elite (corporate or political or both).... the system of checks and balances they devised to try and stear clear of the downfalls of the Greek and Roman past were amazing.

[Deathstar 80]

Our Founding Fathers saw the dangers of tyranny as well as mob rule as well as a ruling elite (corporate or political or both).... the system of checks and balances they devised to try and stear clear of the downfalls of the Greek and Roman past were amazing.

Couldn't agree more. :thumpsup: The people who made our country knew exactly what they were doing.

[LWC]

Interesting thread.

[Beetle01]

IMO, I think the best move as of now is a 2 term limit for the Senate, and a 3 term limit for the House. I believe that will take a lot of the power out of the hands of the corporations and lobbyists that are currently running our Govt.

There may be a better solution, and if so Id like to hear it, but as of now I feel that is the only way to stem the tide of the spending and corporate control of our Govt.