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Abstract

king has the courage needed and offers protection. This does not last, though, and monarchy gets corrupted and turns to tyranny.</p><h1 id="51ea">Tyranny</h1><p id="2d25">This happens when the descendants of a king think they are superior to their subjects. Tyranny leads to the aristocracy.</p><h1 id="3519">Aristocracy</h1><p id="5f47">These are the leaders who revolt against the tyranny of their leaders. They begin by looking after the good of the people, but after a few generations, it ends. This ruling group gets corrupted and turns into an Oligarchy.</p><h1 id="9e5c">Oligarchy</h1><p id="426b">A group of leaders in charge that treat their subjects as inferior. They exploit them and treat their power and position as rights. Oligarchy leads to democracy or authority of the people.</p><h1 id="717e">Democracy</h1><p id="80d8">The people take over and have the best interest of each other in mind. Democracy is always good in theory. Eventually, those who have never experienced oligarchy no longer value equality and freedom, which leads to mob rule.</p><h1 id="c743">Mob rule</h1><p id="e69e">Unprincipled leaders use the mob (who are accustomed to having its greed fed constantly) to rule. Support for leaders is given through emotion rather than rational thought (demagoguery) and this leads to a return of Pre-civilization, and the cycle of constitutional revolution continues.</p><figure id="33ed"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*R_5SFlAi8DxDmPSS4c6t6Q.jpeg"><figcaption>Photo by <a href="https://unsplash.com/@cadop?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Mathew Schwartz</a> on <a href="https://unsplash.com/s/photos/ancient-rome?utm_source=unsplash&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=creditCopyText">Unsplash</a></figcaption></figure><h1 id="a516">What happened to Rome?</h1><p id="6d89">The Roman Constitution went through all of those processes through trial and error. Still, after many generations, the people became spoiled by extravagance and could be bought by demagogues or people that appealed to t

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heir emotions.</p><p id="4ab5">Also, during that time, people began to no longer fear God’s and so they did what they wanted. With this, all the virtues that made Rome great in the first place vanished.</p><p id="75ea">The American Constitution was based in significant part on the Roman constitution with one key difference- checks and balances in place between the branches.</p><h1 id="63bb">What is happening in America?</h1><p id="bc94">It is up for interpretation of what stage of Constitutional Revolution we are currently in the USA.</p><p id="7793">We do have one defining difference between the Roman constitution and ours which is a system of checks and balances between the three branches of government. Does this make us more resilient?</p><p id="8690">When we have an executive branch leader that currently imposes executive orders, is the system working as it is meant?</p><p id="f69b">The lack of checks and balances in the government of Rome led to its eventual demise because corruption got a foothold and destroyed the empire from within.</p><p id="b4a4">Are we getting away from checks and balances in the USA? Do we have leaders who appeal to the emotions of the people (a people who no longer value equality and freedom)?<b> Are we headed for mob rule?</b></p><p id="3c8a">As a country, are we getting away from the fear of God? A lack of the fear of God allows everyone to turn to their own ways. Is that leading to disunity?</p><h1 id="d806">Final Thoughts</h1><p id="c3c9">These questions we must ask ourselves. We must look to history to be our guide for our current situation. Are we going to grow through this period of tremendous upheaval, or are we going to revert to Mob Rule?</p><p id="726c">Being that child who grew up in this country that still has my heart, I believe in it. I think that as a people, we can overcome this trying and testing and lead to a better tomorrow.</p><p id="8410">As long as we look to what previous civilizations have gone through and consciously not make the same mistakes <b>I believe our constitution will survive.</b></p></article></body>

Cycles of Constitutional Revolutions

Can we survive the crisis?

Our lives have flipped upside down in 2020. As a child growing up in America, it seemed like the American Experiment was a success and that our constitution would last forever. Rome once thought the same thing.

Rome

Rome started as a small area in the Mediterranean. It grew larger by taking over section by section of the surrounding areas, but in a different means than other conquerors of the time. When Rome overcame a section of the new territory, they would not rape and pillage and destroy.

Rome instead respected their defeated foe, let them keep their customs and traditions, and made them Roman Citizens with rights.

This explains how Rome slowly took over the continent. Each time they conquered, they did so in a more civilized manner that won the loyalty of those they conquered. The earliest Roman leaders were faithful servants to the state, and lived and died to defend it.

So what happened? I will explain it through the cycle of Constitutional Revolutions.

The Cycle of Constitutional Revolutions According to Polybius…

Pre-civilization

People herded together as they are stronger in groups than alone. This grouping leads to Despotism of tyrannical dictatorship (think might equals right). This leads to Monarchy.

Monarchy

A king rules instead of a Despot. Early kings live much like their subjects and focus on goodness and justice. The king has the courage needed and offers protection. This does not last, though, and monarchy gets corrupted and turns to tyranny.

Tyranny

This happens when the descendants of a king think they are superior to their subjects. Tyranny leads to the aristocracy.

Aristocracy

These are the leaders who revolt against the tyranny of their leaders. They begin by looking after the good of the people, but after a few generations, it ends. This ruling group gets corrupted and turns into an Oligarchy.

Oligarchy

A group of leaders in charge that treat their subjects as inferior. They exploit them and treat their power and position as rights. Oligarchy leads to democracy or authority of the people.

Democracy

The people take over and have the best interest of each other in mind. Democracy is always good in theory. Eventually, those who have never experienced oligarchy no longer value equality and freedom, which leads to mob rule.

Mob rule

Unprincipled leaders use the mob (who are accustomed to having its greed fed constantly) to rule. Support for leaders is given through emotion rather than rational thought (demagoguery) and this leads to a return of Pre-civilization, and the cycle of constitutional revolution continues.

What happened to Rome?

The Roman Constitution went through all of those processes through trial and error. Still, after many generations, the people became spoiled by extravagance and could be bought by demagogues or people that appealed to their emotions.

Also, during that time, people began to no longer fear God’s and so they did what they wanted. With this, all the virtues that made Rome great in the first place vanished.

The American Constitution was based in significant part on the Roman constitution with one key difference- checks and balances in place between the branches.

What is happening in America?

It is up for interpretation of what stage of Constitutional Revolution we are currently in the USA.

We do have one defining difference between the Roman constitution and ours which is a system of checks and balances between the three branches of government. Does this make us more resilient?

When we have an executive branch leader that currently imposes executive orders, is the system working as it is meant?

The lack of checks and balances in the government of Rome led to its eventual demise because corruption got a foothold and destroyed the empire from within.

Are we getting away from checks and balances in the USA? Do we have leaders who appeal to the emotions of the people (a people who no longer value equality and freedom)? Are we headed for mob rule?

As a country, are we getting away from the fear of God? A lack of the fear of God allows everyone to turn to their own ways. Is that leading to disunity?

Final Thoughts

These questions we must ask ourselves. We must look to history to be our guide for our current situation. Are we going to grow through this period of tremendous upheaval, or are we going to revert to Mob Rule?

Being that child who grew up in this country that still has my heart, I believe in it. I think that as a people, we can overcome this trying and testing and lead to a better tomorrow.

As long as we look to what previous civilizations have gone through and consciously not make the same mistakes I believe our constitution will survive.