STATE CONTROL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25385, 17 November 1943, Page 4

STATE CONTROL

PLANS THAT RUINED ROME The latest number of Casson’s Efficiency Magazine contains a review of a book, “The New Deal in Old Rome, by H. J. Haskell, which shows that State planning of a kind that is much in favour in some British countries operated in ancient Rome and contributed to the decay of that city. Most of these “ plans ” for continued State control —these “ new order schemes, are exactly the same as ancient Rome adopted when it began to decay. They are all decay schemes.” And tliis ought to be made widely known. History repeats itself. Every prosperous nation has to fight for its life against dictators or against demagogues, officials, and parasites. This is a startling fact that ancient Rome, when it began to go down, had the same sort of Government departments that Britian and the United States have to-day. It had a Farm Deot Conciliation Committee, a Resettlement Administration, a Public Works Administration a food relief scheme, a Home Owners’ Loan Corporation, an Agricultural Adjustment Administration, a Farm Credit Administration, a Price-and-wage Act, and so on. The “ profit motive ” was attacked. There was a “ Price Control Act in A.D. 301, when the end of the Roman Empire was near. Prices were set too low, and at once there was a shortage of commodities. Rome was eaten up by doles and subsidies. At one time 320,000 people were on the dole for wheat. To keep the masses quiet, they were given “ bread and games.” They were pauperised by State help. As many as 200,000 were given free bread—2lb of bread a day. Also, they were given pork, olive oil, and salt every now and then. The Government becama a giver. The doles attracted to Rome the vagrants and the lazy people. They attracted the German tribes, too, and they began to filter into Rome. And most of the enterprising, self-reliant men left Rome and went elsewhere. The soldiers and the Government employees clamoured for more and more money. They made incessant raids on the Treasury. As a result, taxation steadily increased until it became intolerable. ...... Then the currenoy was inflated by a flood of new money. This'inflation destroyed the rich and the middle classes. Almost all private enterprise came to an end, and the whole nation came to a standstill and decayed. Rome fell because of internal decay. The heart Was taken out. of the enterprising men. The masses were taught to expect something for nothing. Rome became totalitarian. The Government set out to control everything. As a result, there was soon not much to control. The controlled industries became extinct.

Just before Rome collapsed half of the people were on the public pay roll. And there was not enough money to pay them, as the taxpayers had been bled to death. At the height of its power Rome had a population of 1,000,000, and ruled 70.000,000 people. But in the year 1400 it had only 20,000 and no empire. It went back to pasture land, and cows and sheep wandered about in it. The Romans were the greatest and wisest people in the world for 400 years. Then a rot set in. Then came degeneracy—a degeneracy that still exists, as we have seen in recent years. From Marcus Aurelius to Mussolini is a tragic drop from the heights to the lowest depths. Rome had a “ golden age ” under the “ five good emperors.” It lasted for 84 years. It was the peak of ancient civilisation.

During this period taxes were low'. Private enterprise was encouraged and business men were in high positions. There was real “ social security ” for all industrious people. There were no poor except those who deserved to be poor. Then came the politicians, followed by the Dlanners, and the whole shining structure of Roman life was broken down. This story of how' Rome fell should be taught, I think, in all Eng-lish-sp:aking countries.