The four main reasons for the collapse of the empire are Economics. Power (Army), Religion and Power (Emperor). The first reason for the collapse of the empire is Economics. I can support this as the roman emperors spent a lot of money on showing off to others, making others feel jealous and for their own pleasure. Some of the things they spent it on were golden statues of themselves, banquets that were very expensive and clothes made out of the finest, unique fabrics instead of trying to develop the infrastructure of Rome.
The impoverishment of the peasants had forced them to seek regular loans from the rich. If a Roman entered into a formal agreement or nexum while contracting a loan in which the debtor's person was pledged as security, failure to honor the agreement resulted in debt bondage. Debts incurred due to frequent participation in wars, as well as to meet diverse economic needs, had made indebtedness a chronic peasant problem. Debt bondage had allowed the landed aristocracy to acquire unfree labor for their estates. When the peasants and other poor people were unable to repay their loans they were enslaved.
Because of this, roman citizens were charging higher prices for items so they would be receiving the same amount of silver. Inflation was not the empire’s only concern with the economy. The defense of the empire was very expensive and Rome also needed to maintain an active military, as a result Rome raised taxes that the average roman citizen could not afford. Even with the raised taxes it could not provide enough money to maintain the empire. The ultimate outcome of
One can draw parallels between these factors and the American society today and we should learn from the history of Rome so as not to follow the same path. The first factor that I find extremely important is the economic factor. One can draw many parallels between the Empire of Rome and our economic woes that we are feeling today. During Rome’s decline, the military was overstretched and underfunded. Emperors overtaxed the population and overregulated the market place and would often purposely debase their currency by reducing the precious metal content.
As the Empire was attempting to recruit more soldiers to bolster their defenses, they were forced to get help from outside tribes. Many of the soldiers in Rome’s armies had been Germanic Goths and barbarians. While they had proved to be strong fighters, they also cared very little for the Empire, and in fact had even turned against the Romans. This had caused more trouble for the Empire, as they now had internal conflict to deal with, which meant they were being attacked from all sides. In the fourth century, the Huns were attacking any tribe that was different
Expenses grew, such as the cost of defense, so the government raised taxes. In addition, they minted more coins made of less metal each. This caused the economy to suffer from inflation. Secondly, politics declined which added to the downfall of Rome. The key problem in politics was the lack of loyalty.
Caesar would later destroy what was left of the republic. Over the years as an empire, the political system appeared to be a ball and chain to the public. “ The political office was seen as a hardship, not an asset to the public. There was nearly constant warfare among the Roman leaders themselves in the century leading up to 31 B.C., when the Roman Empire was established. One of the most difficult problems was choosing a new emperor.
Centuries after the Rise of Rome and their extraordinary historical achievements, was their collapse. This was caused by the combination of numerous political, economic and social factors or otherwise known as the P.E.S. These problems included corruptions in both the military and resource productions, and of course their continuous failed attempts of expanding their empire resulting in others and even their own society to turn and rebel against them. Political factors involve people and organizations with such power, these include powerful emperors, leaders and empires. Although if people with such power are unable to maintain control, their society usually collapses and resolves in chaos.
When we think about the Roman Empire, we usually think of brutality, genius, and unimaginable power. Ingenuity and savergy are defining characteristics of the largest empire the world has ever known. Although treachery and greed let to its demise, many other factors contributed to the eventual fall of Rome. Social causes such as population decline due to war and disease were issues that brought Rome to ruin. Many lives were lost in external conflicts as well as internal civil wars.
It has been stated that the very success of the Roman Republic in war and imperial expansions led to its defeat. While this statement makes several valid points, it is likely that numerous other facets functioned in the fall of the Republic---especially that of Senatorial corruption and its ensuing lack of popularity. Gradually and with little warning, the surface of Roman life as a Republic began to transform at a rate that threatened the very fabric of the governing body. With the commencement of the second Punic war, a great disproportion of wealth grew evident. Whereas prior most plebeians were farmers or laborers who owned small but significant portions of property or earned adequate payment for their toils, upon the second Punic War, Hannibal destroyed this land, leaving plebeians homeless with little source of income.