The American/Roman Empire

Paper Summary:

The paper relates that many contemporary writers have compared the powers vested in the President of the United States of America, under the heading emergency powers in the Patriot Acts, to be all too similar to the changing government in the Republic of Rome. The paper describes the Roman's Republic's change to an imperialist state and the present situation in the United States. The paper asserts that the future of the United States, according to what is known of the history of Rome, appears to be bleak indeed. The paper posits that there is hope that the next presidential election will progress in a democratic manner and that the newly elected president will have the integrity to see the United States return to the democracy upon which it was based.

Outline:
Introduction
From Republic to Empire
America: The New Rome
Summary and Conclusion

From the Paper:

"In 27 BCE Octavian voluntarily gave the Senate his power who in turn reinstituted his power under the name of princes meaning 'leading citizen' and he took the name 'Augustus' meaning 'the revered one'. At this time Augustus held absolute power but in a concealed manner due to the governmental forms in place to conceal what was the beginning of the Roman Empire. While most historians date the beginning of the Roman Empire to 44 B.C. at the time of the assassination of Caesar, it was long before 44 B.C. that changes instituted into the powers held by Augustus were initiated in a manner that slowly chipped away at the Republic of Rome and in the end turned the Republic into an Empire. "

Sample of Sources Used:

• Smitha, Frank E. (1998) From Republic to Emperor Augustus:. MacroHistory Online available at: http://www.fsmitha.com/h1/ch18.htm
• Urbinati, Nadia (2002) The Criticism of Intellectual Critics. Online available at: http://logosonline.home.igc.org/urbinati.htm
• Johnson, Chalmers (2007) Republic or Empire: A National Intelligence Estimate on the United States. Harper's Magazine. Jan 2007. Online available at: http://www.harpers.org/archive/2007/01/0081346
• Tomgram: Chalmers Johnson on the Fall of the Republic (2003) TomDispatch.com 9 Sept. 2003. Online available at: http://www.tomdispatch.com/post/938/chalmers_johnson_on_the_fall_of_the_republic/
• Garrett, Garet (nd) The American Empire. Mises Journal. Online available at: http://www.mises.org/journals/lar/pdfs/2_1/2_1_7.pdf

More papers on The American/Roman Empire:

• Comparison Essay # 108374 : "The U.S. and the Roman Empire"
• Persuasive Essay # 117469 : "The Roman Empire's Golden Age"
• Comparison Essay # 109658 : "The Fall of the Roman Empire vs. America Today"

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