I’m a big fan of Roman history, and one question has always fascinated me: How was it possible for the Roman Empire to collapse? I think I found an answer.
The commonly cited reasons are barbarian invasions, cultural heterogeneity (multiculturalism), and corruption.
But this raises another question: Why weren’t these problems addressed by the Roman Empire and its leaders? Why was Rome unable to prevent its own decline?
Thanks to observing the current evolution of the European Union, I believe I’ve found an answer.
The Roman elites behaved like ostriches with their heads in the sand. They ignored the problems and looked the other way instead of confronting them.
There was also an elephant in the room. Everyone could see the issues, yet nobody dared to acknowledge or discuss them openly. The elites were afraid to identify the problems and call them by their names.
There’s a saying that correctly identifying a problem is already half the solution.
History is doomed to repeat itself…. at least on the European continent, previously known as the Roman Empire.