GUEST BLOG: Bryan Bruce – A Progessive Economics Lesson from 2000 years ago
When Julius Caesar returned to Rome in September of 45 BC (having conquered Gaul) he found the city streets crowded with homeless people.
They’d been forced off their land by moneylenders and property speculators, so more than 300,000 people were being fed by the local food bank -the public granary.
(Ring any bells?)
But he didn’t impose austerity or decide to save up money “for a rainy day,” Instead he spent government money and introduced some progressive social reforms.
1.He lowered all land valuations
2.Granted several remissions of rents.
3.Large numbers of poor citizens and discharged veterans were settled on allotments.
4.Free housing was granted to 80,000 impoverished families
5.Soldier’s pay was almost doubled.
6.Control of the mint was transferred from the patricians (the money lenders and spinners) to the government.
7. It was ruled that interest could not be levied at more than 1% per month.
8.It was decreed that interest could not be charged on interest and that the total interest charged could not exceed the amount initially borrowed.
9.Slavery was abolished as a way of settling a debt.
10. Aristocrats were forced to employ their capital and not hoard it.
In short he thought government should get involved in driving the economy. Not be a bystander to it.
Of course, these measures enraged the aristocrats and plutocrats and on the morning of March 15th 44BC when he arrived unarmed at the Senate, he was surrounded by 60 of them who stabbed him to death.
mmmm….
.
Maybe that’s what our Labour led coalition is worried about -ie.
regulating the economy to help folks who are struggling may offend the plutocrats who are exploiting us.
Bryan Bruce is one of NZs most respected documentary makers and public intellectuals who has tirelessly exposed NZs neoliberal economic settings as the main cause for social issues.
Perhaps we need a benevolent dictatorship to address problems like poverty and climate change.