Jeremy Slate - 3 Things That Happened in 1913 That Changed the World | SRS #281

Societies in decline consistently exhibit three patterns: mismanagement of money leading to inflation, poor border control resulting in a loss of national identity, and shortsighted politicians prioritizing immediate power over long-term stability. This pattern is evident in the Eastern Roman Empire, the Mongol Empire, Weimar Germany, and is currently observable in the United States.

The guest explicitly states, 'The three things that if you look at empires in decline... the first is they don't handle their money well... The other thing is immigration and poor border control... And the third is that politicians start getting so shortsighted.' He then applies this to the US.

Both the Roman Empire and the modern US have experienced severe currency debasement. Rome's silver coins became 5% pure bronze by the late 270s AD, leading to 15,000% inflation by 284 AD. Similarly, the US dollar's value is eroding, with 80% of the M2 money supply printed since COVID, causing the price of gold to surge and reflecting a devalued dollar.

The guest notes, 'gold is at $5,000 an ounce this year... if it took thousands of years to get to $2,000 an ounce and then five years it goes to 5,000... your dollar doesn't go as far.' He adds, '80% of the M2 money supply was printed since co.' For Rome, 'their silver coin that was 95% pure in the first century... are 5% pure by the late 270s. So the money is worth almost nothing. 15,000% inflation.'

Roman citizenship, once a highly valued right, was debased by Emperor Caracalla in 212 AD when he granted 30 million people citizenship overnight, primarily to increase tax revenue. This diluted the meaning of Roman identity and created a larger burden on the state. This parallels current US immigration issues where large influxes of people, some not integrating, strain resources and challenge national identity.

The guest states, 'In 212 the emperor Kakala has basically bankrupted the treasury... he gives 30 million people citizenship overnight... that to me is the moment when citizenship starts to lose its value even more.' He then connects this to current US border issues and the provision of resources to non-citizens.

The Roman military evolved from citizen-soldiers to a transactional force where loyalty was to individual generals offering higher pay and 'donatives' (bonuses), rather than to Rome itself. This led to internal fractures and barbarians fighting for Rome one day and against it the next. This pattern is compared to a modern US military where some personnel are 'just waiting for retirement' and flag officers prioritize personal advancement over national interest.

The guest explains, 'people stop having real allegiance to Rome and more their commander.' He later adds, 'you see someone like like Olarich... He had worked in the Roman army... then he sacks Roman 410.' The host notes, 'I'm just waiting for retirement... And then on the other side, you have the the the the flag officers who will do anything... just to get that next star.'

The year 1913 saw three critical changes in the US that fundamentally altered its republican structure: the establishment of the Federal Reserve (a private banking cartel), the 16th Amendment (income tax to fund the new bank), and the 17th Amendment (popular election of senators, removing state legislature representation). These changes centralized power and paved the way for an 'imperial presidency' ruling by executive order, eroding the original constitutional balance.

The guest details, 'The first is... the Federal Reserve... The other thing that passes that year is the 16th amendment for income tax... The other thing that passes that year... the 17th amendment makes it so senators are no longer selected by state legislators. They're selected by popular vote.' He concludes, 'we become less and less of a republic.'

Historical accounts, both Roman and modern, are often shaped by the prevailing power structure. Less than 10% of Roman society was literate, meaning history was written by and for the elite. Emperors like Augustus commissioned literature to create a desired narrative, and later accounts changed based on whether an emperor was alive or dead. This highlights that history is often a 'shadow' of reality, manipulated to serve institutional interests.

The guest states, 'the power structure is going to dictate what the history you're getting is.' He cites Augustus commissioning works like the Aeneid and Livy's histories, and how accounts of emperors like Nero changed dramatically after their death. He also mentions the debate around Rome's 476 AD fall date, influenced by Justinian's agenda.