From ancient Rome, to taking over Athens, to the Republic and Senate, to Caesar, to the fall of Rome, to the Holy Roman empire, to the Maritime Republics, to today, Rome has often been at the center of the world.
Populism is a broad term that generally describes popular sentiment felt by the working class against the elites. It can look like social conservative nativist right-wing populism or social liberal progressive left-wing populism.
The Optimates like Pompey (aristocrats) and Populares like Julius Caesar (populists) were two opposing political factions at the onset of the fall of the Roman Republic.
Modern banking originated in Italy around 1150 as Jews fleeing persecution brought new practices, including “discounting”, to the merchant banks of the Italian piazzas.
We examine the historical effects of social, political, and economic inequality on society to see how it has led to social unrest and events like revolutions and populist uprisings.
We explain economic inequality from a historical perspective, and then consider the effects of wealth inequality and income inequality in America today.