
Thrones Wreathed in Shadow: Tacitus and the psychology of authoritarianism - hoffmanesque
https://warontherocks.com/2020/07/thrones-wreathed-in-shadow-tacitus-and-the-psychology-of-authoritarianism/
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YeGoblynQueenne
>> Therefore, it was no exaggeration to argue that rhetoric — a
quintessentially Roman art — “had died with public liberty.”

I beg your pardon? "Quintessentially Roman"? "Rhetoric"? That is even a Greek
word. Rhetoric was invented and taught by the Greeks to the world:
Demosthenes, Lucurgus, Lysias, Protagoras, Gorgias, Isocrates, Antiphon,
Aeschines, Andocides, Dinarchus, Hypereides, Isaeus... those were the great
orators of antiquity. And they were not Romans.

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Animats
Yes, Tacitus is, sadly, relevant again.

A big problem in the US is that Congress has abandoned so much power as an
institution.

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Eyght
I think Tacitus' most useful lesson for american politics right now would be
the importance of political compromise. When political polarization reach the
kind of levels it's at in the US right now, politicians tend to sacrifice the
well-being of the country to hurt their political opponents - which is bad for
everyone.

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analbumcover
I'm not sure how long you've been following American politics, but for a few
decades now the Democrats have been compromising and capitulating at almost
every turn while the Republicans have staunchly refused to do this.

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AnimalMuppet
I'm not sure if you've been following _recent_ American politics, but that
seems to be over.

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analbumcover
Which part? Republican obstructionism or Democratic capitulation?

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AnimalMuppet
Democratic capitulation. It has been replaced by Democratic obstructionism.

And if suspect that you should be able to tell that, if you care to actually
look.

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analbumcover
The CARES Act was a compromise, the refusal by the House to enforce subpoenas
was a compromise. Even their choice of presidential candidate is a compromise
of sorts, see Biden's "nothing would fundamentally change" comment to donors.
Where do you see obstructionism on their part?

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AnimalMuppet
A number of places, but just for example: Sanctuary cities. Even though they
lost the battle on the federal level, the cities try their best to obstruct
the enforcement of federal law.

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analbumcover
In the political context obstructionism refers to attempts to delay or
otherwise interfere with the legislative process. Which the Democrats may
engage in, but I haven't seen any evidence demonstrating that.

Sanctuary cities do not obstruct the legislative process, they are just a form
civil disobedience. This probably can be deemed obstruction of justice, but
that has nothing to do with obstructionism.

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chasil
I read both Suetonius and Tacitus before I was twenty (Penguin classics, might
have been excerpts). I don't remember them well, but I remember Suetonius
better.

What I have read elsewhere is that the family violence of the first twelve
caesars was really very restrited, and they otherwise governed reasonably
well. There might be exceptions (Caligula) but there were enough in the twelve
that were reasonable rulers despite personal perversions.

Caligula might have opened a brothel with senators' wives, and Messalina might
have challenged the greatest prostitute in Rome for her title, but the grain
and money flowed where and when it was needed.

