004- The Public Thing

The infant Roman Republic faced many challenges as it grew into adolescence, both internally and externally. Most significantly class divisions led to a confrontation between patricians and plebs that resulted in the creation of the office of Tribune. 

In 451 BC a committee was ordered to compile and then condense Roman law into a single text called the Twelve Tables of Law. Despite tyrannical machinations by the committee, the Twelve Tables secured an objective rule of law for all Roman citizens regardless of wealth or class. 

March 15th, 44BC. Despite ill omens, Julius Caesar approaches the Theatre of Pompey. But the men inside have sworn an oath. To save the Republic from the hands of this self-styled ‘perpetual dictator', Caesar must die. But where did the Republic start? How did it transform Rome f ...  Show more

La Révolution française a fait l’objet de nombreux débats entre historiens, notamment autour du fait de savoir si elle représentait un tout, en y incluant la Terreur, que l’on pouvait célébrer, ou s’il ne fallait en considérer que des bribes. Quoi qu’il en soit, elle constitue un ...  Show more

In this episode, we discuss the political struggle between Isagoras (who was now backed by the Spartan military) and Kleisthenes who ultimately was victorious, which allowed him to institute his overhaul of the Athenian constitution; the different democratic changes that he in ...

Main points on Monarchy vs Democracy:

1. Time preference
2. Security of property
3. War
4. Democracy has perverse selection
5. Democracy legitimates government
6. Kings don't owe anybody anything
7. Rise of civilizations under monarchy