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Economys of the ancient world
- Thread starter 128shot
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Connecticutter
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Sorry - I'm not very knowledgeable on the topic. However, I'm guessing that there was a mix of command and free economies. Some things just haven't changed. I remember learning somewhere that real-estate mortgages were invented in babylonia.
A few things have changed though. There was slavery in Rome and Greece. Many ancient societies probably has class structures that today would seem ridiculous. However, I know that there are some examples of people who started down low and rose to the top.
A few things have changed though. There was slavery in Rome and Greece. Many ancient societies probably has class structures that today would seem ridiculous. However, I know that there are some examples of people who started down low and rose to the top.
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128shot said:
In Ancient Greece, it probably varied from one state to another. Athens had a great meritocratic education system, and Sparta had a great meritocratic military. These probably allowed for some upward mobility.
Rome, from what I understand, had tremendous wealth disparity. There was a middle class, but it was limited to merchants, clergy, and other educated non-politicians. There was very little upward mobility; if you were born a slave, there wasn't much you could do about it.
As far as economic freedom goes, I think the best places would have been ancient China and ancient Iraq. Both were very individualist and had a legal system, so I can only assume that their economies were somewhat open and capitalistic.
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