Unemployment led to the fall of the Roman Empire. Unemployment means that most of Rome's citizens did not have jobs. Most of the unemployed people were farmers who had to pay their workers. They had to mark up the price on their products more than farmers who had slaves and did not have to pay their workers. People like to pay less for goods so they bought the cheaper products. The paid worker's farmer's crops were not bought and soon enough, they were loosing money. They eventually had to sell or loose their farms. "Cheap slave labor resulted in the unemployment of the Plebs in Rome who became dependent on hand-outs from the state."(F). What they found was 100, 000 other farmers in search of work. The empire had to ship in grain for them and many other farmers in other cities also. Eventually there were so many people that were unemployed that it had a major effect on Rome.
I like the mention of the Plebs and their need for handouts from the Empire.
ReplyDeleteNice writing and I like your picture.
ReplyDelete-Lauren Johnston