“WHAT HAVE THE ROMANS EVER DONE FOR US?”

If your reflex response was “Aqueducts” you’re probably a “Monty Pythonist”, but don’t worry, you’re one of millions throughout the world. Reportedly over 50% of all Brits love “Python” and that’s just one country. The list goes on to include sanitation, roads, medicine, irrigation, education, wine, public baths, safe streets, public order and health.

Not bad for a rule of 350 yea rs, and it seems they did much the same throughout their whole empire which stretched from the British Isles to the Red Sea, Persian Gulf and Caspian Sea.

In all the empire la sted for over 1,000 years, embraced over 50 countries and had an estimated population of between 45 and 120 million people.

How was it possibl e to govern such a huge area and such a diverse group of cultures and individuals for such a long period of time? Fear and oppression can only work for so long (Hitler managed just 12 years and Napoleon managed 15, even though they conquered much of Europe, and beyond).

So what did they do that was so different?

We know they had a rmies and won most of their battles and that punishment of offenders was often brutal. But when the fighting was done they brought public order and peace to warring factions.

In fact, their concept of government was that “social bonds, not command and control, were to be the primary mechanisms of governance”. This meant that they were both democratic and collaborative, engaging in “value for value” trade and community activities. And by giving all citizens equal rights they avoided the need for an oppressive police state. The importance of equal rights for all citizens cannot be overstated.

A present day parall el is The Commonwealth, founded in 1949. Its first member was India, and it has since grown to 56 fully independent and equal countries (including Australia) all “working together for prosperity, democracy and peace”. It is home to a third of the world’s population. That’s 2.5 billion people working together of their own free will and more seeking to join. Clearly collaboration works.

If you take a look at a map of Sydney and you’ll see that Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs is virtually an island, with over 600,000 residents and more 130,000 businesses, charities and community bodies. Imagine the increase in productivity if there was an easy way for them to all collaborate.

Well now there is! it’s called Eastern Suburbs Collaborative.

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PUBLISHER

Eastern Suburbs Life ABN: 707 0383 9304 www.easternsuburbslife.com www.easternsurburbslife.org www.easternsuburbs.network 0408 998 058

ART DIRECTOR Ruth Kliman (Chillibonbon Creatif) 0415 474 215

EDITORIAL

Paula Towers

WHAT'S ON BONDI P17

We invite you to join Call Rose on 0418 400 697 Visit: www.ourcollaborative.net

All that said we ex ten d a big thank you to all our advertisers, staff, printers, the people who deliver our papers and, of course, our readers. Enjoy reading our June edition.