“Ideas Live On”, 'The Tragedy of Julius Caesar'

Between the two texts “Ideas Live on” and The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, they both provide an interesting point of view regarding responsibility and government. One focusing on the future and more of an intellectual approach to improving a nation while the other set in it’s ways of dictatorship and an iron fist to rule their nation. Even though Rome and Pakistan are extremely similar in two texts, there is one big difference between the two. Pakistan seems to be splitting off into groups and the central government only keeping its power through military aid, while Rome seems to be the dominant presence that is slowly crumbling from within in regards to jealousy and plotting.

In “Ideas Live on” explores the central idea of power and the responsibility of government by putting most of their focus in military advancement. Studies show that 75% (9.19 billion dollars) of 12.6 billion dollars worth of aid sent over a span of 48 years. The rest of the 3.4 billion went to the government, meaning none goes into improving the economy, creating better paying jobs nor giving a hand to the ones in need of it, which are plentiful in Pakistan. This country is slowly breaking down from the outside and it’s pretty obvious to everyone around them. Groups are breaking apart making small armies, rebelling against the government while the government doesn’t have many allies to help defend against outgoing attacks from other nations. Despite all this happening, the leadership continues to think that military rule and advancement is the fix to these problems while it’s just continuing an ongoing cycle.

In The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, Rome is looked at as the United States of the world back in their time. The military was far more superior than any nation, the economy was well off , and Rome was thriving in every aspect of their country, except from within. When Caesar was crowned king, many of his associates began to envy him, one of them being Cassius. He started to make excuses such as suggesting that he’s getting too cocky and that he was going to endanger or affect Rome negatively based on his attitude to other associates of Caesar. He ultimately persuades them to kill Caesar based on his own feeling and made a public view that it was “For the love of Rome”, tricking even Caesar’s closest friends to stab him to death. This is a prime example of a nation with power, wealth, glory, but not an ounce of governmental intelligence that could’ve avoided this problem.

In conclusion, both of these nations are for the most part dependant on military rule and it only makes room for revolutions, rebelling and continuous problems that only an intelligent mind could prevent.

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