What do you think?
Rate this book
Decadent Societies
Decadent: this word, deceptively simple to define, has been the subject of serious controversy and intense debate from the beginning of time. What is truly decadent? Are we decadent? Do we live in a society doomed to decadence and decline? Has the U.S. entered a period "in which no Ideal either grows or blossoms"?
To explore this question, distinguished critic and scholar Robert M. Adams examines the demise of five once-powerful cultures: the Eastern and Western Roman empires; the ancien régime of 18th-century France; the Romanovs of pre-Communist Russia; and the British empire. He observes that "from such a direct overview one might learn what some of the symptoms of decadence have been in the past, and so estimate what analogies can be drawn with our own contemporary society."
Adams shows that certain internal forces--such as indecisive leadership, tax exhaustion, social inequity, excessive legal regulations, and complacency--are found in each of the societies examined. He then examines the role these forces might play in our contemporary society. His conclusions cannot be easily summarized. Many people will disagree with them, and others will applaud his insight, but all will find this book immensely informative and thought-provoking.
To explore this question, distinguished critic and scholar Robert M. Adams examines the demise of five once-powerful cultures: the Eastern and Western Roman empires; the ancien régime of 18th-century France; the Romanovs of pre-Communist Russia; and the British empire. He observes that "from such a direct overview one might learn what some of the symptoms of decadence have been in the past, and so estimate what analogies can be drawn with our own contemporary society."
Adams shows that certain internal forces--such as indecisive leadership, tax exhaustion, social inequity, excessive legal regulations, and complacency--are found in each of the societies examined. He then examines the role these forces might play in our contemporary society. His conclusions cannot be easily summarized. Many people will disagree with them, and others will applaud his insight, but all will find this book immensely informative and thought-provoking.
- GenresHistory
196 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1983
1 person is currently reading
27 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 4, 2019
Published in 1983, this lean book of 196 pages is eminently quotable on the sad state of contemporary societies (both western and the countless others cultures that claim their importance).
In a few short chapters the author analyses the causes of the fall of the Roman, French and Russian empires and the slightly different collapse of the British empire and from page 123 onwards, he proceeds with a detailed analysis of the evils of North-American society. Of course, what applied to N.A in 1983 is still quite contemporary and goes also for Europe. The only negative difference is that the internet is levelling societies even more towards the lowest common denominator.
Just a few quotes:
"...all societies run to some extent on inertia, democratic societies more than most."
"Record keeping in the matter of sexual behaviour has only recently been elevated to the status of statistic art; in most places, most of the times, sexuality was casual and unsystematic."
"The middle-class ethos is less a creed than the absence of one. It goes from the feebly permissive to the aggressive detestation of the illiberal. It's a texture of formulas that when it's woven together, creates a highly restrictive jacket of gentility." (I would add, AKA the deadly political correctness)
"Middle-class niceness prevents people not only from dealing with real problems, but from recognising their existence."
"Another form of rigidity... is the new tendency for member of ethnic groups to assume they can communicate only with members of their own group and only on their subject." (This include, obviously, also groups cemented by sexual inclinations other than ethero. Albeit LGBT being a minority, never as in the last few years the public has been bombarded with messages and entertainment to the tone of "Gay is beautiful and "gender fluidity" even more so".
I'll end with two quotes: one on the uselessness of international organisations and the other on non-western civilisations (i.e. "cultures" we're forced to acknowledge as equally important as the western civilisation, even if they did no produce anything of any lasting relevance.)
On international organisations "..one may suspect, liberals admire international organisations because they are weak. A government that makes decisions only by consensus, that talks a lot an easily resign itself to do nothing whoever its members disagree, is the very model of a liberal government."
On non-western cultures: "The present state of affairs on the sub-continents does not encourage to think the people were prepared for self-government; neither... to think that better preparation 40 years ago would have done much to help things now"... because "the idea that in a popular vote, a semi-informed electorate can give intelligent direction to a national administration on intricate and unforeseen problems goes against all common sense".
Definitely recommended.
In a few short chapters the author analyses the causes of the fall of the Roman, French and Russian empires and the slightly different collapse of the British empire and from page 123 onwards, he proceeds with a detailed analysis of the evils of North-American society. Of course, what applied to N.A in 1983 is still quite contemporary and goes also for Europe. The only negative difference is that the internet is levelling societies even more towards the lowest common denominator.
Just a few quotes:
"...all societies run to some extent on inertia, democratic societies more than most."
"Record keeping in the matter of sexual behaviour has only recently been elevated to the status of statistic art; in most places, most of the times, sexuality was casual and unsystematic."
"The middle-class ethos is less a creed than the absence of one. It goes from the feebly permissive to the aggressive detestation of the illiberal. It's a texture of formulas that when it's woven together, creates a highly restrictive jacket of gentility." (I would add, AKA the deadly political correctness)
"Middle-class niceness prevents people not only from dealing with real problems, but from recognising their existence."
"Another form of rigidity... is the new tendency for member of ethnic groups to assume they can communicate only with members of their own group and only on their subject." (This include, obviously, also groups cemented by sexual inclinations other than ethero. Albeit LGBT being a minority, never as in the last few years the public has been bombarded with messages and entertainment to the tone of "Gay is beautiful and "gender fluidity" even more so".
I'll end with two quotes: one on the uselessness of international organisations and the other on non-western civilisations (i.e. "cultures" we're forced to acknowledge as equally important as the western civilisation, even if they did no produce anything of any lasting relevance.)
On international organisations "..one may suspect, liberals admire international organisations because they are weak. A government that makes decisions only by consensus, that talks a lot an easily resign itself to do nothing whoever its members disagree, is the very model of a liberal government."
On non-western cultures: "The present state of affairs on the sub-continents does not encourage to think the people were prepared for self-government; neither... to think that better preparation 40 years ago would have done much to help things now"... because "the idea that in a popular vote, a semi-informed electorate can give intelligent direction to a national administration on intricate and unforeseen problems goes against all common sense".
Definitely recommended.
May 18, 2013
A succinct read about the principal cases of fallen empires: Roman (eastern and western), Russian, French, and English and the relevance to our own great America. His historical analysis covers the Persian's literal ethnocentricity (nations are greater according to their proximity), the challenges that faced the expanded Roman empire (early days were legions fighting for their own soil but later mercenaries, less united and fighting for loot), and the effect of rapid technology growth raising the cost of defense for large powers like England. He provides solid context, dipping into the subleties to show that decadence is more than orgiastic pomp. Decadence could almost be described as becoming disunited, lazy, and collapsing from the weight. Historically, revolt occured when the tax base became too concentrated at the bottom. In all cases, there was also such a propagation of the upper class that eventually it became top-heavy. Nations appear also to suffer from the shirtsleeves-to-shirtsleeves phenomena. [return][return]The last part of his book addresses the U.S. in a very balanced way. We have resource issues but are still quite wealthy. Crime is higher and litigation rampant (P157: "A law is a law when there is a chance of a penalty.") P179, the welfare, tax, and other systems undermine hope but taxes are not yet concentrated at the bottom. Education and culture are light relative to other advanced nations.
June 15, 2025
An interesting evaluation of the societal structures which led to the collapse of five of the Western world's most powerful cultures - eastern and western Rome, 18th century France, pre-Communist Russia, and the British empire.
He stumbles, badly, however, when venturing to apply the lessons learned from these prior world powers to the early 1980s United States. He's dismissive of alternative energy sources, weirdly obsessed with the Mafia, condemns, ever so mildly, the "alternative lifestyle" of homosexuality, and seems to think the death penalty is needed merely for its vengefulness. It's difficult to see how these examples even apply to the lessons learned from the previous 121 pages of analysis.
Read the introduction and first three chapters, skip the moralizing of the final chapter - it caused me to dock this book by a star and a half.
He stumbles, badly, however, when venturing to apply the lessons learned from these prior world powers to the early 1980s United States. He's dismissive of alternative energy sources, weirdly obsessed with the Mafia, condemns, ever so mildly, the "alternative lifestyle" of homosexuality, and seems to think the death penalty is needed merely for its vengefulness. It's difficult to see how these examples even apply to the lessons learned from the previous 121 pages of analysis.
Read the introduction and first three chapters, skip the moralizing of the final chapter - it caused me to dock this book by a star and a half.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews