This is a list of the causes for the fall of the Roman Empire:

Open Borders
Corrupt Politicians
Loss Of Common Language
The Welfare State
Violent Entertainment
Decline Of Morality
Decline In Fertility Rate
Rise In Pedophilia
Unchecked Debauchery
Class Warfare
Unbearable Taxation
Outsourcing
Exploding Debt
Money Devaluation
Military Cuts
Terrorist Attacks

Not all of these weaknesses apply to Australia and the rest of the West, but more do than don't, and we have the added burden of neo-Marxist white-anting; the spurning of cheap energy; same sex marriage; same sex parenting; transgenderism; abortion; dumbded-down education; globalisation and consequent high unemployment; mass immigration, and multiculturalism.

We are a freak show.

ttbn,
Welcome to what the Insipid insist is Democracy !

I wish I could disagree ttbn. The marxist have brainwashed so many kids its hard to see things turning.

Your a very strange man and I thank you "master Jack" aka ttbn...

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=A0WvXpyufT8

"It's all very interesting the way you describe...."

When I saw that list a few days ago I thought it was rubbish. It doesn't become more believable with repetition. To believe that these things played a part in the fall of Rome is to simply demonstrate a complete lack of understanding of the history.

That most of these things were present at the time of the fall (and when was that?) is neither here nor there. Because all of these things were also present during the various peaks in Roman power.

For example ..."class warfare". Yes it existed during the decline phase. But it also existed during all those times when Rome was at its strongest.

"Loss of a common language" is laughable. There was never a common language in the empire. There was an imperial language (Latin) but each region maintained its native language all through the peaks and troughs of Roman power.

Just one more...."Corrupt politicians". Rome was probably at its most powerful in the period 146BC to 66AD. Yet this was also the period when there was political corruption on an epic scale.

Its a good idea to try to learn from the past and how it applies to the present. But its an even better idea to first understand the past.

ttbn,
Where did you get that list from?

It's nowhere near as comprehensive (or contradictory) as the full 210 reason version:
http://courses.washington.edu/rome250/gallery/ROME%20250/210%20Reasons.htm
...but I notice that your list includes a few reasons that aren't in the 210.

I think your list is a fake; things people (often wrongly) blame for the decline of contemporary civilisation, misapplied to the Roman Empire.

For example: open borders tended to be the norm in ancient times. Cities were often walled, but rarely entire countries. The Roman Empire was an exception, with walls along the Scottish and Danish borders.