The Dream of Rome

Last updated
The Dream Of Rome
The Dream of Rome.jpg
Author Boris Johnson
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
GenreNonfiction
Publisher HarperCollins
Publication date
28 January 2006
Pages288 pages
ISBN 0-00-722441-9
OCLC 67865987

The Dream Of Rome (2006) is a book by politician, journalist and former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, Boris Johnson, in which he discusses how the Roman Empire achieved political and cultural unity in Europe, and compares it to what he argues is the failure of the European Union to do the same. [1] It was aired as a BBC television documentary prior to its release as a book in the same year. [2] Johnson centers his writing about the main question of The Dream of Rome: “How did the Romans manage to bring centuries of stability to so much of Europe while the European Union remains an unloved and divided mess?” [3] Johnson’s Euroscepticism and deep analysis of the Roman Empire drew an overall positive reception. Critics praised Johnson’s ability to engage the reader with both entertaining jargon and desired information. Controversy surrounding The Dream of Rome was related to Johnson’s comparison of early Christian martyrs to 21st century suicide bombers. [4]

Contents

Synopsis

In The Dream of Rome, Johnson compares Ancient Rome to the modern-day European Union, showing that Rome was lightly taxed and free of harsh regulation whereas the EU is bound by bureaucracy and heavily taxed. [5] Johnson explores why such a strong united Roman identity was able to form within the Empire while the EU severely lacks a common identity, opting for strong individual national identities instead. [5] The Guardian focuses on big ideas such as “Harmonisation without regulation," implying that the Roman Empire had a harmony to it, a firm belief of Johnson. [6] One similarity between the Roman Empire and the EU is the existence of “freeloaders,” states Johnson. [6] They are “unlikely to bite the hand that feeds them.” [6] In Rome, these freeloaders were the elites of a newly overpowered society - those that were “seduced” by promises of wealth and glory. [6] Johnson compares this group of people to today’s EU freeloaders and writes that the difference lies within the charisma of the European leader in command. [6] Roman emperors, especially Augustus, formed cult-like followings that galvanized and rallied a population in contrast to today’s mundane European figureheads. [7]

Johnson writes of an innate European desire to recreate the ideals and culture of Ancient Rome. Included within the novel are statements from Johnson describing the success Romans had with assimilating new groups of people (immigrants and those of a conquered separate nation-state) with Roman culture and values. [8] Johnson emphasizes the difference between Rome and the EU in terms of assimilation. [8] The Roman way was to welcome and provide opportunity to any foreigner who desired to adopt the Roman lifestyle. [8] The EU meanwhile, has had, in the eyes of Johnson, no real success in united Europeans. [8] He cites the lack of a common language, literature, and general inclination from many citizens to form closer ties to their neighbors of differing nationalities. [8]

The 2021 French journal, French Victorian and Edwardian Journal (Cahiers Victoriens et Édouardiens), highlights Johnson's opinion of the current EU. [9] Johnson writes emphatically for the implementation of a powerful central force to lead the continent of Europe and unite its nation states. [9] Repeatedly he harkens back to the days of the Empire under the hand of Julius Caesar, the historical leader who assumes the role of Johnson’s hero as the book progresses. [9]

In 2020, Dr. Abelardo Rodriguez of the Universidad Iberoamericana and the San Jose Journal of Strategic Security came to the conclusion that Johnson’s biggest gripe about the current EU at the time of writing was the absence of a strong head of state. [10] A harsh contrast to Roman figureheads. [10]

Background

The book,The Dream of Rome was preceded by a BBC television documentary. [11] The documentary was a fast-paced, two-part series officially named “Boris Johnson and The Dream of Rome.” [11] The documentary featured several interviews conducted by Johnson, including a personal one-on-one with King's College London professor, Charlotte Roueché. [11] Following the airing of the documentary on television, the book was released by Johnson and HarperCollins shortly thereafter. [4]

Reception

The overall reception of The Dream of Rome was positive. [12] Toby Young of the New Statesman pronounced that, “As an introduction to the history of the Roman empire, this book is hugely stimulating. I read it in two sittings, completely gripped.” [12] Similarly, Craig Brown of The Mail on Sunday described Johnson’s writing style in a passionate manner: “History comes alive only when written from the heart and Johnson’s is full of swashbuckling japes, bloodthirsty yells and energetic sideswipes.” [13] In a 2006 issue of The Daily Telegraph, Tom Holland commented on Johnson's gift of producing invigorating writing: "Johnson has not been intimidated by dry classics masters: his style is bright, breezy, populist and pacy." [14] More praise for The Dream of Rome came from Helen Macdonald of The Times : "Described with his special combination of sharp-eyed intelligence and golly-gosh exclamation…the sublime and the bizarre are richly represented in this portrayal of ancient Rome…a splendid romp through the Roman world." [12]

Recent scholars have begun connecting the book to the United Kingdom's 2020 withdrawal from the European Union. [15] In hindsight, Johnson's assertive role in Brexit makes complete sense given the many complaints present within his 2006 writing of The Dream of Rome. [15]

Controversy

Johnson made highly controversial comparisons of early Christians willing to die for their beliefs and today’s suicide bombers, creating dissension within Christian communities. [16]

Seen within his writing, Johnson frequently constructs convincing arguments for Turkey to join the EU, in aspiration of recreating the idealistic vision of a united Euro-centric empire and including the “Rome of the East.” [17] According to The Independent , this argument became problematic when juxtaposed with Johnson’s more recent stance in favor of the British leaving the EU due to the inabilities and limitations of big bureaucracy. [17]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Guy Verhofstadt</span> Prime Minister of Belgium from 1999 to 2008

Guy Maurice Marie Louise Verhofstadt is a Belgian liberal politician and an advocate of a Federal Europe. He is a former prime minister of Belgium. He has been a member of the European Parliament (MEP) from Belgium since 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chris Heaton-Harris</span> English politician

Christopher Heaton-Harris is a British politician who has served as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland since 6 September 2022. A member of the Conservative Party, he has served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Daventry since 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Europe</span> United Kingdom government ministerial position in the Foreign Office

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Europe, formerly the Minister of State for Europe, is a ministerial position within the Government of the United Kingdom, in charge of affairs with Europe. The Minister can also be responsible for government policy towards European security; defence and international security; the Falkland Islands; polar regions; migration; protocol; human resources; OSCE and Council of Europe; relations with Parliament; British Overseas Territories of Gibraltar and Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus; and FCO finance, knowledge and technology.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boris Johnson</span> Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2019 to 2022

Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson is a British politician and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Conservative Party from 2019 to 2022. He previously served as Foreign Secretary from 2016 to 2018 and as Mayor of London from 2008 to 2016. He was Member of Parliament (MP) for Uxbridge and South Ruislip from 2015 to 2023, having previously been MP for Henley from 2001 to 2008.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Frost, Baron Frost</span> British diplomat, politician and life peer

David George Hamilton Frost, Baron Frost is a former British diplomat, civil servant and politician who briefly served as a Minister of State at the Cabinet Office between March and December 2021. Frost was Chief Negotiator of Task Force Europe from January 2020 until his resignation in December 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brexit</span> UK withdrawal from the European Union (2020)

Brexit was the withdrawal of the United Kingdom (UK) from the European Union (EU) at 23:00 GMT on 31 January 2020. The UK is the only sovereign country to have left the EU. The UK had been a member state of the EU or its predecessor the European Communities (EC), sometimes both at the same time, since 1 January 1973. Following Brexit, EU law and the Court of Justice of the European Union no longer have primacy over British laws. The European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 retains relevant EU law as domestic law, which the UK can amend or repeal.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vote Leave</span> Organization that campaigned for UK withdrawal from the EU

Vote Leave was a campaigning organisation that supported a "Leave" vote in the 2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum. On 13 April 2016 it was designated by the Electoral Commission as the official campaign in favour of leaving the European Union in the Referendum.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Post-Brexit United Kingdom relations with the European Union</span> Bilateral relations

As of January 2021, the United Kingdom's post-Brexit relationship with the European Union and its members is governed by the Brexit withdrawal agreement and the EU–UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement. The latter was negotiated in 2020 and has applied since 2021.

Brexit is the commonly used term for the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union on 31 January 2020, which resulted from a referendum on 23 June 2016. This article details the mostly critical response to this decision in the visual art, novels, theatre, and film.

Since the United Kingdom's vote to leave the European Union in the 2016 referendum, a number of demonstrations have taken place and organisations formed whose goal has been to oppose, reverse or otherwise impede that decision.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brexit and the Irish border</span> Effect on Irelands UK/EU border

The impact of Brexit on the Irish border and its adjacent polities involves changes in trade, customs, immigration checks, local economies, services, recognition of qualifications, medical cooperation, and other matters, now that it is the only external EU land border between the United Kingdom and the European Union.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chequers plan</span> 2018 UK government report on Brexit

The Chequers plan, officially known as The future relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union , was a UK Government white paper concerning Brexit, published on 12 July 2018 by the prime minister, Theresa May. The paper was based on a three-page cabinet agreement from 6 July 2018 and laid out the type of future relationship between the UK and the European Union (EU) that the UK sought to achieve in the Brexit negotiations. At the time it was anticipated that the United Kingdom would leave the European Union on 29 March 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brexit withdrawal agreement</span> 2020 EU–UK agreement for implementing Brexit

The Brexit withdrawal agreement, officially titled Agreement on the withdrawal of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland from the European Union and the European Atomic Energy Community, is a treaty between the European Union (EU), Euratom, and the United Kingdom (UK), signed on 24 January 2020, setting the terms of the withdrawal of the UK from the EU and Euratom. The text of the treaty was published on 17 October 2019, and is a renegotiated version of an agreement published half a year earlier. The earlier version of the withdrawal agreement was rejected by the House of Commons on three occasions, leading to the resignation of Theresa May as Prime Minister and the appointment of Boris Johnson as the new prime minister on 24 July 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Steve Bray</span> Anti-Brexit activist

Steven Bray is a British activist from Port Talbot in South Wales who, in 2018 and 2019, made daily protests against Brexit in College Green, Westminster. He is variously known as Stop Brexit Man, Mr Stop Brexit or the Stop Brexit guy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brexit negotiations in 2019</span> Political negotiations

Brexit negotiations in 2019 started in August, after having originally concluded in November 2018 with the release of the withdrawal agreement. Negotiations took place between the United Kingdom and the European Union during 2017 and 2018 for the withdrawal of the United Kingdom from the European Union following the referendum held on 23 June 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Led By Donkeys</span> British anti-Brexit political campaign group

Led By Donkeys is a British political campaign group, established in December 2018 as an anti-Brexit group, but which has also criticised other actions of the Conservative government. Since the group's creation its four founders have been calling out what they call "thermonuclear hypocrisy" and used satire targeted at pro-Brexit politicians. Led By Donkeys' main campaign consists of billboards containing past tweets by pro-Brexit politicians, or quotes presented as tweets. These tweets state the politicians' previous political positions, which according to the group have not stood the test of time.

Brexit was the withdrawal of the UK from the EU at 23:00 GMT on 31 January 2020. As of 2020, the UK is the only sovereign country to have left the EU. Britain's membership of the EU began on 1 January 1973, when it entered the European Communities (EC), the predecessor to the EU. Following this, Eurosceptic groups formed in the UK, opposing aspects of both the EC and the EU. In January 2013, Prime Minister David Cameron delivered a speech at Bloomberg London, in which he called for reform of the EU and promised an in–out referendum on the UK's membership if the Conservative Party won a majority at the 2015 general election. The Conservatives won 330 seats at the election, giving Cameron a majority of 12, and a bill to hold a referendum was introduced to Parliament that month.

Boris Johnson has declared his position on many political issues through his public comments. Johnson's political positions have changed throughout his political career. His policies, views and voting record have been the subject of commentary during Johnson's tenure in various positions, including as Mayor of London from 2008 to 2016 and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 2019 to 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Ireland Protocol</span> Agreement between the UK and the EU

The Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland, commonly abbreviated to the Northern Ireland Protocol, is a protocol to the Brexit withdrawal agreement that governs the unique customs and immigration issues at the border on the island of Ireland between the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the European Union, and on some aspects of trade in goods between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom. Its terms were negotiated shortly before the 2019 general election and concluded immediately after it, in December of that year. The withdrawal agreement as a whole, including the protocol, was ratified in January 2020. The Republic of Ireland–United Kingdom border has had a special status since the thirty-year internecine conflict in Northern Ireland was ended by the Good Friday Agreement of 1998. As part of the Northern Ireland Peace Process, the border has been largely invisible, without any physical barrier or custom checks on its 270 crossing points; this arrangement was made possible by both countries' common membership of both the EU's Single Market and Customs Union and of their Common Travel Area.

Following the referendum in the United Kingdom on its membership of the European Union on 23 June 2016, polling companies continued to use standard questions in order to gauge public opinion on the country's relationship with the EU. Opinion polling overall showed an initial fall in support for Brexit from the referendum to late 2016, when responses were split evenly between support and opposition. Support rose again to a plurality, which held until the 2017 general election. Since then, opinion polls tended to show a plurality of support for remaining in the EU or for the view that Brexit was a mistake, with the estimated margin increasing until a small decrease in 2019. This seems to be largely due to a preference for remaining in the EU among those who did not vote in 2016's referendum. Other reasons suggested include slightly more Leave voters than Remain voters changing how they would vote and the deaths of older voters, most of whom voted to leave the EU.

References

  1. ↑ Clark, Alex (2016-03-03). "Observer review: The Dream of Rome by Boris Johnson | Books | The Guardian". The Observer. Retrieved 2022-12-15.
  2. ↑ Boris Johnson and the Dream of Rome (Documentary, History), Tiger Aspect Productions, 2006-01-29, retrieved 2022-12-15
  3. ↑ Johnson, Boris (2006). The Dream of Rome. United Kingdom: HarperCollins (UK). ISBN   0-00-722441-9.
  4. 1 2 "The Dream of Rome, by Boris Johnson". The Independent. 2006-02-10. Retrieved 2022-12-15.
  5. 1 2 "Justin Marozzi - One Sauce to Fit All". Literary Review. Retrieved 2022-12-15.
  6. 1 2 3 4 5 "Observer review: The Dream of Rome by Boris Johnson". the Guardian. 2006-02-05. Retrieved 2022-12-16.
  7. ↑ "The Dream of Rome, by Boris Johnson". The Independent. 2006-02-10. Retrieved 2022-12-16.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Underhill, William (Mar 19, 2006). "The Lessons of History". Newsweek.
  9. 1 2 3 Robles, Fanny; Teulié, Gilles (2021-06-01). "Introduction". Cahiers victoriens et édouardiens (in French) (93 Printemps). doi: 10.4000/cve.8725 . ISSN   0220-5610. S2CID   241738546.
  10. 1 2 Rodriguez, Abelardo (2020-07-01). "Imperial Nostalgia and Bitter Reality: The United Kingdom, the United States and Brexit, Implications for Regional Integration". Journal of Strategic Security. 13 (2): 19–47. doi: 10.5038/1944-0472.13.2.1779 . ISSN   1944-0464.
  11. 1 2 3 Boris Johnson and the Dream of Rome (Documentary, History), Tiger Aspect Productions, 2006-01-29, retrieved 2022-12-21
  12. 1 2 3 "The Dream of Rome". 4th Estate. Retrieved 2022-12-16.
  13. ↑ "The Dream of Rome By Boris Johnson | Used | 9780007224456 | World of Books". www.wob.com. Retrieved 2022-12-16.
  14. ↑ "Nonfiction in short". The Times . ISSN   0140-0460 . Retrieved 2022-12-21.
  15. 1 2 "Opinion: What Boris Johnson's Book Reveals About The New PM And Brexit". NDTV.com. Retrieved 2022-12-16.
  16. ↑ "The Dream of Rome, by Boris Johnson". The Independent. 2006-02-10. Retrieved 2022-12-15.
  17. 1 2 "The Dream of Rome, by Boris Johnson". The Independent. 2006-02-10. Retrieved 2022-12-16.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.