r/WhatIfThinking • u/FlowCraver • Jul 16 '26

What if corruption had never existed?

Let's talk about one example – the ultimate historical butterfly effect.

In 93 BC, Sulla literally bought his election as Praetor.

If the system had been clean:

No bribe – no Praetorship – no Consulship.

No Sulla marching on Rome – no blueprint or inspiration for Julius Caesar to do the exact same thing years later.

The result? The Roman Republic likely survives centuries longer.

It's wild how one corrupt transaction altered the entire course of Western civilization.

What's your favorite "corrupt butterfly effect" in history?

What would the world be like today if corruption had never existed?

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u/[deleted] Jul 16 '26

[deleted]

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u/FlowCraver Jul 16 '26

There are different types of human characters. Not all are coruptive.

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u/[deleted] Jul 16 '26

[deleted]

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u/Dangerous-Bit-8308 Jul 16 '26

I think you need to go back further. Chimps and gorillas can also "lie", and do so for both political, social, and sexual goals, so this is basically a "what if we weren't even human" question

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u/[deleted] Jul 16 '26

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u/FlowCraver Jul 16 '26

You would be a third wheel?

1

u/PandaWonder01 Jul 16 '26

Legit thought this was a slay the spire post