What long-term economic factors led to the collapse of the roman empire? trade opportunities went down, and the middle class rose significantly. trade opportunities went up, and the middle class shrunk significantly. taxes went down, and the gap between the rich and poor decreased. taxes went up, and the gap between the rich and poor increased.

The right answer is Taxes went up, and the gap between the rich and poor increased.

A price ceiling was set for meat, grain, eggs, clothing, and other goods, and instituted the death penalty for anyone who sold their goods at a higher price than what was established. Rome had become a totalitarian state that blamed economic problems on the backs of supposed selfish profiteers. The result, as it should be, was that people simply stopped putting their goods on the market, as they could no longer get a sensible price for them. Traders stockpiled their goods, refusing to sell them at the government-imposed price. Others stocked simply so as not to run the risk of being wrongly accused of selling at above-priced prices and thus being subjected to foreclosures. The workers reacted to the freezing of wages disappearing from the file or simply sitting around, doing nothing.