The Roman Empire, depending slightly on the exact time period in question, was an "autocracy," since practically all the political power was consolidated in the seat of a single ruler.
They are. That is because due to things like the globalization, the companies get richer and the people get poorer. The division between the rich and the poor has reached unprecedented heights and that's why people often protest against big companies and big banks. Such was the occupy wall street movement.
Republicans which tend to be more conservative and traditional and Democrats which tend to be more progressive.
