Seems to me that while the Roman republic did not give much of a say to the average roman, power was devolved among the Senate and counsuls
Once Ceasar effectively demolished the republic having gained popular support for his own tyranny (via his military imperial conquests), the Roman culture became a far more statist, collectivist society, having giving up on the concept of what was good for the people, instead choosing to focus on what was best for Rome
