["BrooksB"]

Originally Posted by JerryLove

Britain, China, Japan, Monoco, Liechtenstein, etc.

I would contest Britain being a monarchy right now, like I would contest that Rome was a Republic around 50BC. The institution is there, but the government doesn't act like a monarchy.

[JerryLove]

I would contest Britain being a monarchy right now, like I would contest that Rome was a Republic around 50BC.

And how long did Britain survive as a monarchy?

["BrooksB"]

I'm not sure, I would say until the late 1600s, but I'm no history buff.

[thesteve]

Originally Posted by BrooksB

I'm not sure, I would say until the late 1600s, but I'm no history buff.

even if until the late 1600s that's a good four hundred years of monarchy, if not longer. the french had a monarchy until the revolution about the turn of the 19th century which is at least 800 years.

["BrooksB"]

Those monarchies weren't even stable through their durations, much like the American republic wasn't through the second half of the 19th cent. (civil war). Because of all these civil wars and usurpations and all, how could it be said that any of those governments were able to "last" in any real sense of the word? Maybe in a nominal sense these institutions remained because there was no other form of government to intercede (mainly because anarchy is impossible for more than a few seconds). In that way, a monarchy might last anywhere from 1 generation to several (however long that family line keeps their dynasty).

[JerryLove]

Those monarchies weren't even stable through their durations, much like the American republic wasn't through the second half of the 19th cent. (civil war). Because of all these civil wars and usurpations and all, how could it be said that any of those governments were able to "last" in any real sense of the word?

Because, in fact, they survived.

The Imperial line in Japan, which still exists today, and weilded actual power until the end of WWII goes back to at least 645 BCE (2400 years).

The line of Chinese emperors begins around 2000 BCE and ends in 1911 CE... almost 4,000 years (though we see power change from one family to another, and China's fortunes wax and wane).

Egypt's starts in 3100 BCE, was conqured in 332 BCE, but then continued in new hands, until it was annaxed in 31BCE by the romans. About 2800 years.

What's the longest lasting democracy you can think of?

["BrooksB"]

There's been people living in the middle east under different rulers and factions for quite some time, too, but we don't say that they've had the same thing the whole time. Each dynasty change is a virtual revolution. Just because the revolutions weilded another monarchy doesn't subtantiate a continuity. Maybe their process of re-establishing monarchy just happened very quickly, while a republic is better at prolonging that re-establishment.

I can't think of any lasting democracy. The point is that I see things like that as kind of cyclical. Monarchy is rebelled against, which brings a temporary anarchy quickly replaced by something else, usually a group of people getting together (democratically) to bring back order. Then the leader of that group becomes monarch. That leader was probably the leader of the rebellion/usurpation. Those steps could be blended or skipped depending on the actual situation, but there seems to be a trend of anarchy drifting towards monarchy, sometimes more quickly than other times.

Then again, that's just one way to look at it.

[JerryLove]

And many those dynasties are older than democracys on record. Though yo uare ignoring that the Japanese line of Emperors is unbroken for 2400 years.

["BrooksB"]

I don't recall ignoring anything, but whatever.