World Countries

greydigger · Sep 3, 2009

I read somewhere that the USA has the longest functioning government in the world. (ok make a joke).

Started me thinking, is this true?

USA started in 1776 ( I think ) 233 yrs.

England (or Great Britain if you prefer ) went from a monarchy since then as have all other countries that I can think of.

No real point in the question but just curios.

Grey

gord · Sep 3, 2009

The first parliament of Great Britain was convened 23 October 1707.

spartacus53 · Sep 3, 2009

I think we would have to say longest democratic government around. Now I have to figure out how long the Roman Empire was around, I think that is longer than our history :dontknow:

greydigger · Sep 7, 2009

gord,
Is the political structure the same as 1707?
I though King George made all the rules during USA revolution, but am not sure.

Sparticus53,
The Roman Empire did affect most of the known world but I do not know the timeline either.
But the question stated was meant to say now, not in history.
( Rise and Fall of the USA Empire? ) Could be..... ?

Grey

mrs.oroblanco · Sep 7, 2009

I believe that the statement is the longest self-governing (democratic, non-king/queen, etc) type of government, though we really are not a democracy but a republic (technically, in a democracy, the citizens vote on laws, etc., and republics vote for representatives who vote for us).

Rome had an Emperor, and was militarily run, England had/has kings and queens - King George VI's reign ended in 1830, I think (as does, technically Canada), though they no longer have power.

It really has been a back and forth discussion for a couple of reasons - not because of Rome, or Italy - but because of Iceland. (who is also a democracy.)

If you are asking the oldest - it's probably Greece - but it didn't last continuously. And many people argue that it is San Marino.

The biggest debate used is that, even though we had a democratic republic, many of our citizens were not allowed to vote when the Constitution was ratified - blacks and women, to be specific, so the entire population was not, technically, represented until those two groups of people got the vote.

It is definitely an interesting debate.

B

Seamuss · Sep 18, 2009

Our founding fore fathers were designing a republic instead of a democratic country. It was a huge play of words that makes us think we're a democracy and not a republic nation.

greydigger · Sep 20, 2009

I guess I said it wrong.
What I heard was -

The USA is the oldest Government still running that is the same as when it was started .

I can understand the Republic vs. Democracy argument.

And I see the parties changing (Whigs/Tories) and never could grasp the idea of left and right in politics.
Liberals and Conservatives and that kind of boxes to put ideas into I kinda understand, but.

The basic premise of the US Constitution and the Bill of Rights are still there (as of this day).
The Leadership structure with 3 sides - Congress, Judicial, and President are still the same as far as I know.
Voters can influence at least 2 of those every few years and the folks they vote for do the Supreme Court stuff.

Now that has not changed in over 200 yrs. as far as I know.

Is that not a form of Government ?

Allowing Women and other folk voting rights does not change the form of Government.

Iceland maybe an older form, I don't know.

As I said, this is just a question.
Thanks for the replies.
Grey

mrs.oroblanco · Sep 21, 2009

Actually, our founding fathers were designing a representative democracy - in the words of James Madison - republic simply means it does not have a monarch. (James Madison, a founding father, wrote a whole lot on the theory of the "extended republic").

B

greydigger · Sep 21, 2009

Mrs. O
Thank you for the info. When I was taking college courses polotics was never considered.
There are a great many intelligent folks here and I was putting out a statement that I found surprising.
So is this the truth?

USA is the oldest still running Gov. in the world?

Grey

mrs.oroblanco · Sep 21, 2009

There are many who are of the school of thought that the Roman Catholic church is the oldest running government in the world, as it certainly has governed over an international flock, with its own set of laws, and far-reaching into alot of areas of lives of even those in many other countries than its own - and it is definitely governed by the Pope.

So, depending on exactly what your particular sense of government is, it can be said that the US is not the longest.

B

greydigger · Sep 22, 2009

OK, I can understand that one.
Are there any countries (as the Roman Catholic religion is not exactly a country).

Not sure when the Vatican became a sovern state in the country of Italy.
hahaha, I wrote to a congress person here in the USA asking what exactly is the "District of Columbia" better known as Washington D.C. I got a form letter saying thank you for the question and we will be looking into that.
It is not a state or a province or a parish or a county. Is it a seperate nation?
Grey

oldgoat · Sep 22, 2009

greydigger said:
OK, I can understand that one.
Are there any countries (as the Roman Catholic religion is not exactly a country).
Not sure when the Vatican became a sovern state in the country of Italy.
hahaha, I wrote to a congress person here in the USA asking what exactly is the "District of Columbia" better known as Washington D.C. I got a form letter saying thank you for the question and we will be looking into that.
It is not a state or a province or a parish or a county. Is it a seperate nation?
Grey

It is definately a seperate mindset, the folks that live and work there don't think like the rest of the nation...lol. but let's not get political.

mrs.oroblanco · Sep 22, 2009

DC, imo, probably should be considered a state. They get a separate representative vote, just like all other states, though, legally, as per the constitution, it is a Federal District. Heck, there was a time when DC folks couldn't vote in a presidential election. :dontknow:

So, they have a delegate but no senators. (again, a Federal District)

B

PS - Of course the RC Church is not a country, per se, but they indeed have an old, far reaching government, but, remember, the Vatican is legally,
"The State of Vatican City".

It's more like having Americans all around the world, that are still accountable to the US.