Given that there is no other goverment *older* than the 220 years our system has lasted... (The British system as currently constituted is about 60 odd years younger, or much less than that given the changes to the role of the House of Lords in the last 60 years.)
There's the Chinese imperial government which lasted around 2000 years from the 3rd century BC to 1911 when the last emperor was overthrown and replaced by a republic. In a sense, it did not matter who was emperor or which dynasty was ruling, even invaders such as the Mongolians or Manchurians were possible. Quote from "Chronicle of the Chinese Emperors" by Ann Paludan ISBN 0500050902: "Weak or strong, young or old, all these emperors played an essential role. They were the hub of a vast administrative system and the all-powerful mediator between heaven and earth. This connection provided a moral base: if things went badly, the emperor had clearly lost heaven's trust and revolution was justified. With such a safety valve, the imperial system remained unchallenged until the 20th century."
Slashdot Mirror
Well, it was news to me, and something I've been wishing for, for a long time, and didn't know how to do. So, I appreciate it.
so did I
There's the Chinese imperial government which lasted around 2000 years from the 3rd century BC to 1911 when the last emperor was overthrown and replaced by a republic. In a sense, it did not matter who was emperor or which dynasty was ruling, even invaders such as the Mongolians or Manchurians were possible. Quote from "Chronicle of the Chinese Emperors" by Ann Paludan ISBN 0500050902: "Weak or strong, young or old, all these emperors played an essential role. They were the hub of a vast administrative system and the all-powerful mediator between heaven and earth. This connection provided a moral base: if things went badly, the emperor had clearly lost heaven's trust and revolution was justified. With such a safety valve, the imperial system remained unchallenged until the 20th century."