What is the oldest current coutry?

[aronnax]

The longest successive monarchy is definitely the Japanese Monarchy... Even if you take out all the legendary Emperors, that is still some 1700 years of a continuous successive monarchs, with no breaks inbetween.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_imperial_family_tree

Even Britain cannot boast as stable of a succession rate as the Japanese Monarchy.

 

[Traitorfish]

The longest successive monarchy is definitely the Japanese Monarchy... Even if you take out all the legendary Emperors, that is still some 1700 years of a continuous successive monarchs, with no breaks inbetween.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_imperial_family_tree

Although, as has been suggested, the fact that the Emperor's presided over a series of highly significant periods of restructuring in Japanese government while wielding very little political power may disqualify it. Again, it seems to come down to how we define a break in political continuity, which we haven't really come to a consensus on.

Also, the Japanese monarchy isn't quite as historically consistent as the national mythology would suggest- rival branches frequently supplanted each other as warlords sought to install their personal pawns on the throne, and some Emperors were killed to that effect. It certainly wasn't a straightforward father-to-son affair.

 

[aronnax]

Yeah, but looking at the time line of the succession of Japanese Monarchs, it is a lot calmer than English or even dare say the Chinese Monarchs.

 

[Tee Kay]

Although, as has been suggested, the fact that the Emperor's presided over a series of highly significant periods of restructuring in Japanese government while wielding very little political power may disqualify it.

Like Britain from the 19th century onwards.

Yeah, but looking at the time line of the succession of Japanese Monarchs, it is a lot calmer than English or even dare say the Chinese Monarchs.

The timeline of succession of Chinese monarchs is no where near "calm"

 

[Lord Baal]

Same here. I got as far as the Taraday Tribe hoax.

How far did you go?

I didn't do it in any sort of order, but I don't recall reading that page. I ended up getting sidetracked by articles on cannibalism.

Yeah, but looking at the time line of the succession of Japanese Monarchs, it is a lot calmer than English or even dare say the Chinese Monarchs.

The Chinese Monarchy was about as calm as the ocean surface during a hurricane.

 

[Traitorfish]

Yeah, but looking at the time line of the succession of Japanese Monarchs, it is a lot calmer than English or even dare say the Chinese Monarchs.

Granted, but that may only mean so much when the Emperor has spent the last eight or nine hundred years as a figurehead. Effective governmental power always lay elsewhere, and that was anything but consistent.

Aside from anything else, the Empire of Japan was formally dissolved in 1945 upon American occupation, and reformed as the State of Japan. That's probably a significant enough break in continuity to count.

 

[ParkCungHee]

Aside from anything else, the Empire of Japan was formally dissolved in 1945 upon American occupation, and reformed as the State of Japan. That's probably a significant enough break in continuity to count.

...I'm pretty certain the long form of Japan is still undefined, and there was no formal dissolvement of the empire.

 

[Traitorfish]

...I'm pretty certain the long form of Japan is still undefined, and there was no formal dissolvement of the empire.

Actually, the old title of Dai Nippon Teikoku (Empire of Japan) was replaced with Nippon-koku (State of Japan) in 1947.

You may well be right about dissolution, though, and I'm simply be reading too much into a superficial change. That said, I think it's fair to say that the collapse of the Imperialist regime in 1945 and the American occupation represents a pretty definite break in political continuity.

 

[ParkCungHee]

It marks a far less significant break then the Meiji Restoration, or probably the rise of Militarist Leadership in the first place.

 

[Dachs]

But it's the most recent break, which is what's relevant for the question.

 

[BC1871]

Now unfortunately I can't remember where I found the source material, but I believe that Denmark is considered the world's oldest nation.

 

[Incodcito]

Now unfortunately I can't remember where I found the source material, but I believe that Denmark is considered the world's oldest nation.

... doesn't foreign occupation of all its territory and the severing of major chunks of its territory from post war Denmark preclude this?

Oh, and the germans dissolved the government in '43.

 

[plarq]

Japan was a constitutional monarchy before Hirohito.

 

[Ramius75]

India.... nothing has changed....

 

[aronnax]

Like Britain from the 19th century onwards.



The timeline of succession of Chinese monarchs is no where near "calm"

That's my point or did my sarcasm did not get through?

 

[Arakhor]

India.... nothing has changed....

Maybe not since 1947.

 

[Tee Kay]

India.... nothing has changed....

Maybe not since 1947.

I wonder if the Emergency counts as a break.

 

[Ramius75]

Maybe not since 1947.

i was there... not much changes... british, raja, sultan or whatsoever...

 

[Darth Caesar]

The only one I can think of is England.

 

[Tee Kay]

i was there... not much changes... british, raja, sultan or whatsoever...

For a start, I don't think they've always had electricity.