"Most nations / empires throughout history last about 200-300 years." (ancient, Romans)

[ovcatto]

I am increasingly finding this statement popping up on forums particularly those predicting the coming doom of the United States but what I don't find is where it originated from or any significant supporting evidence or argument substantiating its validity.

Any thoughts, proofs, etc.,

[MaseMan]

It's pretty hyperbolic, and usually thrown around by people unhappy with our current administration.

[dub dub II]

And it's not even true...
Last I checked China, India, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Rome, Greece all still exist.

[ovcatto]

Originally Posted by MaseMan

It's pretty hyperbolic, and usually thrown around by people unhappy with our current administration.

Originally Posted by dub dub II

And it's not even true...
Last I checked China, India, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Rome, Greece all still exist.

Well that's pretty much my take on the issue but I was hoping that those who make such statements would come around and try to present some argument sustaining the claim.

[cpg35223]

If you measure from the birth of the Roman Republic to the conquest of Constantinople, the Romans as a continually governed civilization lasted for 2,000 years.

[2nd trick op]

Originally Posted by cpg35223

If you measure from the birth of the Roman Republic to the conquest of Constantinople, the Romans as a continually governed civilization lasted for 2,000 years.

Which leads to the point that the proposition is only true depending upon what standards are used; the world is evolving, slowly as always toward something which will diminish the role of the nation/state, or at least, re-define it.

[ovcatto]

Does anyone have an example of a nation that existed for only 200 years? Doesn't look like it.

[texdav]

I think its inaccurate to say MOST nations certainly and even so for governments.Lookig at modern times cetainly many have outlasted that by longshot.

[Georgiafrog]

Well, count me in with those that are unhappy with the current administration, but not among those who see it as the nation's downfall. Even the worst possible president is in power for 8 years, first of all. Second, just because I find my own political views to be preferable, it doesn't mean that I find it impossible for the country to be successful if we collectively choose a different route.

To address the OP directly, I suppose it is possible to argue that given all of the world powers that have risen and fallen throughout history that the average is 200-300 years. I don't see how that is applicable to the current situation of the United States, if that's what you are getting at. We'll be okay.

[tablemtn]

I guess one example of a 200-year empire would be the Aztec triple alliance, which lasted from the early 1300's to the conquistador age of the early 1500's. But beyond that, there doesn't seem to be anything special about a 200-year interval. Also, some civilizations that get lumped into the "empire" category were not actually empires. Ancient Greece was not an empire; it was a collection of statelets confined mostly to the bottom of the Balkan peninsula and nearby islands. Alexander built an empire, but it split up into smaller empires long before 200 years were up.