This screenshot gets reposted a lot, and I really am not a big fan of it, for two reasons:
A pub is not a country, and there are pubs in America that are older than America as well. Though this half of the planet only being known to dwellers of pub-having civilisations for a few hundred years seems to be rather much of a disadvantage.
The concept of the US as a country is not very old but to the titular Yank’s credit the US really is one of the oldest constitutional regimes in the world.
To elaborate on the second point, the US Constitution having been in continuous effect for nearly 250 years truly is rather impressive from a legal history perspective. While it’s true that there has been a country called “France” for hundreds of years longer than the US, the French state in 1789 when the current American state began is not the same state as the French state of 2025, while the American state is still the same in its design and structure as in 1789. States are created by constitutions and laws but the idea of a “country” is nebulous and ill-defined. A state can be destroyed and replaced by revolution but the country is still there. So when someone says the USA is one of the oldest states in the world, that is mostly true.
For reference:
The Fifth French Republic began in 1958, or 1946 if you count the Fourth Republic. The previous French state (Vichy France) was destroyed by Nazi Germany.
The Federal Republic of Germany came into existence upon the entry into force of its Basic Law in 1949. The previous German state was destroyed by the Allies in World War II.
Spain’s constitutional regime only came into place after the death of Franco in 1975. The modern Spanish state came into existence in 1978 with the ratification of its constitution.
The Russian state gained independence from the USSR only upon the latter’s dissolution in 1991. Even if you count the Russian SSR government under the Soviet Union, remember that the Russian Revolution which destroyed the Czarist state only began in 1917 in any case.
The current Chinese state began in 1949 when Mao Zedong proclaimed its establishment in Tiananmen Square after kicking the Republic of China off the mainland. The Republic of China still exists in Taiwan which infamously is a cause of numerous discomforts between inhabitants of the two regions.
The current Japanese state was essentially created by the Americans after they occupied Japan. While the post-war constitution calls itself an “amendment” to the Meiji Constitution, in any case Emperor Meiji dissolved the previous iteration of the Japanese state (the Tokugawa Shogunate) in 1889 anyway.
The one major country I can think of right now whose government institutions can legitimately claim to have been in continuous existence for longer than the US is probably the United Kingdom. I’d say 1660 is the starting point of that, since prior to then, Britain was a republic. 1707 might be a valid date as well since it’s when Scotland and England unified to form the United Kingdom. In either case that is older than 1789.
Edit: To the angry Europeans—before you comment, read the post carefully. I’m not talking about whether the US as a country is old. It most certainly is not. I’m saying that while the country is young, its institutions are comparatively old and have been in continuous operation for impressively long. No, they’re not the oldest in the world by a long shot (I think San Marino takes that title) either. The idea of a country is defined by whatever the people who live in it define it to be, but the states and regimes that govern it come and go and are defined by laws and constitutions. And the one governing the United States has been around for longer than most.
If we’re going by constitutions nevertheless, San Marino is older. Even when we go by founding of the country or community living there, San Marino is definitely older.
I agree completely with this which is why I said basically the same thing in my comment. I’m saying that while 250 years old for a country is not very old, going 250 years without suffering some kind of complete collapse in state institutions is pretty long.
You focused on the notion of state versus nation (what the screenshot talk about).
The nation of France exists since centuries and have never been reset by any war or change of leadership.
We didn’t reset our identity as Franc(ais) because we updated our government system (we iterate it several time and will continue probably soon by another version).
Sometime it’s monarchy, sometimes it’s republic. Depend on what happens to us.
But the nation of Franc(e) started to exists when Clovis Ier merged several kingdoms at around the 500 AD. We learn that in history class when we are young and learn about our history (for those interested: wiki).
Using one of the government iteration of a nation to say: it’s no more, let’s reset everything is missing the point of the global message.
Does the usa reset when updating its constitution?
The concept of the US as a country is not very old
it’s true that there has been a country called “France” for hundreds of years longer than the US
Yes, the notion of France as a country is older than the US. But the French Republic is not. The institutions change, the country endures. The US is a young country but its institutions are surprisingly old. That’s the whole fucking point.
I see your point now. If you focus on the “republic” creation, yes. USA is older than France republic by few years.
But, please, don’t tell me the original writer had that in mind. He/she is talking about nation. And, for example, a monarchy (our previous gouvernement state beforethe first republic) is a valid nation definition.
Of course I’m not going to tell you that, because I’m not saying the original commenter in the screenshot is right. You seemed to have missed that too.
Oh fuck off. Poland had a form of democracy in the 1300s. Yes along with monarchy.
And fuck the right of with this ussr and russia. Same shit different name. Same imperialists oligarch cancer since ever it existed. Bullies and bootlickers. They are just taking turns to raid their neighbours.
Did you even read the comment? I said that the US’s government institutions are quite old, but the country is young. Yes, there has been a country named “Poland” around for much longer. But Poland has also governed by a succession of states, most not lasting very long (which as you probably know, is related to the actions of the other country you mention). I’m not saying that the idea of the US as a country is old, I’m saying its government institutions are older than usual.
This screenshot gets reposted a lot, and I really am not a big fan of it, for two reasons:
To elaborate on the second point, the US Constitution having been in continuous effect for nearly 250 years truly is rather impressive from a legal history perspective. While it’s true that there has been a country called “France” for hundreds of years longer than the US, the French state in 1789 when the current American state began is not the same state as the French state of 2025, while the American state is still the same in its design and structure as in 1789. States are created by constitutions and laws but the idea of a “country” is nebulous and ill-defined. A state can be destroyed and replaced by revolution but the country is still there. So when someone says the USA is one of the oldest states in the world, that is mostly true.
For reference:
The one major country I can think of right now whose government institutions can legitimately claim to have been in continuous existence for longer than the US is probably the United Kingdom. I’d say 1660 is the starting point of that, since prior to then, Britain was a republic. 1707 might be a valid date as well since it’s when Scotland and England unified to form the United Kingdom. In either case that is older than 1789.
Edit: To the angry Europeans—before you comment, read the post carefully. I’m not talking about whether the US as a country is old. It most certainly is not. I’m saying that while the country is young, its institutions are comparatively old and have been in continuous operation for impressively long. No, they’re not the oldest in the world by a long shot (I think San Marino takes that title) either. The idea of a country is defined by whatever the people who live in it define it to be, but the states and regimes that govern it come and go and are defined by laws and constitutions. And the one governing the United States has been around for longer than most.
So they never upgrade their old shit you mean?
Constitutions don’t make a country. People do.
If we’re going by constitutions nevertheless, San Marino is older. Even when we go by founding of the country or community living there, San Marino is definitely older.
I agree completely with this which is why I said basically the same thing in my comment. I’m saying that while 250 years old for a country is not very old, going 250 years without suffering some kind of complete collapse in state institutions is pretty long.
Nop, nop nop.
You focused on the notion of state versus nation (what the screenshot talk about).
The nation of France exists since centuries and have never been reset by any war or change of leadership.
We didn’t reset our identity as Franc(ais) because we updated our government system (we iterate it several time and will continue probably soon by another version).
Sometime it’s monarchy, sometimes it’s republic. Depend on what happens to us.
But the nation of Franc(e) started to exists when Clovis Ier merged several kingdoms at around the 500 AD. We learn that in history class when we are young and learn about our history (for those interested: wiki).
Using one of the government iteration of a nation to say: it’s no more, let’s reset everything is missing the point of the global message.
Does the usa reset when updating its constitution?
Did you even read the god-damn comment?
Yes, the notion of France as a country is older than the US. But the French Republic is not. The institutions change, the country endures. The US is a young country but its institutions are surprisingly old. That’s the whole fucking point.
I see your point now. If you focus on the “republic” creation, yes. USA is older than France republic by few years.
But, please, don’t tell me the original writer had that in mind. He/she is talking about nation. And, for example, a monarchy (our previous gouvernement state beforethe first republic) is a valid nation definition.
Of course I’m not going to tell you that, because I’m not saying the original commenter in the screenshot is right. You seemed to have missed that too.
Oh fuck off. Poland had a form of democracy in the 1300s. Yes along with monarchy.
And fuck the right of with this ussr and russia. Same shit different name. Same imperialists oligarch cancer since ever it existed. Bullies and bootlickers. They are just taking turns to raid their neighbours.
Did you even read the comment? I said that the US’s government institutions are quite old, but the country is young. Yes, there has been a country named “Poland” around for much longer. But Poland has also governed by a succession of states, most not lasting very long (which as you probably know, is related to the actions of the other country you mention). I’m not saying that the idea of the US as a country is old, I’m saying its government institutions are older than usual.