Why do societies survive?

[anotherlife]

Statistics show, that family fortunes dissipate by the 3rd generation. Also, the life cycle of countries seems like ~ 200 years. But there are a few that seem to go on forever. For example, here is our home country, France. Not only has France weathered 2000 years of war and population shifts, but has continuously remained a decisive power in world history. Others may not be as decisive and direct in authority, but some do continue indestructible forever, such as China, the Jewish communities, and the Romani people. In the world of aggressive assimilation and fast Americanization, these few stand the storm ever unchanged. What kind of power stands behind such a resiliency? Is it human or something else? How are these few capable to go on indefinitely when all others die and get born in a flux of various cycles and whims?

 

[The Great Goose]

France is only 1500 years old. Not much older than England.

As for your other examples... crime. Crime is what holds them together.

 

[whitehall]

The greatest Country in the world doesn't rely on "family fortunes". The Founding Fathers set up the United States of America so that citizens would rely on freedom and any citizen had the opportunity to amass a "fortune". The U.S. is only a couple of hundred years old but it set the standard for every government and every civilized society in the world. So-called "cradles of civilization" in the mid east still live under tyranny and treat women as 2nd class citizens.

 

[The Great Goose]

The greatest Country in the world doesn't rely on "family fortunes". The Founding Fathers set up the United States of America so that citizens would rely on freedom and any citizen had the opportunity to amass a "fortune". The U.S. is only a couple of hundred years old but it set the standard for every government and every civilized society in the world. So-called "cradles of civilization" in the mid east still live under tyranny and treat women as 2nd class citizens.

That's the least insightful post ever made in the history of the internet.

 

[whitehall]

The greatest Country in the world doesn't rely on "family fortunes". The Founding Fathers set up the United States of America so that citizens would rely on freedom and any citizen had the opportunity to amass a "fortune". The U.S. is only a couple of hundred years old but it set the standard for every government and every civilized society in the world. So-called "cradles of civilization" in the mid east still live under tyranny and treat women as 2nd class citizens.

That's the least insightful post ever made in the history of the internet.

The concept of "insight" unfortunately has been lost on the current crop of liberal zombies who rely on cliches and Huffington to do their thinking. The last insightful democrat, Joe Lieberman, was kicked out of the party.

 

[dfens]

Nations succeed when they
1) exercise control over their borders
2) have policies in place that support free markets and the common man (small businesses and labor)
3) have low levels of taxation and debt

The United States:
-doesn't have control over its borders
-has policies in place that benefit the connected 1% through state intervention to bailout corrupt banks and corporations
-has high levels of taxation and debt

Does the United States seem like a country that is going to last?

 

[The Great Goose]

Nations succeed when they
1) exercise control over their borders
2) have policies in place that support free markets and the common man (small businesses and labor)
3) have low levels of taxation and debt

The United States:
-doesn't have control over its borders
-has policies in place that benefit the connected 1% through state intervention to bailout corrupt banks and corporations
-has high levels of taxation and debt

Does the United States seem like a country that is going to last?

The question asked, was SOCIETIES.

But you are right of course.