ABSTRACT
One of mankind’s most durable creations passed out of existence when old China’s imperial system of government was submerged under a tide of republicanism in the early years of the present century. No other government that persisted into the twentieth century could claim comparable longevity; for its history as an institutional system stretched back almost unbroken through dynastic changes, foreign invasions, and social and cultural upheavals into the third century before Christ. In the long perspective of history, moreover, it is probable that no government ever served its people more effectively as a guardian of social stability, territorial integrity, and national dignity. Despite its rapid and complete deterioration at the end, the Chinese – Nationalist and Communist alike – have not ceased recalling its glories with a wistful nostalgia, and many have consistently lamented its passing.
