What if Alexander Tytler was Right?

Sir Alexander Tytler was a Scottish advocate, judge, writer, and historian. Lord Tytler lived from 1747 until 1813; about the time of Washington, Adams, and Jefferson in America. Tytler was a professor at the University of Edinburgh. One of Tytler's most influential and proverbial historical writings was about the lifespan of countries operating under democratic-republican governance. Tytler believed the life expectancy of a self-ruled nation was about 200 years.