Re: CHAT: Democracy

Piermaria Maraziti:

"I know that the longest current existing democracy is San Marino, a little
indipendent state here in Italy, between Emilia Romagna and Marche.
The date of his foundation is AD 301.
For more info:
http://www.omniway.sm/ilvolodellabandiera/repubblica.htm
(sorry, in italian - but there is a map)"

Ciao Piermaria!
    During my brief stint as a university student in Italy, I recall San
Marino declaring the cessation of hostilities between itself and the Kingdom
of Sweden.  Apparently, until that point, the two countries had existed in a
state of war.
    It all began in 1618, the year in which an on-going disbute between
Catholics and Protestants in Germany spilled over into the rest of Europe.
King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden became involved, and San Marino (for
reasons which are not entirely clear to me) declared war on Sweden.  Germany
was devastated (though, I imagine, that had less to do with San Marino's
involvement in the war) and, at the signing of the treaty which ended the
Thirty Years' War, the Republic of San Marino was not present.
     So the two countries continued to be at war for well over three hundred
years.  This oversight, unknown to both nations for the better part of the
three hundred years, was discovered by a historian and San Marino set out to
smooth relations with Sweden.  A treaty was signed, which brought an end to
the bloodshed.
     (a proposito, Piermaria - e' Lei di origine Romagnuolo?  Mi sembra que
il Suo cognome, Maraziti, potrebb'essere proveniente dalla Romagna o il
Veneto).

     Today in history:  73 years ago, Sacco and Vanzetti were executed by
the State of Massachusetts under flimsy pretexts (they were Italian
immigrants and, more importantly, anarchists).  In 1977 Governor Michael
Dukakis declared today "Sacco and Vanzetti Day."
     Around this same time, Calvin Coolidge honored (New York Mayor)
Fiorello la Guardia for being the sole member of a "race of thieves and
murderers" to elevate himself.  Certainly not a great time in the history of
America to be anything but white, anglosaxon, and protestant...

     San Marino is undoubtedly the oldest Republic in Europe.  It was also
the only country in the West to become Communist for a brief period... you
don't need a visa to visit San Marino from Italy, and if you want them to
stamp your passport, it will cost you (10,000 lira, IIRC).

-Chollie
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