The U.S. has managed over 40 peaceful transitions of power in that period. Democracies around the world have demonstrated far more stability and effectiveness, not to mention justice, liberty and prosperity, than those other forms of government that had lasted for millennia. That's not just in the West, but in Japan and South Korea, and in parts of China itself: Taiwan and Hong Kong - the most free, stable and prosperous parts.

> The U.S. has managed over 40 peaceful transitions of power in that period.

Over 40 peaceful transitions, really? What about the Civil War and the assassination of JFK? Not to mention the recent Donald Trump fiasco. I'm pretty sure if he got elected, we would have a few more presidential assassination attempts coming our way. I mean if you want to prove that democracies bring stability, you need a better example than the U.S..

That's a pretty uninformed understanding of US culture and history, the western legal system dates back far longer than just a few hundred years (over a millennium).

A more apt comparison is the post cultural revolution government, which occurred during the last century.

> the western legal system dates back far longer than just a few hundred years (over a millennium).

But not western democracy. Notable mentions are Greece and Rome, but those cultures also became history.

And the Roman Republic lasted a while, but it was eventually replaced by the Empire.