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If immortality ever becomes possible for humans, say through advancements in medical technology and genetics that warp the human lifespan far beyond what nature intended, does that change what forms of government are possible or effective? Throughout history, we see that vast empires and kingdoms flourish for a time under one, or if they're lucky, a few brilliant and accomplished rulers, and then fall apart when old leaders die and weak, squabbling replacements try to fill the power vacuum.

Republican democracy and oligarchy, for their flaws, have generally shown themselves resistant to this problem, as power is divided between different individuals and branches, and as they fall away others take their place peacefully in the same general structure, and order is maintained; so while stagnation can occur, the risk of and factors leading to civil war and violent regime change are greatly reduced. This is a strong factor in why states like this are the most prevalent and successful in the modern world.

Would immortality change the potential of the dictatorship forms of government? If an absolute ruler who is strong and competent could continue to lead a country for hundreds of years without having to worry about a successor, would the viability of absolute monarchy need to be re-evealuated in comparison to alternatives? Could a dictatorship prosper for even longer than the usual lifespan of a democratic state if its ruler is beyond the reach of old age, if no other inevitable threat?