In 'Political Order and Political Decay,' Francis Fukuyama explores the intricate evolution of political institutions and their impact on civilization. He dissects how societies build order, and what happens when these systems fail to adapt to modern challenges. With a keen historical lens, Fukuyama investigates the rise and fall of governance, laying bare the forces that lead to political decay. The book raises provocative questions about democracy, corruption, and state legitimacy, urging readers to consider what the future holds for political stability. A must-read for those intrigued by the dynamics of power and society.
By Francis Fukuyama
Published: 2015
"Political development is not a linear process, and the evolution of political institutions is fraught with setbacks and decay as much as it is with progress."
The second volume of the bestselling landmark work on the history of the modern state Writing in The Wall Street Journal, David Gress called Francis Fukuyama's Origins of Political Order "magisterial in its learning and admirably immodest in its ambition." In The New York Times Book Review, Michael Lind described the book as "a major achievement by one of the leading public intellectuals of our time." And in The Washington Post, Gerard DeGrott exclaimed "this is a book that will be remembered. Bring on volume two." Volume two is finally here, completing the most important work of political thought in at least a generation. Taking up the essential question of how societies develop strong, impersonal, and accountable political institutions, Fukuyama follows the story from the French Revolution to the so-called Arab Spring and the deep dysfunctions of contemporary American politics. He examines the effects of corruption on governance, and why some societies have been successful at rooting it out. He explores the different legacies of colonialism in Latin America, Africa, and Asia, and offers a clear-eyed account of why some regions have thrived and developed more quickly than others. And he boldly reckons with the future of democracy in the face of a rising global middle class and entrenched political paralysis in the West. A sweeping, masterful account of the struggle to create a well-functioning modern state, Political Order and Political Decay is destined to be a classic.
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“Political development is not a linear process, and the evolution of political institutions is fraught with setbacks and decay as much as it is with progress.”
Political Order and Political Decay
By Francis Fukuyama
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Francis Fukuyama is a prominent American political scientist, economist, and author, best known for his influential work, "The End of History and the Last Man" (1992), in which he argues that the spread of liberal democracy may signify the endpoint of humanity's sociocultural evolution. His other notable works include "Political Order and Political Decay" (2014) and "Identity: The Demand for Dignity and the Politics of Resentment" (2018), exploring themes of political development, social identity, and governance. Fukuyama's writing style combines rigorous academic research with accessible prose, making complex ideas understandable to a broader audience.
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