Francis Fukuyama s The End Of History - 985 Words

Life of Ideology, Life of Conflict: Francis Fukuyama and Samuel Huntington In Francis Fukuyama s â€Å"The End of History?† published in 1989, he posits that with the end of the Cold War, humanity is reaching a point where Western liberal democracy and economic structure is the highest form of ideological development. Other ideologies (communism, fascism, etc.) are vestigial forms of thinking destined to fail and disappear in an inevitable progression towards a liberal system (Fukuyama 1989). In â€Å"The Clash of Civilizations?† published in 1993, Samuel Huntington writes that the world is divided into civilizations, based on culture (not ideology or economic factors), and that the conflicts of the future (and some in the present) will be based on divisions along those lines. These include, according to Huntington, â€Å"Western, Confucian, Japanese, Islamic, Hindu, Slavic-Orthodox, Latin American and possibly African...† (Huntington 1993, 25). While these theories are seemingly compatible at first glance – Fukuyama s Western l iberalism can be the victor in Huntington s war of civilizations – there is a major difference, and some important reasons for this difference, which we can find in the authors pasts. I believe that the major difference is Fukuyama s faith in a victory for Western liberalism. While Huntington is satisfied with showing that other civilizations/cultures will clash with the West s, Fukuyama is confident that the West is already on its way to victory. We canShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Francis Fukuyama s The End Of History And The Last Man 2342 Words   |  10 PagesReview describes Francis Fukuyama as â€Å"one of the most important thinkers in America† because of his status as a triple-threat in public intellectual life: he is able to â€Å"maintain high appointments in academe, produce popular books and magazine writing, and advise American presidents and foreign leaders directly†. This status contributes to Fukuyama’s continued success as a political scientist, political economist and author. After achieving notability for his book, The End of History and the Last ManRead MoreThe Future of History: Can Liberal Democracy Survive the Decline of the Middle Class536 Words   |  2 Pagesâ€Å"The Future of History: Can Liberal Democracy Survive the Decline of the Middle Class?† Francis Fukuyama It would take a great deal of confidence, in these uncertain and changing times, to publish an article called The Future of History. Yet, this is precisely what Francis Fukuyama has done in this article. It is a bold title since it not only places this article in the ideological path of his most famous work, â€Å"The End of History and the Last Man,† but it also suggests a fundamental departureRead MoreHobsbawm s The Age Of Extremes1079 Words   |  5 PagesNeither the periodization nor the titles are important, however Hobsbawm has limited himself to the `short Twentieth Century marked by the start of the First World War and concluding with the collapse of the Soviet Union at the start of the 1990 s. In practice, Hobsbawm analysis is shown to move on beyond 1991 and makes it apparent of his awareness of the political forces that need to be understood if 1914 were to be explained. As the economic growth between these two points might just be termedRead MoreDoes Ideology Mat ter in Politics Anymore? Essay2600 Words   |  11 PagesPolitical ideology has been an intrinsic part of world history for over two hundred years (Heywood 1998). The modern world was moulded by ideology resulting in political, economic and social upheavals. It has been argued in the 20th century that the importance of ideology in the political world has been declining and the question set requires an analysis of the arguments put forward by those who believe that ideology influence has come to an end. This essay will challenge the view that ideology isRead MoreThe Cold War Was Easy : Capitalism Vs. Communism1402 Words   |  6 Pagestry was Francis Fukuyama: With his essay entitled, The End of History he declared â€Å"an unabashed victory of economic and political liberalism†. The resulting, â€Å"triumph of the West† was evidence that there was no â€Å"viable systematic alternatives to Western Liberalism.† Therefore, there was no â€Å"fundamental contradictions in human life that cannot be resolved in the context of modern liberalism, that would be resolvable by an alternative political-economic structure.† According to Fukuyama, the WestRead MoreThe Argument Of Clash Of Civilians By Samuel Huntington999 Words   |  4 PagesCivilization is far more fundamental today and throughout time, civilization identity will continue to be a major component. Huntington also does not see westernization as a desirable surge that engulfs world politics. Conflict is very natural and history proves that argument. The author takes away focus from states as a foundation of war in the future and more on conflict between major culture regions. He states that peoples cultural and religious identities will be the primary bases of conflictRead MoreA Democracy Of The Middle East1304 Words   |  6 Pagesin which the citizens overthrew a democratic government in favor of anything else. This suggests that a democracy is the ideal form of government that citizens will continue to revolt until they reach. Francis Fukuyama agrees when he asserts that capitalist, liberal democracies are the end of history. Humans seem to naturally gravitate towards democracy, and the Muslim world is no exception. The Arab world is moving towards a democracy that accurately reflects the values of Islam. This is alreadyRead MoreWhat Is Significant About Developments in Post-Cold War Ir Theory?1966 Words   |  8 Pagesprotectionism that led to the Great Depression in 1930. The end of the Second World War brought another great expansion of capitalism with the development of multinational companies interested in producing and selling in the domestic markets of nations around the world. The emancipation of colonies created a new world order. Air travel and the development of international communications enhanced the progress of international business. Then the end of the Cold War broke the barriers to globalisation inRead MoreRealism Is The Most Convincing Paradigm For International Relations? Essay1579 Words   |  7 PagesCONVINCING PARADIGM FOR INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS? WHAT ARE THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKN ESSES OF REALISM AS A THEORY FOR INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS? Realism has dominated international relations theory since emerging in the 1930’s. The era of state conflict lasting from the 1930’s to the end of the cold war in 1947, proved the perfect hostile environment to fit the largely pessimistic view of world politics. While many aspects of realism are still alive in International Relations today; including the dominantRead MoreAsian Values And Cultural Diversity2375 Words   |  10 PagesThe term Asian Values has various definitions. Generally, the phrase alludes to influences from Confucianism in particular, filial piety or loyalty towards the family, corporation, and nation; the forgoing of personal freedom for the sake of society s stability and prosperity; the pursuit of academic and technological excellence; and, a strong work ethic together with thrift. Proponents of so-called Asian values, who tend to support Asian style authoritarian governments claim these values are more