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Liberalism and Its Discontents

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Liberalism and Its Discontents

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Was ist drin?

Noted political scientist Francis Fukuyama writes that a fine system is approaching its breaking point.

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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

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Recommendation

The political doctrine of liberalism has achieved much over the decades, and yet the system is being picked apart by those who prey on its weaknesses, argues political scientist Francis Fukuyama. He defines liberalism – noted for its elevation of individual rights and checks on government power – as the basis of Western democracy. But humanity may have taken a good thing too far, Fukuyama writes, and he believes that both the left and the right are responsible for today’s global pushback against liberalism. Students of geopolitics will find this erudite study a useful framework for understanding current world events.

Summary

Liberalism is under pressure worldwide.

Liberalism is a form of democratic government that prioritizes individual rights, such as the right to vote, freedom of speech and freedom of religion. Liberalism also values property rights and confers a high degree of autonomy to citizens making economic decisions. Liberalism is encoded in democratic societies via the rule of law and in the notion that individuals’ civil liberties won’t change from one political regime to the next. Since World War II, liberalism has been the dominant form of government in Europe, North America and parts of Asia. Liberalism leans on a centuries-old mind-set of accepting pluralism and advocating for people’s freedom. A citizen of a liberal democracy need not agree with other citizens about matters of ideology or faith. But each person is allowed to make up his or her mind without pressure from the state.

When it comes to individual liberties and economic prosperity, liberalism has largely been a force for good. From the mid-1970s through the early 2000s, liberalism was on the march globally. People’s civil liberties expanded during...

About the Author

Francis Fukuyama is a senior fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies at Stanford University. His previous books include The End of History and the Last Man and Identity: The Demand for Dignity and the Politics of Resentment.

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