The Origins of Political Order: From Prehuman Times to the French Revolution

By: Francis Fukuyama

Narrated by: Jonathan Davis

Length: 22 hrs and 34 mins

Publisher's summary

Virtually all human societies were once organized tribally, yet over time most developed new political institutions that included a central state that could keep the peace and uniform laws that applied to all citizens. Some went on to create governments that were accountable to their constituents. We take these institutions for granted, but they are absent or unable to function in many of today’s developing countries—with often disastrous consequences for the rest of the world.

Francis Fukuyama, author of the best-selling The End of History and The Last Man, and one of our most important political thinkers, provides a sweeping account of how today’s basic political institutions developed.

The first of a major two-volume work, The Origins of Political Order begins with politics among our primate ancestors and follows the story through the emergence of tribal societies, the growth of the first modern state in China, the beginning of the rule of law in India and the Middle East, and the development of political accountability in Europe up until the eve of the French Revolution.

Drawing on a vast body of knowledge—history, evolutionary biology, archaeology, and economics—Fukuyama has produced a brilliant, provocative work that offers fresh insights on the origins of democratic societies and raises essential questions about the nature of politics and its discontents.

Download the accompanying reference guide.

©2011 Francis Fukuyama (P)2011 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Fukuyama writes a crystalline prose that balances engaging erudition with incisive analysis. As germane to the turmoil in Afghanistan as it is to today's congressional battles, this is that rare work of history with up-to-the-minute relevance." ( Publishers Weekly)

“Political theorist Francis Fukuyama’s new book is a major accomplishment, likely to find its place among the works of seminal thinkers like Jean-Jacques Rousseau and John Locke, and modern moral philosophers and economists such as John Rawls and Amartya Sen . . .It is a perspective and a voice that can supply a thinker’s tonic for our current political maladies.” (Earl Pike, The Cleveland Plain Dealer)

“Ambitious and highly readable.” ( The New Yorker)

The scope and depth of this book is incredible.

This is not an easy read. As an academic who sometime teaches about the rise of the liberal order, I found this book totally fascinating. I'm afraid that my students would have a hard time with it, though. The details can be overwhelming at times, but the scope and breadth makes it all worth it.

Good History, Poor Analysis

Any additional comments?

In the box thinking with an orthodox bias. Poor specificity of terms (e.g., the state, government, patronage, clientelism, etc.), and getting some concepts completely backwards (e.g., debasing currency because of inflation, rather than inflation being caused by the debasement of currency). The history is very good. The economics, not so much.

amazingly insightful

the sheer amount of knowledge, history, breadth, and depth professor Fukuyama gets into explaining the origins of political order around the world is nothing short of mind boggling. The comparative analysis is detailed, academic, and extremely informative. I will definitely be getting a hardcopy of this book one day so I can reference it for future study

Nuanced look at development of political systems

focuses on early human history and how different factors contributed to the evolution of political systems in differing areas. Outlines in a limited manner how some of the issues of the past can still frame political systems today

Highly detailed and long journey, but worth it.

if you have any interest in history and politics, this book is fantastic. the level of detail helps cement the theory around what goes into the building of a successful state.

Very in depth. Important book for our time. Yes

Important book for those that care to understand about the seriousness of the way empires influence the lay person through indoctrination by manufacturing consent with false truth.

Great book

Full of insights and very informative. I enjoyed the chapters describing ancient civilizations and the evolution of the modern concepts of political entities.

Everybody should 'read' this book!

Would you listen to The Origins of Political Order: From Prehuman Times to the French Revolution again? Why?

Absolutely I will listen to this book again because it will help me remember all of this information. I love big picture - and to be able to see the process of how government evolved around the world, in various forms is very illuminating.

What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?

Fukuyama does an excellent job in condensing, and explaining the process of success and failure for all the variations of government that has arisen over time around the world.

Which character – as performed by Jonathan Davis – was your favorite?

Jonathan Davis did a marvelous read, beautifully paced, well modulated, clear and concise, and enormously 'readable'.

What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?

The importance, use and misuse of taxes that all governments have experimented with.

Poor performance mars some good thinking

Would you try another book from Francis Fukuyama and/or Jonathan Davis?

In the future I will stay away from Jonathan Davis as a narrator.

What did you like best about this story?

Fukuyama is an original and interesting thinker, and this book is more than worth your time. However, it is a bit over-written -- long and somewhat labored in its prose. A good editor could have improved it by tightening it up.

How could the performance have been better?

The reading is not good. The reader seems to randomly emphasize words in a way that suggests he does not really understand the sentence. It is very distracting and it makes the thought harder to follow. I would much prefer a reader with a lesser voice who spoke the sentences in a more natural way.

Do you think The Origins of Political Order: From Prehuman Times to the French Revolution needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

He has written a sequel, but as it was performed the same reader, I will not be taking it in Audible form.

Provoked some interesting thoughts

An interesting overview of the development of governance in the ancient world and the middle ages. Panoramic view across cultures and the globe which provided some "oh that's how and why that developed here, but not here." Not being a specialist, it helped me understand the differences between tribal kinship systems in China and the feudal systems in Europe.

It was interesting to speculate about the role of the Catholic Church in the development of an independent judiciary, the separation of powers, and the rule of law. The importance of religions in setting the groundwork for the development of the rule of law which was a missing ingredient in China which offers an explanation of their continuing struggle in developing rule of law.

I would recommend that you download the PDFs because the maps and tables help provide some insight into the different areas in their historical context.