Political Order and Political Decay

From the Industrial Revolution to the Globalization of Democracy

By: Francis Fukuyama

Narrated by: Jonathan Davis

Length: 24 hrs and 1 min

Publisher's summary

The second volume of the best-selling 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.

Download the accompanying reference guide.

©2014 Francis Fukuyama (P)2014 Audible Inc.

Worth your time.

If you could sum up Political Order and Political Decay in three words, what would they be?

Although this writer tends to be difficult at times to stay involved, if you make an extra effort
you will be rewarded with interesting ideas.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Political Order and Political Decay?

none

Have you listened to any of Jonathan Davis’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

no

If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?

that would be a tough film to make.

Any additional comments?

Do not stop to early you have to give it some time.

Interesting look at society.

The book basic theme is to review and discuss the underlying rules by which societies organize themselves. The book covers from approximately 1806 to date. During this time political institutions, the modern state, rule of law and accountable government developed to a dominant model.

Fukayama divides the book into four sections. 1) The establishment of the modern states 2) Its expansion to other regions of the world 3) the concurrent spread of democracy 4) the degeneration of formerly successful democratic institutions. The author primarily has synthesized the existing literature on the topic and presents it in a readable organized manner even if it is a somewhat academic style. The author is primarily concerned about the functionality of government.

In school I remember studying Aristotle. I remember learning one of his major insights was “the purpose of politics is in not to make living together possible, but to make living well possible.” Whereas Fukuyama suggests that politics has the more limited role of simply enabling innately disputatious humans to live together at all.

I understand Fukayama has written another book entitled “The Origins of Political Order” 2011 and this current book is a continuation of the first book. The first book is over 600 pages so I am not sure I will tackle that book and just allow this second book to satisfy my curiosity about the subject. This book is also a long book just over 24 hours of listening in the audio book format. This book is packed with so much information I will have to read it a number of times to fully process and understand it. Jonathan Davis did a good job narrating the book.

Picks up where volume one left off and finishes

Interesting collection of ideas that are put together in a way that is useful. Makes useful generalizations that will be guides for future researchers to see if they can validate his narratives.

Democracy and Liberalism

In the second volume of his work in political theory Francis Fukuyama contemplates the development of democracy and it's main characteristics (modern state, rule of law and accountability). Reflecting on the experiences of different countries and regions, the Author discuss the possibilities of democracy and the perils and challenges it faces. Liberal democracy, argues Fukuyama, isn't a natural development in politics. It must be constructed with institutions and desired by the people. Most important, it must answers the demands and fulfills the aspirations of the society. The ideal solution, Fukuyama points, is an efficient liberal democracy. In that regard, there is no simple solution. One must experiences distinct institutions and relates to diverse historical background. In the meantime, one has to believe in the advantages of democracy, because authoritarianism and dictatorship are along the way. Easy said than done!

Attention Social change agents

I gained tremendous clarity about how we got to where we are, politically. A foundation.

Very scientific and sociological

If you're looking for a book to guess on the direction of which societies will rise and which will fall you may be a bit disheartened. This book is much more scientific at explaining how things have come to be and less on future predictions. It was a bit too long for me as I am looking at it from an interest as well as an economics perspective. Still definitely worth the read, but it is not always an exciting story. If you are looking at this for investing/stock picking purposes, you'll realize less value than you hoped. Still...a well put together book.

Enlightening!

A thought provoking historiography that extracts lessons about how we got here, and gives tools to analyze current political organization.

An absolute blast!

One of the best listen I've had. Learnt so much. Fukuyama writes in a style that lends itself to being read aloud so that subject matter becomes totally accessible and easy to follow.

The best historical analysis I have ever heard.

There are chapters yet to go but this work has already earned five stars and I needed to say so right away!

This is the best historical analysis of any kind I have ever seen. Not that I agree with all of it. And from time to time there is a bit to much over thinking. However, this work provided many missing pieces to my understanding of long wave 'evolutionary' civilization. The author is especially helpful in contrasting colonialism in North America, South America and Africa. One sad conclussion I make is that the end products of various colonial enterprises were simply unavoidable. For instance, European diseases wiped out most of new world peoples the same way bubonic plague wiped out much of Europe time and again. Nothing could have been done about any of it.

Similarly, North and South America evolved as they did because South America was entirely founded by a plundering "Conqistador" civilization while North America was founded by hapless, largely clueless family groups; there were more women and children on the Mayflower then adult men and half the entire compliment died the first Winter. These people would not have taken down Montezuma.

The author's discussion of African colonialism was the most useful of all because I have studied it less. It's now clear to me the post colonial African detritus was as inevitable as small pox was in the new world. There is no purpose in self flagilation on this matter any more then to weap and wail over small pox 500 years after the fact.

Understanding the world...

This book allows the listener to better understand how nations transformed over time and why. Fukuyama’s 2 books should be required reading for all Poli Sci majors as it explains how nations developed politically and how different influential markers tell us why they act the way do, from authoritarianism to liberal democracies and everything in between.