Francis Fukuyama

Political theorist and author Francis Fukuyama is the Olivier Nomellini Senior Fellow at Stanford University's Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, director of Stanford's Ford Dorsey Master's in International Policy, and a professor by courtesy of political science. He is known for The End of History and the Last Man and his work on liberal democracy, governance, development, and authoritarian challenges.

Liberal Democracy’s Crisis Is Capacity, Not a Superior Rival

At the Aspen Ideas Festival, Francis Fukuyama, Chrystia Freeland, David French and Fareed Zakaria argued that liberal democracy is in a serious internal crisis but has not been displaced by a more viable political model. Fukuyama said no universal successor to liberal democracy has emerged; Freeland pointed to Ukraine as evidence that decentralized democratic societies can still mobilize effectively; and French warned that liberalism’s critics often identify real social failures before turning to authoritarian remedies. Their shared concern was that democracies will keep feeding strongman politics unless they can deliver purpose, competence, representation and trust.

The Aspen InstituteJun 30, 202619 min read