Fukuyama's The End of History

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Fukuyama's article states that the world is nearing the "end of history". While the phrase "end of history" seems to suggest imminent doom and the end of the world. That is, however, not what he is suggesting. Fukuyama argues that history, or in other words the growth and development of human ideals and philosophies, is reaching its peak. The article delves into the various eras of the past such as the renaissance and explains the strengths and weaknesses of the main ideologies during those eras. He then further explains the growth pattern between those eras which has lead to the current ideology of liberal democracy. He believes that liberal democracy is the best ideology and that it is the final stage in human ideological development. He further suggest that human history should be viewed as a progression or battle of ideologies. With the current trend of universalization of liberal democracy and individualism, both characteristics of Western culture, he argues that Western liberal democracy has become the grand victor. He also asserts that despite the liberal democratic ideology has not completely been realized in the material world, the idea has been accepted and has triumphed over all alternate ideologies.
Fukuyama discusses the work of past philosophers, particularly Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, to explore the idea of history and its past, present and end. Hegel pinpointed the French Revolution as the start of the liberal and democratic system. He commented on how the triumph of the numerous poor to persuade the rich to give them what they want. When this system began to be realized in the world, Hegel argued that with this ideology major issues that characterized changes in history, such as war, would diminish. To pr...

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...ve to get history started once again". This comment suggest that the current idea, liberalism, may just be a phase in Human ideology that happened to spread worldwide. Though he made a compelling argument and posed thought provoking questions that supported his argument, the flaws in his argument, after stringent analysis, contradict his main points.

Works Cited

Ferguson, C. (Director). (2010). Inside job [Documentary]. USA: Sony.
Fukuyama, F. (1989). The End of History.The National Interest, Summer. Retrieved February 2, 2014, from http://www.wesjones.com/eoh.htm
GDP Growth (annual %). (2013). The World Bank. Retrieved February 10, 2014, from http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG/countries?display=graph
World - Death Rate. (2013). Historical Data Graphs per Year. Retrieved February 22, 2014, from http://www.indexmundi.com/g/g.aspx?v=26&c=xx&l=en

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