Easy review on the topic "End of the history and the last man"

1. END OF THE HISTORY AND THE LAST MAN
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS AND CURRENT AFFAIRS
SIDRA ASLAM
13054119-202
BS (Computer science)
University of Gujrat, Pakistan.

2. END OF THE HISTORY AND THE LAST MAN
Francis Fukuyama (Social science professor/researcher) teaches at “John Hopkins University and is
association with the RAND corporation.” Before starting the topic, we should know following topics:
 COLD WAR (1945-1990)
The Cold War was a long period of tension between the democracies of the Western
World and the communist countries of Eastern Europe. The west was led by the United States
and Eastern Europe was led by the Soviet Union. These two countries became known as
superpowers. Although the two superpowers never officially declared war on each other, they
fought indirectly in proxy wars, the arms race, and the space race.
The Cold War began not too long after World War II ended in 1945. Although, the Soviet
Union was an important member of the Allied Powers, there was great distrust between the
Soviet Union and the rest of the Allies. The Allies were concerned with the brutal leadership of
Joseph Stalin as well as the spread of communism. The Cold War came to an end with the
collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.
o Proxy Wars
The Cold War was often fought between the superpowers of the United States
and the Soviet Union in something called a proxy war. These were wars fought between
other countries, but with each side getting support from a different superpower.
Examples of proxy wars include the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Yom Kippur War,
and the Soviet Afghanistan War.
o Arms Race and Space Race
The United States and the Soviet Union also tried to fight the Cold War by
demonstrating their power and technology. One example of this was the Arms Race
where each side tried to have the best weapons and the most nuclear bombs. The idea
was that a large stockpile of weapons would deter the other side from ever attacking.
Another example was the Space Race, where each side tried to show that it had the
better scientists and technology by accomplishing certain space missions first.
o Some reasons of cold war:
The main reason of cold war was the ideologies of USA and USSR. Some reasons
are as follows:
USA USSR
Free election No elections are fixed
Democratic Dictatorship/Autocratic
Capitalist Communist
Survival of the fittest Everybody helps everybody
Richest world power Poor economic based9
Personal freedom Society controlled by the NKVD (secret police)
Freedom of the media Total censorship

3.  French Revolution:
The French Revolution was a period in France when the people overthrew the monarchy
and took control of the government.
The French Revolution lasted 10 years from 1789 to 1799. It began on July 14, 1789 when
revolutionaries stormed a prison called the Bastille. The revolution came to an end 1799 when a
general named Napoleon overthrew the revolutionary government and established the French
Consulate (with Napoleon as leader).
o Reasons of revolution (The French Estates):
Before the French Revolution, the people of France were divided into social
groups called "Estates." The First Estate included the clergy (church leaders), the Second
Estate included the nobles, and the Third Estate included the commoners. Most of the
people were members of the Third Estate. The Third Estate paid most of the taxes, while
the nobility lived lives of luxury and got all the high-ranking jobs.
o Revolutionary Government
The French Government was in constant turmoil throughout the revolution. At
the start of the revolution, representatives from the Third Estate established the
National Assembly where they demanded that King Louis XVI give them certain rights.
This group soon took control of the country. They changed names over time to the
Legislative Assembly and, later, to the National Convention. After the Reign of Terror, a
new government was formed called the Directory. The Directory ruled until Napoleon
took control.
o Reign of Terror
The darkest period of the French Revolution is called the Reign of Terror which
lasted from 1793 to 1794. During this time, a man named Robespierre led the National
Convention and the Committee of Public Safety. He wanted to stamp out any opposition
to the revolution, so he called for a rule of "Terror." Laws were passed that said anyone
suspected of treason could be arrested and executed by guillotine. Thousands of people
were executed including Queen Marie Antoinette and many of Robespierre's political
rivals.
o Political Clubs
Many of the new political ideas and alliances of the French Revolution were
formed in political clubs. These clubs included the powerful Jacobin Club (led by
Robespierre), the Cordeliers, the Feuillants Club, and the Pantheon Club.
o Outcome
The French Revolution completely changed the social and political structure of
France. It put an end to the French monarchy, feudalism, and took political power from
the Catholic church. It brought new ideas to Europe including liberty and freedom for
the commoner as well as the abolishment of slavery and the rights of women. Although
the revolution ended with the rise of Napoleon, the ideas and reforms did not die. These
new ideas continued to influence Europe and helped to shape many of Europe's
modern-day governments.

4. The End of the history and the last man
Introduction:
“The end of the history and the last man” is a 1992 book by Francis Fukuyama, expanding his 1989
article “The End of History?” published in the international affairs journal “The National Interest”. In the
book Fukuyama argues that the advent of Western Liberal democracy may signal the endpoint of
humanity’s sociocultural evolution and the final form of human government.”
From ‘End of History’:
“What we may be witnessing is not just the end of the cold war, or the passing of a particular period of
post-war history, but the end of history as such: that is, the end point of mankind’s ideological evolution
and the universalization of western liberal democracy as the final form of human government”.
Fukuyama’s claim:
“The end of the cold war was not just the end of an era, but the end of history itself.”
Key points:
 History should be viewed as an evolutionary process.
 According to Fukuyama’s perspective, history is purposive, directional, progressive and goal-
oriented.
 The goal to which history is oriented is ‘Rationality’ and ‘Freedom’.
 With end of cold war, clash of ideologies has been resolved. (Hegel and Karl Marx dialectics).
 The end of the history means Liberal democracy is the final form of government for all nations.
There can be no progression from liberal democracy to an alternative system.
 According to Fukuyama, since the French revolution, democracy has repeatedly proven to be a
fundamentally better system (ethically, politically, economically) than any of the alternatives.
 The most basic (and prevalent) error in discussing Fukuyama’s work is to confuse “history” with
events.
 Fukuyama claims not that events will stop occurring in the future, but that democracy will
become more and more prevalent in the long term, although it may suffer “temporary” setbacks
(which may, of course, last for centuries). ‘Liberal Democracy cannot be improved i.e. final stage
of political evolution’.
 He supported international consumer culture or ‘Free market economy’.
Criticism:
 Islamic societies and their reservations about liberalism?
 Global economic crises (Global Recession 2007 or Greece economic crisis)?
 Free markets constraints democratic process.
 Ignores failures of liberal democracy (Gender & Xenophobia).