Conversations With History - Francis Fukuyama

Conversations host Harry Kreisler welcomes Francis Fukuyama for a discussion of his new book, The Origins of Political Order. Fukuyama traces his intellectual odyssey, discusses the origins of "The End of History" thesis, and describes the influence of Samuel Huntington. The conversation moves on to focus on the problem of political order. Fukayama identifies his purpose in writing the new book, the importance of history and comparative studies to the development of his arguments, the relevance of insights from the biological sciences, and the role of ideas in institution building. He compares the evolution of the state in China and India and then assesses the relevance of the Chinese model of state power in an era of globalization. He then offers an analysis of the neo-conservative agenda. He concludes with advice for students as they prepare for the future. conversations.berkeley.edu