Is democracy on the brink of a revival? For many years many have been saying it is in danger. Now the celebrated historian Francis Fukuyama says its power is undimmed.
It really IS the end of history says writer
Is democracy on the brink of a revival? For many years many have been saying it is in danger. Now the celebrated historian Francis Fukuyama says its power is undimmed.
<h2 class=" eplus-wrapper" id="crosshead">New dawn</h2>
A ripple of cheers and applause broke out when Elnaz Rekabi stepped up to compete in the Asian Climbing Competition finals in Seoul on Sunday. Some onlookers might have wondered why. With her hair in a pony-tail, Rekabi looked like any other contestant.
But that is precisely what made the moment so extraordinary. Rekabi was representing IranA country in Western Asia, officially called the Islamic Republic of Iran. It has a population of 84 million. , which requires all its athletes to wear a hijabA head covering worn by some Muslim women. when competing. Refusing to cover her head appeared to be a silent act of defiance.
Rekabi has since gone missing, joining the hundreds of Iranians who have disappeared since protests broke out across the country last month.1 Yesterday, a post appeared on her Instagram account claiming her hijab had fallen off accidentally.
In spite of this, the protests continue. The young people of Iran say they will not rest until they have won their freedoms.
They are not the only ones displaying great bravery in the face of repressionThe act of subsiding something by force. Repressive is usually used negatively, often to describe the activities of authoritarian states.. Last week, a man hung banners from a bridge in Beijing calling for the removal of Chinese leader Xi JinpingThe president of China, who has concentrated power and removed term limits allowing him to serve for life..
The man was arrested and the authorities censored any discussion of the protest. But the hashtag "I saw it" was viewed more than 180,000 times before being shut down.
All over the world, people are fighting for freedom and democracyA system of government based on the idea of rule by the people.. Now one man thinks he has finally been proved right.
In 1992, Francis FukuyamaAn American political scientist best known for his argument that the whole world will one day embrace liberal democracy. claimed that most of history had been defined by the struggle between ideas: CatholicismA religious denomination within Christianity, with 1.2 billion believers worldwide. vs ProtestantismThe umbrella term for a wide variety of movements that trace their roots to a schism in the Catholic Church in the early 16th Century. Protestants are united by a number of core beliefs, but there is much diversity among its movements., monarchyThe king or queen and royal family. vs democracy, communismThe system of organising society so that all property is owned by the community and everyone receives things according to their needs. vs capitalismA form of economy characterised by private property and competition between companies..
The most recent of these struggles had just ended in decisive defeat for communism, when the USSRThe United Socialist Soviet Republic, the USA's main rival in the Cold War before it collapsed and broke up into a number of smaller states in 1991. broke up and the eastern blocA group of socialist states that were influenced by the USSR during the Cold War. transitioned to democracy.
For Fukuyama, the lesson was clear. One idea had finally won out: liberal democracyA system of government in which governments are elected and the rights and freedoms of the individual is protected.. He was confident that the rest of the world would start moving towards this system.
Many thought he was proved wrong. Within a few years, Vladimir Putin was in power in Russia. Authoritarian China is now a superpower.
Meanwhile, many of the world's older democracies seem to be teetering. AutocraticRelating to a ruler with total power. leaders have been elected in India, the USA, and Italy.
But Fukuyama stands by his argument. In a new essay, he claims liberal democracy is still on the march, and that authoritarianism is weaker than it seems. He claims dictatorships are doomed to fail because their leaders become delusional and unwilling to listen to bad news.
Yes: People will always choose individual freedoms and representation over dictatorship and repression. That means there is constant pressure in favour of liberal democracy. Authoritarian states cannot hold out forever.
No: Democracy is not a successful system. It has not existed for very long, nor has it spread very far, and it has often proved fragile. Ultimately, authoritarianism will always outcompete it.
Or... The "democracy" part might survive without the "liberal". People will keep the vote, but many societies will become stricter. Some may even lose individual rights.
Iran - A country in Western Asia, officially called the Islamic Republic of Iran. It has a population of 84 million.
Hijab - A head covering worn by some Muslim women.
Repression - The act of subsiding something by force. Repressive is usually used negatively, often to describe the activities of authoritarian states.
Xi Jinping - The president of China, who has concentrated power and removed term limits allowing him to serve for life.
Democracy - A system of government based on the idea of rule by the people.
Francis Fukuyama - An American political scientist best known for his argument that the whole world will one day embrace liberal democracy.
Catholicism - A religious denomination within Christianity, with 1.2 billion believers worldwide.
Protestantism - The umbrella term for a wide variety of movements that trace their roots to a schism in the Catholic Church in the early 16th Century. Protestants are united by a number of core beliefs, but there is much diversity among its movements.
Monarchy - The king or queen and royal family.
Communism - The system of organising society so that all property is owned by the community and everyone receives things according to their needs.
Capitalism - A form of economy characterised by private property and competition between companies.
USSR - The United Socialist Soviet Republic, the USA's main rival in the Cold War before it collapsed and broke up into a number of smaller states in 1991.
Eastern bloc - A group of socialist states that were influenced by the USSR during the Cold War.
Liberal democracy - A system of government in which governments are elected and the rights and freedoms of the individual is protected.
Autocratic - Relating to a ruler with total power.
<h5 class=" eplus-wrapper" id="question"><strong>Is democracy on the brink of a revival?</strong> </h5>
It really IS the end of history says writer

Glossary
Iran - A country in Western Asia, officially called the Islamic Republic of Iran. It has a population of 84 million.
Hijab - A head covering worn by some Muslim women.
Repression - The act of subsiding something by force. Repressive is usually used negatively, often to describe the activities of authoritarian states.
Xi Jinping - The president of China, who has concentrated power and removed term limits allowing him to serve for life.
Democracy - A system of government based on the idea of rule by the people.
Francis Fukuyama - An American political scientist best known for his argument that the whole world will one day embrace liberal democracy.
Catholicism - A religious denomination within Christianity, with 1.2 billion believers worldwide.
Protestantism - The umbrella term for a wide variety of movements that trace their roots to a schism in the Catholic Church in the early 16th Century. Protestants are united by a number of core beliefs, but there is much diversity among its movements.
Monarchy - The king or queen and royal family.
Communism - The system of organising society so that all property is owned by the community and everyone receives things according to their needs.
Capitalism - A form of economy characterised by private property and competition between companies.
USSR - The United Socialist Soviet Republic, the USA’s main rival in the Cold War before it collapsed and broke up into a number of smaller states in 1991.
Eastern bloc - A group of socialist states that were influenced by the USSR during the Cold War.
Liberal democracy - A system of government in which governments are elected and the rights and freedoms of the individual is protected.
Autocratic - Relating to a ruler with total power.