Political Order And Political Decay: From The I... »

The final section of the book focuses on the "decay" of modern liberal democracies, particularly the .

Fukuyama posits that the order in which these institutions develop matters immensely. For instance, countries that developed a strong, professional bureaucracy before democratization (like Prussia/Germany) often have more effective governance than those where democracy arrived before a competent state was built. Political Order and Political Decay: From the I...

Fukuyama uses this term to describe a system with so many checks and balances that small interest groups can effectively block—or "veto"—any action that benefits the public good. The final section of the book focuses on

A centralized authority with the "executive capability" to exercise power and provide services effectively. Fukuyama uses this term to describe a system

Humans have a biological "patrimonial" instinct to favor family and friends. Political order requires institutions to suppress this; "decay" occurs when these institutions fail and people revert to using the state for personal or tribal gain. Political Decay and the "Vetocracy"