Liberalism and Its Discontents

A defence of liberalism by the renowned political philosopher

'We need more thinkers as wise as Fukuyama digging their fingers into the soil of our predicament' The New York Times

Liberalism - the comparatively mild-mannered sibling to the more ardent camps of nationalism and socialism - has never been so divisive as today. From Putin's populism, the Trump administration and autocratic rulers in democracies the world over, it has both thrived and failed under identity politics, authoritarianism, social media and a weakened free press the world over.

Since its inception following the post-Reformation wars, liberalism has come under attack from conservatives and progressives alike, and today is dismissed by many as an 'obsolete doctrine'. In this brilliant and concise exposition, Francis Fukuyama sets out the cases for and against its classical premises: observing the rule of law, independence of judges, means over ends, and most of all, tolerance.

Pithy, to the point, and ever pertinent, this is political dissection at its very best.


Urgent and timely ... A vital strength of this slim, elegant book is that it is crystalline in its definitions, even while acknowledging the complexities of practice ... a good place to start with asking the essential questions ― Observer

One of the west's most interesting public intellectuals ... he is always worth reading as a writer prepared to recalibrate and develop his thinking -- Iain Martin ― Times

Transformative ... Maybe now, as Europe sees its most brutal war since 1945, we are ready to heed what Fukuyama was trying to tell us all along -- Matthew d'Ancona ― Evening Standard

Books have poured out lately on liberalism's failings and how democracies break down. Among the diagnosticians, none is more eminent or experienced than Francis Fukuyama ... Hard to think of a better case for liberal centrism -- Edmund Fawcett ― FT