Liberalism and Its Discontents

A TIMES BEST PHILOSOPHY & IDEAS BOOK OF 2022 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 'A brilliantly acute summary of the way some aspects of liberal thought have consumed themselves' Guardian 'One of the West's most interesting public intellectuals' Times 'Hard to think of a better case for liberal centrism' FT 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.

Review: 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 brilliantly acute summary of the way some aspects of liberal thought have consumed themselves -- Andrew Anthony * Guardian *
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 *
Fukuyama succeeds in his explaining his objections to identity politics with great clarity and concreteness -- Iain MacWhirter * Herald *
Concise and lucid ... Fukuyama sketches a strategy that classical liberals might adopt in order to shore up the foundations of their favoured form of government -- Oliver Letwin * Tablet *
Fukuyama, like many of us, is a chastened liberal. But his argument is more persuasive as a result. He takes seriously the criticisms of liberalism from left and right and is not sparing in his own criticisms of public policy -- Richard V. Reeves * Literary Review *
A sober and measured analysis ... in lucid, uncomplicated, prose -- JP O'Malley * Irish Examiner *
A rare thing: academic treatise that may actually have influence in the arena of practical politics ... Fukuyama writes with a crystalline rationality -- Joe Klein * New York Times *
An urgent case for ... a rejuvenated liberal practice that retains the very essence of classical liberalism -- Shelley Walia * Tribune India *
Liberals are challenged by illiberal sentiment on the woke left and the authoritarian right. But Fukuyama is not giving up. This compelling defence of liberalism convincingly parries blows from all sides * Times Best Philosophy & Ideas Books of 2022 *
Praise for Identity: As wise as it is compact, travelling at great speed through difficult terrain to a sensible conclusion * The Times *
A primer on the big political shift of our times, and an explainer of how we got here * Sunday Times *
Sweeping and ambitious * Prospect *
A useful primer on an important subject * Literary Review *