Interview with Francis Fukuyama about his books The End of History and the Last Man, Liberalism and Its Discontents, Identity: The Demand for Dignity and the Politics of Resentment, and the upcoming In the Realm of the Last Man: A Memoir. Discusses the challenges facing modern liberalism and revisits his “End of History” thesis. Explores why stable societies face discontent, citing the human desire to struggle for “something higher” (thymos) and the internet’s role in eroding shared factual premises. Contrasts state-building and the rule of law across Europe, China, and India. Warns against essentialized identity politics and emphasizes that democratic survival depends on shared norms and strong leadership over formal legal structures.
