The Origins of Political Order: From Prehuman Times to the French Revolution - Hardcover

Fukuyama, Francis

4.18

9,540 ratings by Goodreads

9781846682568: The Origins of Political Order: From Prehuman Times to the French Revolution

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1846682568 ISBN 13: 9781846682568

Publisher: Profile Books, 2011

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Nations are not trapped by their pasts, but events that happened hundreds or even thousands of years ago continue to exert huge influence on present-day politics. If we are to understand the politics that we now take for granted, we need to understand its origins.

Francis Fukuyama examines the paths that different societies have taken to reach their current forms of political order. This book starts with the very beginning of mankind and comes right up to the eve of the French and American revolutions, spanning such diverse disciplines as economics, anthropology and geography. The Origins of Political Order is a magisterial study on the emergence of mankind as a political animal, by one of the most eminent political thinkers writing today.

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Review:

Praise for Fukuyama:

'Fukuyama remains as prominent as ever

(FT)

Elegant, honest, persuasive ... he attacks his former academic allies and friends ... with a relentless and awesome force (Glasgow Herald)

Thoroughly worthwhile ... [the book] will give many thoughtful people a sensible path forward (Spectator)

This is that rare work of history with up-to-the-minute relevance (Publishers Weekly (starred review) 2011-01-24)

No longer the neocon of former days, Fukuyama seems a more flexible and discerning thinker, and as always, his mastery of the literature is daunting. This exceptional book should be in every library (Library Journal)

Sweeping, provocative big-picture study of humankind's political impulses ... Endlessly interesting - reminiscent at turns of Oswald Spengler, Stanislaw Andreski and Samuel Huntington, though less pessimistic and much better written (Kirkus Reviews (starred) 2011-02-15)

It should be read by every democrat - and every dictator. (Dominic Lawson Sunday Times)

Societies that learn from mistakes rather than punish them have an inherent resilience...It is confirmed by this ambitious work. (Oliver Kamm The Times)

This sort of blockbuster history of the political and social world rarely comes along. Only someone of Francis Fukuyama's calibre could have written this brilliant tome. (Daily Telegraph Sydney 2011-07-30)

Magisterial and mammoth...Superbly written and widely researched, Fukuyama offers a fantastic, insightful take on the story of political development (Cape Times, South Africa 2011-07-22)

Book Description:

Francis Fukuyama's most important book since the pathbreaking End of History

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