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FRANCIS FUKUYAMA AND THE SOCIO-POLITICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF
HIS THESIS “THE END OF HISTORY”
Nuriddin Kolkanov
Associate Professor of the International Islamic Academy of Uzbekistan, PhD
Abstract:
The article analyzes the socio-political significance of Francis
Fukuyama and his thesis "The End of History." Fukuyama's concept of liberalism and
his view that "the dominance of liberalism is the end of the world," as well as his
views on political and economic liberalism, were reviewed once again.
Key word:
Fukuyama,
“THE END OF HISTORY”,
liberalism, political
liberalism, economic liberalism, liberal democracy.
INTRODUCTION
In all periods of historical development, ideologies are essentially aimed at the
well-being and happiness of people. For this purpose, each idea offers new solutions
that are considered the best, identifying the shortcomings of the previous idea. In this
respect, the intellectual infrastructure of world history can be called the history of
research and inventions. Liberalism is an important step towards achieving
prosperity, and even, according to Fukuyama, is the ultimate point that humanity can
and has already reached.
DISCUSSION
Undoubtedly, this is not the first time in Francis Fukuyama's theory that a
historical stream has been approached from the point of view of progress,
development, or evolution. Before him, such thinkers as Aristotle, Augustine, Saint-
Pierre, Concorde, Spencer, Taylor, Herder, Ferguson, Durkheim, Hegel, Marx,
although from different points of view, expressed their views on progress. In general,
progress is not a leap of historical civilization, but its gradual improvement and
development in a certain direction.
Although Fukuyama, like other thinkers, puts forward the idea that "history
moves towards a single goal," he differs from them in that he emphasizes that this
goal is liberalism. In his opinion, every state with different religious, cultural, and
traditional structures ultimately finds itself on the same plane. The concept of “end of
history”, used to express this general idea, does not mean the complete completion of
historical events. By this, Fukuyama means the unification of human, political, and
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economic institutions in the most ideal form of development and change, that is, the
triumph of liberal democracy and a free market economy.
Francis Fukuyama's concept of liberalism and his view that "the reign of
liberalism is the end of the world" have two fundamental foundations. The first of
them is the theory that the development of modern natural science has led to the
development of the entire history of mankind, the military and economic progress of
states. Peoples who have begun and relatively completed the process of developing
nature use their existing technological capabilities not only to meet human needs and
demands but also to strengthen their military structures and defense forces. The use
of modern scientific and technological capabilities for economic growth and
achieving international prestige makes economic liberalism mandatory for all states.
Homogeneity, which is the result of scientific, technological, and economic
progress, explains economic liberalism, but another basic concept is needed to
explain the necessity of liberal democracy in the same way. Here arises the second
basis that Fukuyama uses when he considers liberal democracy the ultimate destiny
of all humanity and accepts a non-random movement towards a certain goal. This is
Hegel's idea of dialectics and progress. For Hegel, progress means movement from
imperfection to perfection. History moves towards the goals of self-awareness,
absolutization, and freedom, and this formation is governed by a dialectical process.
According to Fukuyama, state systems that ignore these two main ideas used to
explain the end of history have collapsed or are about to collapse. He considers
liberalism to be the inevitable and final stage of development that any state can
achieve. To substantiate this idea, he analyzed the practical consequences of other
ideas and their negative aspects. Fukuyama cited right-wing authoritarian regimes,
left-wing totalitarian regimes, and Islam as examples.
RESULTS
Features of liberal democracy from Fukuyama's point of view.
Fukuyama
believes that liberalism has two aspects: economic and political. Economic
liberalism, representing the economic side of liberalism, is based on the idea of
relative freedom and independence of the individual. In the face of this freedom, the
state must be passive, limited, and neutral, with minimal intervention in the market.
Fukuyama defined the basic principles of economic liberalism as free economic
activity, private property, and market relations. In his opinion, replacing these basic
principles with others is incompatible with the concept of liberalism and the liberal
state.
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Political liberalism is a complement to economic liberalism and can be
generalized as freedom of enterprise and trade. In its most general sense, it implies
pluralism, universal participation, and the right of the majority to rule. Political
liberalism means the existence of pluralism and other diverse ideas and their
protection at the political and legal levels. It includes the right to think, to express
opinions, and to unite around ideas. Common participation means that different ideas
can be expressed in the political arena, and everyone can determine political power
by voting, electing, and electing. The formation of political power, according to
many, is a natural continuation of the principle of popular sovereignty.
Fukuyama defines liberalism and democracy as closely related but distinct
concepts. Liberalism means a legal order that protects certain personal rights and
freedoms from state interference. Democracy is understood as a people who, in a
multi-party system, elect the government through secret, universal, and equal
elections, thereby distributing political power. However, the election of political
leaders by the people is not enough to establish a democratic political system. The
authorities should exercise the powers granted to them without infringing upon
personal freedoms, human rights, and the principles of pluralism. The substance that
defines state borders and limits the activities of those in power are the rights and
freedoms of the individual.
The rights and freedoms that liberal democracy grants to individuals can be
grouped into personal freedoms and political rights; economic, social, cultural, and
legal freedoms; and the rights to peace, the environment, and development.
Although Francis Fukuyama considered liberalism to be the final point in world
history that could be reached in the political and economic spheres, he considered it a
necessary goal, not just a choice. According to the concept of historiography,
historical development does not consist of simple repetitions. Targeted and planned
development includes not only the world of people and objects, but also countries and
forms of government. Fukuyama, who considered progress towards a specific goal a
general principle, reinforced his idea with various examples from world history.
Although Francis Fukuyama considered liberalism to be the final point in world
history that could be reached in the political and economic spheres, he considered it a
necessary goal, not just a choice. According to the concept of historiography,
historical development does not consist of simple repetitions. Targeted and planned
development encompasses not only the world of people and objects but also countries
and forms of government. Fukuyama, who considered progress towards a specific
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goal a general principle, reinforced his idea with various examples from world
history.
According to Fukuyama, although Islam has a political aspect and one-fifth of
the world's population belongs to this religion, it is unable to attract the masses and
establish a new order for the whole world.
Communism represents a worldview based on equality, based on the idea of
common property and a classless society. Although the emergence of communism is
not associated with the name of Karl Marx, the most influential theory of
communism was developed by Marx. In general, it is based on state property instead
of private property, cooperation and collective solidarity instead of the division of
labor, and the denial of the idea that "everyone should achieve themselves" instead of
an individual understanding of the freedom of liberal democracy. Such an order, in
which private property does not exist and the means of production belong to the
whole society, arises after the dictatorship of the proletariat and the preparatory stage
for socialism. When Fukuyama explains that liberal democracy is the end of history,
we must look for the factor that prompted him to criticize communism. This was not
because Fukuyama considered this point of view and the state system unique, but
because communism was perceived as attractive by many countries at many stages of
history.
Fukuyama criticizes the creation of a strong state and a weak civil society by
left-wing totalitarian regimes as an alternative to the idea of liberal democracy.
According to him, examples of this are the state's comprehensive control over the life
of the people, the severance of ties with traditional institutions of power (religion,
language, family, history), and the change in existing relations and values. It is
impossible to talk about freedom in relation to personal life.
Francis Fukuyama's theory of the "end of history" explains the intellectual and
social foundations of historical development by the global dominance of liberal
democracy and economic liberalism. In his opinion, the test of various ideologies in
history ultimately proved the superiority of a system based on human rights,
individual freedoms, and a market economy. Fukuyama illuminates this idea through
two main pillars: scientific and technological progress, which brings all of humanity
to a single economic and political system, and the logical development of progress
through Hegel's dialectical idea.
The theory criticizes the practical and theoretical weaknesses of alternative
ideologies such as communism, fascism, and the religious-authoritarian system.
According to Fukuyama, these regimes restrict individual freedom, reduce economic
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opportunities, and cannot withstand global competition. He also characterizes
liberalism as the highest stage that humanity can achieve, presenting it not only as a
historical necessity, but also as an inevitable path of societal development.
CONCLUSION
However, Fukuyama's thesis was also criticized. Modern geopolitical
phenomena, climate change, economic inequality, and the revival of authoritarian
regimes may lead to a revision of its concept of the "end of history." Although liberal
democracy is seen as a sustainable solution to modern times, to maintain its global
dominance, the world community needs to further strengthen cooperation, inclusive
policies, and social justice.
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2. Fukuyama F. The End of History and the Last Man.
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4. Колканов, Н. Т. (2018). Процесс формирования имиджа политического
лидера (опыт Узбекистана). Редакционная коллегия, 157.
