1. Challengers at the End of History: how illiberal democracy
and the 'Asian model' are threatening Fukuyamism
2. Francis Fukuyama, 1989: The end of history 20th century:
liberal democratic capitalism overcame both fascism and Soviet
communism Liberal democracy is the final form of human government,
the pinnacle of our ideological evolution*
3. Yeah, this is actually a thing.
4. Even if liberal democracy is normatively the best possible
regime, our praise for it still needs to reflect its performance in
reality I argue that the end of history thesis is premature
because: 1) The assumption of liberal primacy is based on the
empirical foundation of exclusive and enduring Western dominance 2)
That dominance is being seriously challenged
5. Fukuyama acknowledged this possibility...** If the Soviet
Union had entered on an era of explosive double-digit growth in the
1970s and 1980s while Europe and the United States stagnated, our
view of the respective normative merits of capitalism and socialism
would be very different. The normative argument, therefore, is
crucially and obviously dependent on empirical evidence. - Francis
Fukuyama. 1995. The End of History, Five Years Later. History and
Theory. 34:2, p. 29.
6. Why the 'ill' ? Illiberal democracy still involves free
elections BUT: Limits on civil society and the press Judicial
branch may not be independent from executive influence rule of law
tainted Minority rights often not guaranteed tyranny of the
majority Examples: Singapore, Russia, Turkey, Hungary
7. The 'Asian model' China: authoritarian capitalism Singapore:
illiberal democratic capitalism soft-authoritarian The potency of
the 'Asian model' of capitalism suggests that sustained economic
success does not require liberal democracy
8. Great Recession, 2008 Chinese growth rate slowed from 14.2%
in 2007 to 9.2% in 2009 Net GDP expansion of 45.7% from 2007-2009
American economy grew 1.66% between 2007- 2008, then contracted by
2.04% in 2009 Fukuyama's criticism doesn't seem to hold
9. China and the CCP Local leaders elected by and accountable
to constituents Top Chinese leadership chosen meritocratically by
their peers within senior echelons of the Politburo and the Chinese
Communist Party (CCP) *TED Talk: Eric X. Li A Tale of Two Political
Systems Late 1970s: Under Premier Deng Xiaoping, China implemented
neoliberal policy of Reform and Opening Up
10. Chinese Authoritarian Capitalism Government controls its
citizens' participation in external markets and access to media The
Great Firewall of China Weibo instead of Facebook Social media
closely monitored and censored Represses and discriminates vs
ethnic minorities Forceful relocation when in state interest
Judicial institutions controlled by CCP
11. Singapore and the PAP (1/3) Singapore: founded in 1959
under Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew's People's Action Party (PAP)
soft-authoritarian style unique even among illiberal democracies
Political opposition marginalized No free press or autonomous civil
society Defamation and contempt laws limit dissent of government
policies
12. Singapore and the PAP (2/3) soft-authoritarianism
specifically chosen to achieve rapid economic growth Singapore's
chief economic architect Dr. Goh Keng Swee: this model is necessary
because most people won't consent to making painful sacrifices
required for rapid growth even if promised future prosperity in
return
13. Singapore and the PAP (3/3) Communitarian democracy:
limited political pluralism in favour of consensus building under
state guidance Message has resonated: PAP has dominated free
elections since 1965 Won 75.3% of the vote in 2001, 66.6% in 2006,
60.1% in 2011 2011: PAP won 81/87 seats in parliament PAP's worst
ever result
14. From Asia to Europe
15. Illiberal Democracy in Europe 2008 global recession
triggered a sovereign debt crisis in Europe Massive unemployment
(2013): 27.5% in Greece, 25.8% in Spain, 10.2% in France, 8.8% in
Hungary Severe austerity measures crippled pensions In post-9/11
context, heightened xenophobia Record gains for far-right political
parties Greece: Neofascist Golden Dawn; France: 'Euroskeptic' Front
National (FN); Britain: UKIP, BNP
16. Example: Hungary's illiberal democracy Prime Minister
Victor Orbn societies founded upon the principle of the liberal way
. . . will not be able to sustain their world-competitiveness in
the following years Freedom, human rights will remain intact. But
emphasis on nationalist approach.
17. What does this all mean?
18. Could illiberal democracy discredit liberal democracy?
Fareed Zakaria, 1997: There are no longer respectable alternatives
to democracy . . . Thus the problems of the 21st century will
likely be problems within democracy. French 'lacit': official
secularism 2004 ban on Muslim headscarf and hijab Attempted to
preserve liberalism, but suppressed pluralism which = illiberalism
Increased surveillance in Western world
19. 'Asian model' has great promise 2005 Pew study: 76% of
Chinese optimistic their position would improve over next 5 years
Only 48% of Americans were optimistic Then 2008 crisis hit
20. Slavoj Zizek: We can no longer have this Fukuyama
optimistic view that [illiberal countries] are just remainders of
the past . . . they are the future Zakaria: Western liberal
democracy might prove to be not the final destination on the
democratic road, but just one of many possible exits. An illiberal
future?