Francis Fukuyama: Democracy's Failure to Perform

Beyond the Lecture

Democracy has been doing poorly around the world in recent years, argued noted political scientist Francis Fukuyama, the Academy's spring 2016 Marcus Bierich Distinguished Visitor, at his February 29 lecture. With political breakdown occurring in many regions across the globe, Fukuyama noted, the failure of governments to provide citizens with basic services and the consequences of widespread political corruption have contributed to democracy’s poor performance. Fukuyama argued that in order for democracies to remain legitimate and to continue to attract new adherents, they must address the constraints imposed upon them by institutions that emphasize rule of law and accountability at the expense of states’ capacities to take strong action.