The Sadness of Being the ‘Last Man’

Francis Fukuyama's 1992 book, "The End of History and the Last Man," presented a utopian vision of a post-Cold War world dominated by liberal democracy. Despite several readers asking him if he wished to retract the book, Fukuyama insists that understanding it up to the last five chapters would not lead to an expectation of serenity.

In his new memoir, "In the Realm of the Last Man," Fukuyama aims to distance himself from the reputation he finds unappealing. He acknowledges that the concept of the "Last Man" refers to someone who has grown bored with their society, lacking anything left to risk their life for, a notion borrowed from Friedrich Nietzsche. Fukuyama's defensiveness has led him to distance himself from the optimistic outlook of his earlier work, presenting a more pessimistic view of liberal democracy in the face of events such as 9/11, the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, and the presidency of Donald Trump.

His memoir, however, is criticized for losing interest in personal anecdotes around page 60, focusing instead on summarizing the ideas that have shaped his work. Fukuyama now sees liberal democracy as a more challenging task than creating a democracy, emphasizing the importance of institutions and a strong state for the rule of law.

He believes that every alternative vision has either been discredited or would lead to a worse world, arguing that liberalism is the best framework for delivering on fundamental human needs, such as recognition and respect.