100,000+ Books, Games & Puzzles in-stock πŸ‡³πŸ‡Ώ

Overnight NZ-wide delivery πŸš€ Thank you for supporting our 100% NZ-owned bookstore ❀️

Political Order and Political Decay

From the Industrial Revolution to the Globalisation of Democracy
4.35 goodreads logo

Ratings/reviews counts are updated frequently.

Check link for latest rating.
( 4,844 ratings, 413 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
In Political Order and Political Decay, Francis Fukuyama explores the development of political systems from the French Revolution to modern times. The book examines the creation of state institutions, the role of rule of law, and the impact of democratic accountability, highlighting why some political systems succeed while others fail.
Read More
Format: Paperback / softback
$3200
Elsewhere:
$3699
OVERNIGHT NZ-WIDE DELIVERY

Found a better price? Request a price match

Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you're interested in understanding the historical development of political institutions and the factors that lead to their success or failure. It offers insightful analysis on governance, democracy, and the challenges nations face in achieving political stability.

Book Hero thinking about your next read

The most important book about the history and future of politics since The End of History.

The most important book about the history and future of politics since The End of History

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

In The Origins of Political Order, Francis Fukuyama took us from the dawn of mankind to the French and American Revolutions. The journey continues in Political Order and Political Decay, the second instalment of his definitive account of mankind's emergence as a political animal. This compelling narrative delves into the formation of modern political institutions from the Industrial Revolution to the present global landscape.

Fukuyama meticulously explores how state, law, and democracy developed following seminal events such as the Industrial Revolution and World War II. He examines the emergence of different political systems, shedding light on the varying paths taken by countries towards modernity. This journey through history is interwoven with insights into the uneasy tension that exists today between dictatorships and liberal democracies.

The book addresses the evolution of political decay in developed democracies, focusing on the United Statesβ€”a country that has long been seen as a model of democratic success. Fukuyama identifies unmistakable signs of decay in contemporary political systems, exploring the factors that have led to this decline. From bureaucratic inefficiency to the entrenchment of elite power, he paints a comprehensive picture of the challenges facing today's governments.

To understand the political systems that dominate and order our lives, Fukuyama argues, we must first address their origins not just in ancient history but also in our recent past. He asserts that the key to successful governance lies in three essential components: a strong state, the rule of law, and democratic accountability. These elements, he contends, are crucial for maintaining stable and effective political orders.

Political Order and Political Decay is an indispensable resource for anyone seeking a deeper understanding of the forces that have shaped modern politics. Fukuyama's magisterial account offers profound insights into mankind's greatest political achievements and serves as a vital roadmap for navigating the complexities of contemporary governance.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Political Order and Political Decay by Francis Fukuyama has been praised for its comprehensive insights and analysis into democracy and political systems. The Financial Times lauds it as a finely detailed account with valuable insights. The Economist commends Fukuyama for maintaining quality despite his fame, while the Irish Times appreciates the absence of oversimplified global lessons. The Spectator highlights Fukuyama's passionate critique of America's political issues, urging political and public readership. The Observer finds the breadth of topics covered impressive, emphasising the importance of the book's warnings and its nuanced perspective on uncertainty.

Book Hero reading reviews

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781846684371

Publisher: Profile Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 17 September 2015

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Profile Books Ltd

Edition: Main

Audience: Tertiary education, Professional and scholarly

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 44.0mm

Width: 128.0mm

Height: 192.0mm

Weight: 540g

Pages: 688

About the Author

Francis Fukuyama is the author of The End of History, The Great Disruption, Our Posthuman Future, State Building, After the Neocons, The Origins of Political Order and Political Order and Political Decay. All have been hugely influential international bestsellers, translated and published in many languages. He is Olivier Nomellini Senior Fellow at the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies, Stanford.

Also by Francis Fukuyama

View all
  • Liberalism and Its Discontents
    A TIMES BEST PHILOSOPHY & IDEAS BOOK OF 2022 A defence of liberalism by the renowned political philosopher 'We need more thinkers as wise as Fukuyama digging their fingers into the soil of our predicament' - The New York Times 'A brilliantly acute summary of the way some aspects of liberal thought have consumed themselves' - Guardian 'One of the...
    Paperback
    $1999
    Elsewhere:
    $2499
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Origins of Political Order
    The Origins of Political Order, the first of a major two-volume work by Francis Fukuyama, embarks on an ambitious journey to trace the evolution of political systems from the dawn of human history to the threshold of the French Revolution. Beginning with the primal politics of our primate ancestors, Fukuyama meticulously guides readers through the formation of tribal societies, the...
    Paperback
    $3200
    Elsewhere:
    $3699
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Identity
    Identity by Francis Fukuyama is a compelling exploration of the forces reshaping global politics. In this enlightening work, Fukuyama delves into the increasing importance of identity in contemporary society, examining how nation, religion, sect, race, ethnicity, and gender have surged to the forefront, often supplanting broader, more inclusive ideals of belonging. Fukuyama argues that the world is witnessing a growing...
    Paperback
    $2400
    Elsewhere:
    $2799
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • The End of History and the Last Man
    A LANDMARK WORK OF POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY. A GLOBAL BESTSELLER. STILL AS RELEVANT TODAY. Ever since its first publication in 1992, The End of History and the Last Man has provoked controversy and debate. Francis Fukuyama's prescient analysis of religious fundamentalism, politics, scientific progress, ethical codes, and war is as essential for a world fighting fundamentalist terrorists, populists, and pandemics as...
    Paperback
    $3200
    Elsewhere:
    $3500
    Available
    Ships in 4-6 weeks
  • In the Realm of the Last Man
    Pre-order
    In the Realm of the Last Man
    One of the West's most interesting public intellectuals – The Times None is more eminent or experienced than Francis Fukuyama – Financial Times In 1989, one year before the fall of the Berlin Wall, Francis Fukuyamaβ€”then an early-career academic who had cut his teeth conducting research for Ronald Reagan during his years as California governorβ€”delivered a conference paper that would...
    Paperback
    $3399
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    Pre-order
    Out 8 Sep 2026

More from Politics & Current Affairs

View all
  • New Release
    One Last Question, Prime Minister
    From Muldoon to Luxon, untold stories from the House of Parliament Barry Soper has spent close to five decades questioning New Zealand's prime ministers.From the imposing, larger-than-life characters of Rob Muldoon and David Lange, to the golden age of Helen Clark and John Key, and the post-Covid era of Jacinda Ardern and the 'Chrises', Soper's insight and nose for a...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $3999
    (6)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    Regime Change
    From the two reporters who have covered him more closely than perhaps anyone else over the past decade comes this definitive portrait of Donald Trump in the White House and the first year of his second presidency. Based on hundreds of interviews and unprecedented reporting from deep within the administration’s most closely guarded rooms, Regime Change takes the reader into...
    Paperback
    $3299
    Elsewhere:
    $4299
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    A Different Kind of Power
    #1 New Zealand bestseller #1 Amazon bestseller #2 Audible bestseller #3 New York Times bestseller #3 Sunday Times bestseller #4 Australian bestseller From the former prime minister of New Zealand, then the world’s youngest female head of government and just the second to give birth in office, comes a deeply personal memoir chronicling her extraordinary rise and offering inspiration to...
    Paperback
    $3200
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • A Different Kind of Power
    Ockham Winner
    A Different Kind of Power
    What if we could redefine leadership? What if kindness came first? Jacinda Ardern grew up the daughter of a police officer in small-town New Zealand, but as the 40th Prime Minister of her country, she commanded global respect for her empathetic leadership that put people first. This is the remarkable story of how a Mormon girl plagued by self-doubt made...
    Hardback
    $4799
    Elsewhere:
    $5999
    (7)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Signed Copy
    Go Hard or Go Home
    From the front bench to rock bottom:Β Go Hard or Go HomeΒ is Kiri Allan's fearless memoir of ambition, disruption and survival in NZ politics and beyond. Kiri Allan's six-year political career spanned some of the most challenging times in recent history. Events a government might encounter once in a generation stacked up: a terrorist attack, a volcanic eruption, destructive and deadly...
    Paperback
    $3199
    Elsewhere:
    $4000
    Pre-order
    Out 4 Aug 2026
  • New Release
    Suicidal Empathy
    The bestselling author of The Parasitic Mind shows why empathy in politics leads to civilizational collapse. What happens when a society elevates victimhood to a virtue and decides that punishment is cruel? You get the disease Dr. Gad Saad calls suicidal empathy. And the West may be terminally infected. In his new book, Suicidal Empathy, Saad unleashes a blistering critique...
    Paperback
    $3099
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • New Release
    The Day After: How to Wield Power in a Post-Trump World
    From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Shameless, Brian Tyler Cohen explores how Republicans have abused power, how Democrats have refused to exercise power when they held it, and how progressives should wield power if they are fortunate enough to win a free and fair election in a post-Trump world. The Day After: How to Wield Power in...
    Paperback
    $3099
    Elsewhere:
    $3799
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Careless People
    Shocking and darkly funny, Careless People gives you a front-row seat to the decisions that are shaping our world and the people who make them. Welcome to Facebook. Sarah Wynn-Williams, a young diplomat from New Zealand, pitched for her dream job. She saw Facebook's potential and knew it could change the world for the better. But, when she got there...
    Paperback
    $2800
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Discipline
    Silence is complicity, but how do we confront the cost of speaking up? Sydney, May 2021. Ashraf is an academic whose career and personal life are in freefall. Hannah is a young journalist struggling to honour the voices of her community. When a Year 12 Al-Bayinnah College student is arrested for protesting a university's ties to an Israeli weapons manufacturer,...
    Paperback
    $4000
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • Shattered Lands
    'A sparkling debut by an outstanding young historian' – PETER FRANKOPAN 'This book is a revelation … both original and important' – MISHAL HUSAIN A history of modern South Asia told through five partitions that reshaped it. As recently as 1928, a vast swathe of Asia – India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Burma, Nepal, Bhutan, Yemen, Oman, the UAE, Qatar, Bahrain, and...
    Paperback
    $3699
    Elsewhere:
    $4500
    (1)
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • The Handmaid's Tale
    The bestselling dystopian classic that became a cultural phenomenon and inspired an award-winning TV series. THE SUNDAY TIMES NO. 1 BESTSELLER Go back to where it all began with the dystopian novel behind the award-winning TV series. 'As relevant today as it was when Atwood wrote it.' Guardian I believe in the resistance as I believe there can be no...
    Paperback
    $2000
    Elsewhere:
    $2400
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow
  • One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This
    'A howl from the heart of our age' β€” Richard Flanagan 'A unique and urgently needed book.' β€” Naomi Klein 'A powerful, uncomfortable but thought-provoking read.' β€” Dua Lipa 'Clear, elegant and devastatingly truthful... Read this shatteringly honest book.' β€” Max Porter From award-winning novelist and journalist Omar El Akkad, an urgent and necessary reckoning with what it means to...
    Paperback
    $3100
    Elsewhere:
    $3800
    In Stock
    Ships tomorrow

Why buy from us?

Book Hero is not a chain store or big box retailer. We're an independent 100% NZ-owned business on a mission to help more Kiwis rediscover a love of books and reading!

Service & Delivery

Service & Delivery

Our warehouse in Auckland holds over 100,000 books, toys, board games and puzzles in-stock so you're not waiting for your order to arrive from overseas.

Auckland Bookstore

Auckland Bookstore

We're primarily an online store, but for your convenience you can pick up your order for free from our bookstore, which is right next door to our warehouse in Hobsonville.

Our Gifting Service

Our Gifting Service

Books make wonderful thoughtful gifts and we're here to help with gift-wrapping and cards. We can even send your gift directly to your loved one.