Is History Actually Ending

Harry DiGiacomo

Professor Hortal-Sanchez

Business Ethics

28 April 2017

“Is History Actually Ending”

By the time the Cold War is coming to its end, people around the globe think that it will be the end of major world conflict and the fear of communism was diminished greatly. In 1989, Francis Fukuyama says that “The End of History” is upon us because no other ideology poses a threat to liberal democracy and liberal economy. Recent events have shown that this has not proven to be accurate due to Russia and China gaining power and being known as a world power. Also, there are groups of people who strongly oppose liberal democracy such as Isis and when Saddam Hussein was in control of Iraq. These specific countries and groups of people show that history will not come to an end due to liberal democracy.

Francis Fukuyama believes that history will come to an end because he says liberal democracy is taking over the world and there are no other ideals that can challenge it or will challenge it. Recent events in world history have shown that this is not the case. China has made a surge to be a top world power recently and they originate their government from communist beliefs. From The World Bank, “GDP growth has averaged nearly 10 percent a year—the fastest sustained expansion by a major economy in history—and has lifted more than 800 million people out of poverty” (The World Bank). This shows how without the implementation of liberal democracy, China is able to thrive and still grow economically and promote themselves as a world economy leader. As a country we have done many business deals with China, and we have fed into their economic growth. China currently holds the United States to a $1.12 trillion debt (CNN Money). This shows how even a country with an established liberal democracy can fall into debt or not be in a better situation than a country with such opposite ideals such as China.

Another example similar to this is that of Russia. Russia is an example of an authoritative capitalist country. Russia is a country that is proven to be a threat to the United States because of opposing values. During Obama’s presidency, there were many disagreements between the US and Russia. Russia is a country with enough power and military prowess to inspire other countries if needed into going against liberal democracy.

Next, there is the current problem with Isis. Isis is terrorizing the Middle East and have been responsible for terrorist attacks throughout the world in countries with liberal democracy, such as the Paris and Brussels attacks. This is another example of a threat to liberal democracy because whether or not these attacks are isolated and not as attacks of full scale war against these countries, it still shows how other ideals oppose liberal democracy and how liberal democracy still has yet to prove it can successfully overthrow old established ideals in other countries.