A once-strong state now suffering from "decay" through legal gridlock and interest group capture.
The final section of the book focuses on the "decay" of modern liberal democracies, particularly the .
An example of how war forced the development of a professional, autonomous bureaucracy. Political Order and Political Decay: From the I...
Fukuyama argues that a successful modern state requires a delicate balance of three specific institutions:
Fukuyama uses this term to describe a system with so many checks and balances that small interest groups can effectively block—or "veto"—any action that benefits the public good. A once-strong state now suffering from "decay" through
A rising global middle class is seen as a primary driver of democracy, as they tend to demand more institutional accountability and merit-based governance.
Fukuyama posits that the order in which these institutions develop matters immensely. For instance, countries that developed a strong, professional bureaucracy before democratization (like Prussia/Germany) often have more effective governance than those where democracy arrived before a competent state was built. Fukuyama argues that a successful modern state requires
Humans have a biological "patrimonial" instinct to favor family and friends. Political order requires institutions to suppress this; "decay" occurs when these institutions fail and people revert to using the state for personal or tribal gain. Political Decay and the "Vetocracy"