THINK! Book Club: Francis Fukuyama, “Liberalism and its Discontents”

Our next THINK! Book Club selection is “Liberalism and its Discontents” by Francis Fukuyama, a political philosopher at Stanford. The book offers a defense of classical liberalism from its critics on both the left and the right. As described in the book’s jacket, classical liberalism is “a system for governing diverse societies that is grounded in fundamental principles of equality and the rule of law,” a system that “emphasizes the rights of individuals to pursue their own forms of happiness free from encroachment by government.” It’s the individualistic view of human society and government that informed our country’s founding and its capitalistic economic system. Fukuyama discusses the limitations of liberalism while arguing that, its critics notwithstanding, liberalism continues to be the best hope for human happiness and progress.

Published in 2022, “Liberalism and its Discontents” is available from Amazon for $12. Though it covers a wide range of issues, the book is well written, accessible, and only 154 pages long. You are welcome to join us even if you haven’t read the book, but would like to participate or just listen in on a discussion of these matters.

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