ABSTRACT
Francis Fukuyama has published a string of important books but his most bold and controversial remains 1992's The End of History and the Last Man. The End of History and the Last Man was a response to the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991. Fukuyama saw this as the triumph of capitalism and liberal democracy and called it the endpoint of history that would replace human conflict with universal peace. Fukuyama's controversial argument was made at a time of huge uncertainty around the world over the future of international relations. From the outset, The End of History met with substantial criticism. Fukuyama drew reactions from all parts of the political spectrum and was challenged immediately by equally bold, contrasting viewpoints. The End of History and the Last Man remains an important reference point because it had an impact on American and European foreign policy.
