Essay Questions

What does the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 symbolize?

Following a lack of a capability to withstand both internal and external pressures, the soviet union collapsed in the year 1991. After this collapse, most states adopted a democratic system of leadership and let go of the communistic system. Based on the arguments put forth by Fukuyama in this work, the collapse of the soviet union in a way symbolizes “the end of history” in the way that it paves way for capitalism even in the areas where communism had been central. Even though communism had remained in some countries, its essence had been significantly eased. The collapse of the soviet union thus becomes a symbol of the win of capitalism against communism.

Communism is a dying system. Is this assertion correct? Explain.

While some states adopted democracy and capitalism after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the assertion that communism is a dying system is quite exaggerated in the least. While based on the dominant view in this book capitalism conquered communism, it is still in existence as some of the modern-day states including China and North Korea still employ the concepts derived from the union's communistic approaches to the governorship. While countries have shown shifts towards democracy and capitalism, the notion that communism is dying seems quite overstated. On the other hand, communism in its true sense has been significantly altered.

Show how history is revisited in The End of History and the Last Man.

Francis Fukuyama vividly describes the events that occur in history and the implications of some of these events. He discusses the origins starting at the base of it, or closer to the base of it and vividly describes happenings through history that lead to its adoption. He discusses the French revolution and the effect of the American revolution on it. The spread of democracy is followed and the cold war is presented. In particular, the writer tackles the role that the cold war plays in resulting in the collapse of the soviet union and the particular adoption of democracy by some of the states in the larger soviet union. Because the book highlights some significant events in history, the argument that it is a revisitation of history is justifiable.