Francis Fukuyama picks up from where he left off in The Origins of Political Order. He adds three more dimensions of socioeconomic development – social mobilisation, idea legitimacy, and economic development to show state, law and democracy evolved to their current state, with different countries following different paths. The book ends with a commentary on political decay and the effect on democracy.
Even as liberal democracy is broadly accepted as the best form of political order in this era, the threat of fascism looms large. Recent events in US, India, Myanmar etc show how vulnerable we are. Using the lessons from the past and viewing it through a contemporary lens, this book lays out the playbook that fascism uses to thrive.
As the title suggests, this is a view of South India through many lenses – history, culture, society, politics – that have shaped it across centuries. It’s an extremely accessible and insightful read that is bound to give you many a-aha moments.
If you’re old enough, you would remember the radiant power of the USSR in 80s India. Archie Brown provides a comprehensive account of what was happening behind the Iron Curtain in that era. A fantastic read if you’re interested in history and geopolitics.
This is a telling of history that is quite a bit different from what exists in Indian textbooks. While the author does have some bias as an English historian, it doesn’t take away from some fascinating perspectives of the heroes we have lionised. A little meandering, but if you like history, a must-read.