Fukuyama had argued that after the collapse of communism, the world was about to see a global spread of liberal democracy and Western-style capitalism. Yet, instead of admitting to the failure of liberal democracy, Fukuyama points to the emergence of an intriguing new route to power within established democracies. He gives the example of the former Italian prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, for instance, who figured out a way to gain political power by combining political power with economic power. Berlusconi built this media empire which allowed him to run for office, and then once in power, he used his political power to protect his media empire. Yet, to Fukuyama, the Trump era does not signal a demise of democracy nor a defeat of liberalism.

Source: The Express Tribune March 19, 2021 04:44 UTC