- Francis Fukuyama published The End of History and the Last Man in 1992, arguing that the collapse of the Soviet Union marked the triumph of liberal democracy and capitalism as the final form of human government. - The book was influential but controversial, as events since its publication like the rise of China and global financial crisis have challenged its central claim that history was ending with liberal democracy's victory. - While criticized for not accounting for changes since the 1990s, the book remains an important reference point and Fukuyama's critics would like an updated version addressing world events that question his original thesis.