In 1989, Francis Fukuyama declared that democracy would eventually emerge as the universal form of human government. The intervening years have given ample ammunition to those who disagree. Indeed, the inexorable rise of China has led some to dismiss democracy’s messy compromises in favour of authoritarian efficiency. People are prepared to sacrifice their freedoms, the argument runs, as long as the system under which they live can deliver economic growth.
1989年,弗朗西斯?福山(Francis Fukuyama)宣稱,民主政體終將成為人類政府的普遍形式。此后的形勢發(fā)展為那些不贊同此觀點的人提供了充足的彈藥。的確,中國勢不可擋的崛起,使得一些人不再看重民主制那有些混亂的妥協(xié)機(jī)制,而更青睞威權(quán)體制的效率。這些人認(rèn)為,只要民眾所處的體制能夠帶來經(jīng)濟(jì)增長,他們就愿意為此犧牲自己的自由。