
The Origins of Political Order: From Prehuman Times to the French Revolution
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
3 months free
Buy for $39.95
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Jonathan Davis
-
By:
-
Francis Fukuyama
Virtually all human societies were once organized tribally, yet over time most developed new political institutions that included a central state that could keep the peace and uniform laws that applied to all citizens. Some went on to create governments that were accountable to their constituents. We take these institutions for granted, but they are absent or unable to function in many of today’s developing countries—with often disastrous consequences for the rest of the world.
Francis Fukuyama, author of the best-selling The End of History and The Last Man, and one of our most important political thinkers, provides a sweeping account of how today’s basic political institutions developed.
The first of a major two-volume work, The Origins of Political Order begins with politics among our primate ancestors and follows the story through the emergence of tribal societies, the growth of the first modern state in China, the beginning of the rule of law in India and the Middle East, and the development of political accountability in Europe up until the eve of the French Revolution.
Drawing on a vast body of knowledge—history, evolutionary biology, archaeology, and economics—Fukuyama has produced a brilliant, provocative work that offers fresh insights on the origins of democratic societies and raises essential questions about the nature of politics and its discontents.
Download the accompanying reference guide.©2011 Francis Fukuyama (P)2011 Audible, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...




















Critic reviews
People who viewed this also viewed...


















I thought the pace was excellent, as was the narrative progression. It moved freely yet logically between the micro and the macro perspectives. It even manages aptly walk the line between too much and too little background information for the various topics, institutions and regions, which could not have been easy given the subject's breadth.
For me, this was one of the books that subtly adjust my understanding of not just the subject matter on the page, but also of a range of other areas and disciplines as well.
I HIghly recommend this book to anyone interested in Politics, History, or virtually any other area of Non-Fiction.
The best political history I've ever read
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Give it two goes.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Good Book
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Pretty interesting overall
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
It seems that everyone is a pundit these days thanks to social media. Not only that, but everyone is an expert and anyone who disagrees with said person, has egregiously violated the sanctity of humanity. Too often we refuse to take a seat and listen, adhering to Twain's aphorism, 'It's better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid than open it and remove all doubt' which is the main cause of our deleterious civil discourse. After this book, I firmly believe if you haven't read it than you shouldn't open your mouth, and if you have, you know enough to realize you don't know anything.
This history of political order covers some unique history - that I wasn't even aware existed - and correlates the existence of social and religious institutions with the advent of government. It gives a "why" to the origins rather than just "it happened".
I will definitely be listening to this one multiple times and will probably get the kindle edition to supplement my studies. Additionally there is a Volume II so be prepared to get that as well.
I usually listen at 3x speed and had no issues with this narration.
Fantastic and Essential Information For All...
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
The major problem I had was with the narration, specifically with the word 'political'. As would be expected, that's one of the more frequent words in the book and very nearly every single time the narrator paused, then rushed through it and maybe the next word. This is obvious in the sample. He also has a less pronounced habit of saying some other, frequent, multisyllabic words as though they had to fit in the same amount of time as shorter ones, but that didn't distract so much as the 'political' issue.
I made the mistake of noticing this early and it stayed distracting through the entire 22 hours.
Mostly awesome, distracting narration.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Fundamentals for political understanding <br />
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Superb!! Understandable!! Important read!!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
What made the experience of listening to The Origins of Political Order: From Prehuman Times to the French Revolution the most enjoyable?
The hypothesis that is presented is explained in detail with many examples.What does Jonathan Davis bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
This is a clear narrative of non-fiction. It probably would be much more tedious without an excellent reader.Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
Every citizen needs to read/listen to the beginning and the end of this book to realize how our nation state, with all its problems, is so much more functional than most of the rest of the world.Any additional comments?
This book gave me new appreciation for the role of the church in the development of western Europe.Must read if interested in world affairs
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Dogma dissolver!!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.