The famous essay of American political scientist Francis Fukuyama, ‘‘The End of History and the Last Man (1992),’’ signalled the endpoint of mankind’s ideological evolution. Fukuyama argued that with the disintegration of the Soviet Union in 1991, liberal democracy-characterized by free markets, individual rights, rule of law, and democratic values-ultimately emerged as the universal form of government. However, the idea has been subjected to widespread debate due to the resurgence of competing ideologies which questions the validity of this thesis.
For instance, China, an authoritarian state, is promoting an alternative governance model. China has positioned itself as an economic superpower, a global mediator, and a tech giant which enhances its soft power. The countries are profoundly inclined towards China due to economic benefits and geopolitical influence which challenges the principles of liberal democracy.
As an economic giant, China has employed a multifaceted approach to infrastructure development in various states such as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
It is a global development project which aims to foster tremendous economic growth by establishing trade links within Asia, Europe, and Africa. As a result, the countries are hurtling towards it due to significant economic incentives. Unlike the US, China does not set the pre-conditions for establishing diplomatic relations with states.
China views Iran as a crucial partner for energy security and is importing oil from Iran despite international sanctions. Similarly, China is a diplomatic ally and the largest economic partner of North Korea as both are investing in various infrastructure projects. Contrarily, the US has sanctioned Iran and North Korea and claims that both states should dismantle their nuclear programs for the normalization of their diplomatic relations.
China’s role as a mediator in global conflicts can be justified through its efforts to normalize tensions between Saudi Arabia and Iran in 2023. On the other hand, the Abraham Accords brokered by the US lost its significance as it failed to address the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, drawing criticism and limited support. Moreover, US support for Israel in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict and China’s advocacy for a peaceful resolution of conflict further highlights China’s stance to resolve international conflicts through dialogue and negotiation. In the recent Middle East peace conference, China’s premier Xi Jinping aims to reduce tensions and promote peace between Israel and Palestine through a two-state solution.
Consequently, China’s exertions to establish peace in the Middle East region augment its diplomatic clout and challenge Western influence in the region.
Since technology is advancing at such a fast pace, especially with the implementation of artificial intelligence (AI) in China, it can be stated that China has now become a technological giant. In most sectors, technological innovation is carried out by companies that are referred to as BATX which includes Baidu, Alibaba, Tencent, and Xiaomi. It is a contender to the typically observed Information technology (IT) giants FAANGs which are Facebook, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, and Google. Whether in e-commerce and social media or the field of artificial intelligence and financial service industries, these companies have played a key role in shaping the Chinese digital economy. The competition between FAANGs and BATX thus lies not only in the economic domain but also raises fundamental questions regarding information control, technological dominance, and national security. Due to this, the US fears that some of these internet companies may be involved in espionage for the Chinese state and this has resulted in the US placing sanctions on Chinese technological products. The tech war reflects the intense rivalry between both states, which is recasting the world in ways that Fukuyama did not foresee.
The growing economic prowess of China under an authoritarian model presents formidable challenges to the concept of liberal democracy as the endpoint of human ideological evolution. Through economic initiatives like BRI, China is reorienting the international economic order by fostering the notion that alternative governance models can coexist and compete with West-led liberal democratic principles. Thus, the debate over Fukuyama’s thesis continues to evolve in response to the ongoing strategic and economic developments in the world.
The Author is an undergraduate student at the Department of International Relations, Faculty of Contemporary Studies, National Defence University, Islamabad, Pakistan. She has a keen interest in International affairs, Foreign policy, non-traditional security threats, and the geo-political structure of the world. She can be reached at maidahtariq78@gmail.com