New Books Network Delivering for Democracy – Why results matter
Oct 7, 2025
Francis Fukuyama, an esteemed political scientist and director at Stanford's Freeman Spogli Institute, joins to discuss the urgent need for democracies to deliver results to regain citizen trust. He emphasizes that public support hinges on tangible outcomes like infrastructure and security. Fukuyama critiques how authoritarians manipulate narratives while exposing their failures. He signals the risks of complacency in established democracies and advocates for procedural reforms to improve efficiency. The conversation underscores the importance of accountability in restoring the social contract.
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Delivery Drives Democratic Legitimacy
- Democracies lose support when citizens feel governments "can't get anything done."
- Competing narratives from fast-building authoritarian states amplify this perception.
California High-Speed Rail Example
- Fukuyama cites California's stalled high-speed rail as an example of democratic inability to deliver.
- He links such failures to the appeal of leaders who promise swift action like Trump or Musk.
What Citizens Value Most
- Infrastructure is one among many goods that shape public judgment about government competence.
- Economic growth, jobs, and security rank equally or more important for voters.
