To start describing democracy and its effect on the worldwide population, you have to start at the beginning. Well, maybe not the very beginning in Athens, Greece, but Fukuyama does throw readers back to the 18th century during the French Revolution. Though often overlooked in America, the French Revolution was a pivotal event in shaping the history of the globe. For one, feudalism was abolished once and for all, leaving the bottom spectrum of social classes to fend for themselves.
Deciding that democracy was the best choice (and partly inspired by the choice for democracy after the American Revolution), the French subsequently inspired surrounding countries to adopt democracy as well, creating a pre-Vietnam War domino effect.
Democracy continued spreading across Europe, up until World War II. Previously, the Soviet Union had sided with democratic nations, like America and present-day United Kingdom in both World Wars I and II, but now there was no buffer between the two ideas (democracy and communism) geographically.
Some argue that the Cold War began after World War I, other say after World War II, and other extend the deadline to the 1950's. But when did it really start? Tensions between democratic and communist nations were already visible after World War I - communists were even running for the United States presidency against Roosevelt. But, the Red Scare didn't take hold until after World War II, when the Soviet Union quickly discovered the secret to nuclear warfare and became an established nuclear power.
Despite diplomatic and verbal wars, no "real" fighting took place during the Cold War. That is to say, not directly. The Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Cuban Missile Crisis are prime examples of how each side saw the other as a threat, and wanted to push their lifestyle.
The Soviet Union finally collapsed in 1991, after internal struggles could no longer be contained. Surrounding "satellite states" (in eastern Europe) dropped their communist tendencies in search of democracy. Though some of these nations remained communist, like China, the true aspect of Communism has been significantly eased.
Now that there is no "real" communism, all that is left is democracy, right? Not exactly. Still, there are nations, like North Korea, that are authoritarian in nature. Some countries have little or no centralization. But, as time goes on, the trend continues - the world is shifting towards being democratic, as the system is beneficial to both business and people alike.
Fukuyama continues by explaining the pros and cons of a fully democratic world, which he is convinced we are heading into soon. The pros are obvious - free trade, equal rights, and overall better living conditions. But, he does bring to light the fact that there will still be class divisions, with some disadvantaged countries remaining disadvantaged - even if they shift to democracy.
