A set of rules that are superior to the state itself, binding the sovereign to the same laws as the citizens. This often emerged from religious traditions, such as Brahmanism in India or Catholicism in Europe.
Fukuyama argues that a stable modern liberal democracy requires a delicate balance of three distinct institutions: The Origins of Political Order: From Prehuman T...
Fukuyama posits that humans are naturally social beings programmed for kin selection (favoring family) and reciprocal altruism (favoring friends). The greatest challenge in political development is overcoming these tribal instincts to create impersonal institutions. A set of rules that are superior to
Institutional development is not permanent. Institutions are "inherently conservative," and if they cannot adapt to changing environmental or social conditions, they begin to decay into "re-patrimonialization," where elites capture state power for their own kin. Critical Reception Critical Reception