We might take our modern political institutions, central states, and uniform laws for granted, but developing countries without them can mean disastrous consequences for the rest of the world. Political philosopher Francis Fukuyama, author of The Origins of Political Order, provides a sweeping account of how today’s basic political institutions developed, raising essential questions about the nature of politics—and its discontents. Presented by the Town Hall Center for Civic Life with Elliott Bay Book Company. Series media sponsorship provided by PubliCola. Series supported by The Boeing Company, the RealNetworks Foundation, and the True/Brown Foundation.