The Road to Serfdom

The Road to Serfdom ( The Road to Serfdom ) is a work of economic Nobel Laureate Friedrich August von Hayek and marks the beginning of his discussion of socialism. The book was written 1940-1943 and published in 1944 in England under the title The Road to Serfdom and 1945 in German Übersetzung.Es applies in addition to The Constitution of Liberty ( The Constitution of Liberty ) as a pioneering work of Hayek.

Content

In the book warns of Hayek " against the danger of tyranny that inevitably results from government control of economic decision-making through central planning" and argues that the task of classical liberalism and individualism inevitably lead to a loss of freedom, the creation of an oppressive society, the tyranny of a dictator and the serfdom of the individual leads. Significantly, Hayek doubted the general view among British academics that fascism was a capitalist reaction against socialism, but argues that fascism and socialism common roots in central economic planning and the power of the state over the individual have. So it may be understood as a continuation of the analysis of socialism by the Austrian School, Ludwig von Mises in his book " The Social Economy, Studies on the Socialism " published in 1922. It takes thought of Hannah Arendt's important study The Origins of Totalitarianism to National Socialism Totalitarianism as anticipated, which was released in the United States of America in 1951. Hayek showed that freedom and the rule of law can only thrive in a market economy. "It is unfortunately completely unfounded when people can be lulled by the belief in certainty that the domination of the sector was only of minor importance, a faith that can take the risk to our economic freedom easily. " Planned economy and total domination related to each other, because the planned economy enclosing rule over consumption, which meant a disenfranchisement of the consumer and the elimination of consumer democracy, the market economy. "Our freedom of movement in a society based on the competition stands and falls with the fact that if a person refuses to satisfy our wishes, we can turn to another. Did we but to do it with the owner of a monopoly, so we are him at the mercy and grace, and a planning authority which directs the whole economy, would be the most powerful monopolist that one can imagine. "

Reception

• The period from October 10, 1946 wrote in her review of the book that looked von Hayek socialism and fascism because of its planned economy failed ideologies and private property was important as a guarantee of freedom.
• In Germany radio culture of economist Michael Wohlgemuth rezenzierte the book. He looks in the book Hayek's warning that not only fascism and socialism, but also of the Western welfare state constitute a threat to freedom.