The constitution of liberty
by Friedrich A. von Hayek · first published 1960
8mentions
4recommended by
8HN commenters
2010–2022first – last mentioned
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Why HN recommends it
Sets out the classical liberal case for individual liberty and the rule of law, tracing its history and the background on limits to government. Suited to a deep discussion of liberalism.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
"A Gateway edition, 6163." Bibliography: p. [413]-531.
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…list of US inventions and Nobel prizes. There is much more to that incredible record than free markets, it's common law, bankruptcy law and many democratic anti-corruption techniques. Hence Hayek's "The Constitution of Liberty"[1], and Popper's "The Open Society and its Enemies"[2] which continue the reading above to the complex of arguments about the rest of the social aspects of free societies. From across the sea, this has…
on “The 2 Simple Reasons the Soviet Union Was Doomed to Fail” ↗…back "yay democracy". The point remains that restrictions on even democratic government are not a novel idea in liberal politics; it goes back to the beginning of written political theory. Hayek's The Constitution of Liberty is excellent on history and background and explores some ideas on modern issues.
on “Humanity’s broken risk perception is reversing global progress” ↗If you want details, you'll have to look beyond internet comments. :) Read The Road to Serfdom and The Constitution of Liberty by Hayek for a deep discussion of liberalism. The Wealth of Nations and Free to Choose are also great books to consider.
on “Governor signs bill requiring California corporate boards to include women” ↗Same, I'd highly recommend Hayek's Road to Serfdom and Constitution of Liberty if you haven't read it already, along with Cato's letters and the the Federalist papers. It's honestly amazing and depressing how accurate they were but I suppose human nature is timeless.
on “U.S. Capitol Locked Down Amid Escalating Protests” ↗…because higher inflation means the government has more power which means the government is a bigger government. Hayek is the right. Thatcher said: "This'is what we believe', and banged Hayek's [book The Constitution of Liberty] down on the table." Her idea of unregulating banks was based on Hayek's idea of having a decentralised currency without the issuance of money by the government - so bitcoins really. Though he would have…
on “Why the government will not attack bitcoins.” ↗…opinion- counter to what money actually is/should be: primarily, in its pure form, a _tool_ to make exchange of goods and services easier. I recommend reading about Silvio Gesell's work, IIRC both Hayek(Constitution of Liberty and probably others) and Friedman(can't help you here) cited him as one of the greatest economists of the century(commercial over). Of course once you understand what he was getting at, you have to strip…
on “Nature’s libraries are the fountains of biological innovation” ↗…Mockingbird John Updike, Rabbit, Run Joy Adamson, Born Free: A Lioness of Two Worlds William L. Shirer, The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich: A History of Nazi Germany Friedrich A. Hayek, The Constitution of Liberty Daniel Bell, The End of Ideology: On the Exhaustion of Political Ideas in the Fifties Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr., The Politics of Upheaval: The Age of Roosevelt Dr. Seuss, Green Eggs and Ham and…
on “What Could Have Entered the Public Domain on January 1, 2017” ↗…get back to me. >Clearly you have not actually read or understood Hayek. This often gets repeated but everybody that knows anything about Hayek understands that this is false. Chapter 17 of his "The Constitution of Liberty" is literally titled "The Decline of Socialism and the Rise of the Welfare State," and argues that the latter has replaced the former as the foremost enemy of liberty. At one point he seemed to be in…
on “Friedrich Hayek and the Collective Brain” ↗