The Road to Serfdom
by Friedrich A. von Hayek · first published 1944
46% recommend49% neutral5% critical
Why HN recommends it
Short, argued case against central planning and government overreach, explaining why even well-meant socialist measures can erode freedom. Suggested as a starting point for readers exploring free-market thought.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
A classic work in political philosophy, intellectual and cultural history, and economics, The Road to Serfdom has inspired and infuriated politicians, scholars, and general readers for half a century. Originally published in England in the spring of 1944 - when the Labour party ruled in Britain, Eleanor Roosevelt supported the efforts of Stalin, and Albert Einstein subscribed to the socialist program - The Road to Serfdom was seen as heretical for its passionate warning against the dangers of state control over the means of production. For F.A. Hayek, the collectivist idea of empowering govern
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…question is why are (almost all) economists unaware of basic economic theory? Not to go off topic, but it's hard to take any "economist" talking head seriously these days. I'm currently re-reading The Road to Serfdom by F.A. Hayek (highly recommend) and it's scary to see that even 60 years ago we understood cycles and events that are still being ignored today. The sad fact remains that real economic policy is no…
on “Milton Friedman's Thermostat” ↗…Austrian in Austrian Economics; the term was invented by the Germans and was meant to be disparaging towards him and others like him. Hayek has an extensive body of written work, the jewel of which is “The Road to Serfdom”. Russ Roberts of the Hoover Institute has hosted an ongoing podcast called EconTalk[1] that while not studying Hayek specifically, often brings a Hayekian viewpoint to his discussions with guests. [1]…
on “Friedrich Hayek on Evolution and Spontaneous Order (1983) [video]” ↗Very surprised to see F.A Hayek on HN. I would recommend the Road to Serfdom to anyone who is interested in learning more about his viewpoint. Also reading Thomas Sowell wouldn’t hurt either.
on “Friedrich Hayek on Evolution and Spontaneous Order (1983) [video]” ↗Socialist regimes have been te most suppressive in peoples history. Think about Pol Pot, Stalin, Lenin, Hitler, etc… Socialism kills [0]. Or a more eloquent and less extreme read would be "The Road to Serfdom" by F. A. Hayek --- [0]: http://jim.com/killingfields.html
on “France looking at banning Tor, blocking public Wi-Fi” ↗…socialised pension plans. If young people would be able to save some earnings for their own healthcare, they could have a better guarantee being actually able to use it when they grow older. The book "The Road to Serfdom" by F.A. Hayek explains why many socialist measures (even with the best of intentions) often risk pushing government into the same dangerous direction that Russia and Germany went in the past: http://www.tiptopwebsite.com/custommusic2/mrsilber2.pdf
on “I don’t understand American healthcare – doesn’t mean I shouldn’t provide it” ↗No, it isn't, but it appears to be the endgame of representative democracy. I'd suggest reading Hobbes' Leviathan, or perhaps Hayek's Road to Serfdom, if you haven't already, as both anticipated this exact malaise. The US and the UK are in the terminal stages of decline. The representative democratic ideal is ultimately revealed to be a fiction, and…
on “Sweden closes four prisons as number of inmates plummets” ↗…Century". These are the classic economics tomes that you'd read over a lifetime: Karl Marx, "Capital" Adam Smith, "The Theory of Moral Sentiments" Adam Smith, "The Wealth of Nations" FA Hayek, "The Road to Serfdom"
on “Ask HN: What are the must-read books about economics/finance?” ↗…book I'd recommend would be The Worldly Philosophers, a readable history of economics https://www.amazon.com/Worldly-Philosophers-Economic-Thinker... A couple of more right-leaning books - Hayek, The Road to Serfdom https://www.amazon.com/Road-Serfdom-Fiftieth-Anniversary/dp/... Friedman, Capitalism and Freedom https://www.amazon.com/Capitalism-Freedom-Anniversary-Milton... Less right-leaning The Marx-Engels Reader https://www.amazon.com/Marx-Engels-Reader-Second-Karl-Marx/d...
on “Ask HN: What are the must-read books about economics/finance?” ↗The Emperor's New Mind, by Roger Penrose The Tao of Physics, by Fritjof Capra Dancing Wu Li Masters, by Gary Zukav The Naked Ape, by Desmond Morris The Road to Serfdom, by Friedrich Hayek The Worldly Philosophers, by Robert Heilbroner The Story of Philosophy, by Will Durant Grammatical Man, by Jeremy Campbell Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, by Robert…
on “Ask HN: What books have made the biggest impact on your mental models?” ↗…Hayek: "[I am] an enormous admirer of Hayek, but not for his economics. I think Prices and Production is a very flawed book. I think his [Pure Theory of Capital] is unreadable. On the other hand, The Road to Serfdom is one of the great books of our time". From https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friedrich_Hayek
on “Why I Am Not an Austrian Economist” ↗1. Liberal Fascism: The Secret History of the American Left from Mussolini to the Politics of Meaning by Jonah Goldberg 2. The Road to Serfdom by Friedrich A. Hayek 3. Basic Economics: A Citizen's Guide to the Economy by Thomas Sowell 4. An American Life by Ronald Reagan 5. The Rust Programming Language by Steve Kablink
on “Ask HN: Best books you read in the past decade?” ↗The Road to Serfdom should be required reading for anyone who considers themselves a thinking person. I am a libertarian but have read a lot of philosophy from the major thinkers who encompass all points on the political…
on “Friedrich Hayek on Evolution and Spontaneous Order (1983) [video]” ↗Naked Economics[1] is a good basic introduction. Hayek's Road to Serfdom[2] is also a key text if you want a historically embedded one. An interesting point about it is that Orwell reviewed it, with qualified praise, shortly before writing 1984. Like 1984 it is wider in its…
on “The 2 Simple Reasons the Soviet Union Was Doomed to Fail” ↗Yes, the TSA is part of the Executive Branch, so it ultimately reports to Obama. On a related note, you may wish to read Friedrich von Hayek's book, published in 1944, The Road To Serfdom. He covers many subjects in this book, but one of them is the danger that arises when the legislative branch delegates wholesale powers to the executive branch, or, as you say, "has congressional oversight,…
on “No More Fear” ↗Now it is a good time to read 'The Road to Serfdom' by F. Hayek one more time. Rising expectations of some part of the society that the government can give them a shield from change and solve their problems are common during a crisis. On the other hand,…
on “An economist explains what is happening to the global economy” ↗