Thursday, March 06, 2008

Friedrich Hayek - such a deal!

THE ROAD TO SERFDOM
(Condensed version, published in the Reader's Digest, April 1945 edition).


The supreme tragedy is still not seen that in Germany it was largely people of good will who, by their socialist policies, prepared the way for the forces which stand for everything they detest. Few recognize that the rise of fascism and Marxism was not a reaction against the socialist trends of the preceding period but a necessary outcome of those tendencies.


What a great opportunity!   Friedrich Hayek's seminal masterpiece in condensed form.  I suggest printing it out and reading it with a cup of tea, or glass of wine.  Many of us who have read it did so in college.  read it again.


6 comments:

Aristomenes said...

And for those of you with a little more time, Jonah Goldberg's recent Liberal Fascism is a very worthwhile modern follow-up to the Hayek.

Anonymous said...

The trouble is, this is preaching to the choir--no one who needs to read it will read it.
mary

Rodger the Real King of France said...

That's true, but Hayek is to Conservatism what Matthew is to the New Testament. Liberals, in my experience, do what feels good, That usually translates into rationalizing a self indulgence, or the need to be accepted by the herd they travel with, with no understanding or appreciation for the consequences of their actions. Oh, there are the hard core Liberals (college professors and screen writers); who as Marxists can only be dealt with effectively by machine gun, but that's another discussion. We, you and I, veterans of San Juan Hill, and wise as owls, are secure in our conservatism, but there are others here, mostly silent, who still interface with pagans (cocktail party, and water cooler seminars), and will benefit from exposure to great ideas. Sort of being the only armed person in a knife fight. Hell, we all benefit. I call it education for education's sake ( Eruditio gratia Eruditis?) I bet you agree. :)

Anonymous said...

WOW! Who knew that Hayek got condensed in Reader's Digest? I own a first edition. It's a rather smallish book for those with a taste for pearls.

Casca

Anonymous said...

Bill Quick, founder of Daily Pundit blog, had a great quote in a post a year or two ago - and I recite it every chance I get: "It is an insurmountable paradox - liberalism eventually destroys the very society that allowed it to be liberal in the first place."

Get it inscribed on the barn doors.

Mark / NJ Barn Army

Timbeaux said...

My thoughts travel immediately to Al Gore and the warmers. The Global Warming religion is clearly an attempt at central control and planning of industry, for anyone who's paying attention.

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