The Constitution of Liberty
by F. A. Hayek
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Book Reviews of The Constitution of Liberty
Book Review: Astounding book - well worth reading
Summary: 5 Stars
I always have to psych myself up to read a book like this that combines philosophy, economics, political theory and economics but once I read it I was sorry I waited so long. More than once I found myself going back to the copyright page to assure myself that the book was written in 1960, not 2000. Within the first few pages he disassociates himself from a pure libertarian position, saying he believes that the govenment has an important place in extending freedom. In an afterword he explains "Why I am not a conservative." For people that like to go beyond categorizing everything into left/right left/right like drill sargents Hayek throws a curve. He strongly believes that the feedback from free markets is the only way that society can adapt to change, which would be something labeled "conservative," but he goes into detail about the ways that governments can help make that happen.
I am not surprised that people like Noam Chomsky never seem to mention Hayek. Chomsky carefully selects the facts that help make his case and ignore the ones that are counter to it. Hayek's argments against socialism, or command economies are so good that they pretty much lay the matter to rest. I recently read a speech by Chomsky where he says that because of the unequal distribution of wealth that our "free" markets are just socialism for the rich. Hayek addresses that directly by pointing out that luxuries are luxuries because few of them are produces and only the rich can afford them, but if they are useful or liked people figure out ways to make them less expensively and they become available to everyone. That's just the way it is. How could it be possible that someone could anticipate the breakthroughs humans continue to make?
That is one little nugget from this book. I read once that Maggie Thatcher used to give away copies of this book saying "this is what we believe." For that reason alone it would be worth reading because of the influence her reforms had on not only England, but the thinging of the whole developed world.
Book Review: That'll be One Large Order of Freedom, Hold the Spending
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a great rationalist defense of the ideas which the founders of the United States knew instinctively, or by historical experience. All people don't accomplish the same things equally, or in the same amount of time? No big deal. Treating them equally before the law is more important, especially for those who don't want to be forced into an equal outcome in life. The unique dimension to these ideas which Hayek contributes is his Misesian economic outlook, which he ties into the imperative for liberty, defined as both equality before the law, and strict limits on the reach of law.I continue to marvel (when not non-marveling) how "government" must act through laws in order to do anything. Each fresh new blow-dried representative or senator could benefit from a few weeks off to absorb this book, to get a better idea of what it is they are trying to build, or even to get an honest standard by which to measure their infringements on liberty and their distortions of limited government.
Hayek is quite willing to teach them, and us, but there is a special place in his heart for socialists, which makes him somewhat Christlike, as he welcomes the sinners of socialism into his company, while other free-market types just jeer from afar or throw stones. Hayek says no, let's think this through. What will happen to the price system and the market if the government's share of the economy reaches a tipping point--as he saw it do in Italy and Germany during his lifetime. How will it affect the legislative function if administrative arms of the executive are the final authors of so many rules, particularly pricing and production-related? This is the message he sought to articulate, in the middle of FDR's socialist experimenting.
Hayek held a lantern for us, like the Forbes magazine illustration in an article commemorating him about 15 years ago. There he stands still. In his arms he holds this book, along with The Road to Serfdom. Read these before tackling his other works.
Book Review: Should be considered part of the Western canon
Summary: 5 Stars
I hadn't read this book since I was in my early 20's until I bought another copy recently. It's amazing how many things I think I thought up myself actually come from Hayek.
Hayek's approach to defending liberty, individual rights and limited government is not like that of many doctrinaire libertarians. He doesn't start from a moral value that freedom is good and then look for reasons to support it. Instead, he examines how freedom works, who likes it and who doesn't, and why. He looks in detail at what happens when it's infringed, how it's won and lost, and provides all kinds of interesting thought experiments and examples to persuade you.
Although Hayek is often known primarily as an economist, he doesn't limit himself to economic arguments. He looks with great subtlety at the sociological and psychological aspects of human freedom, at how various institutions interact and balance each other.
If you're already a person who leans libertarian, you'll find your understanding of why you feel the way you do immeasurably enriched. You'll have a considerably more sophisticated rationale for what you feel so strongly after reading this book.
If you're a person who thinks those libertarians are ideological nuts, read Hayek to read one who isn't. Unlike libertarian firebrands like Rand and Rothbard, Hayek engages readers on their own ground, leading you to unexpected conclusions and insights without demanding you start by admitting he's fundamentally right.
This book's scope is much wider than his more popular "The Road to Serfdom." It's also a lot longer. But if you're going to read only one Hayek book, take the dive with this one.
Book Review: Evolution has proven more effective than planning.
Summary: 5 Stars
It's been a couple of years since I read this book, but I still carry some of Hayek's insights with me. Probably the most important insight in my own personal life runs to the effect that the gap between the wisest among us and the most foolish among us is not as great as the most sophomoric among us think. It is, unfortunately, the last who suffer the cravings of power the most and wish to run our lives for us. This is my paraphrase, Hayek was much more polite.
He also said that English Common Law was a vastly superior system to any system designed by any single legislator or group of legislators because the incentives for individual judges are more directed toward proving their wisdom in the case at hand, in relation to similar decisions rendered by their colleagues present and past--their peer group--whereas the audience which legislators desire to impress are not their own peers and are not truly paying attention to the nature of their legislation and its consequences beyond the immediate moment whether the legislator is trying to impress a king, an oligarchy or the mass of the people. The Common Law had, and still has, a tendency to enshrine the customs of the people, yet evolved customs have shown a tendency to continue to adjust to the will of the people and, thereby, move the opinions of judges along with the changes required by the age in which they are rendered.
Public opinion may desire these changes to be made more quickly, but my study of history shows that society only needs to do two things quickly: (#1) catch and (#2) punish those citizens and non-citizens who attempt to improve their lives at the expense of others.
Book Review: Brilliant, timeless classic
Summary: 5 Stars
The Constitution of Liberty is "a comprehensive restatement of the basic principles of a philosophy of freedom" (p. 3). It is often considered the magnum opus of Hayek's political writings, even if The Road to Serfdom is perhaps better known.
The Constitution of Liberty has three parts. In the first part Hayek defines the concept of liberty, namely as "absence of coercion" (§1.1), with coercion occuring "when one man's actions are made to serve another man's will, not for his own but for the other's purpose" (p. 133). The only kind of coercion acceptable is that by the state that is intended to prevent more severe coercion (including fraud and deception) between individuals (p. 144). Government should not pursue policies intended to achieve greater material equality, since involuntary redistribution involves coercion of some, and is thus in violation of liberty.
In the second part, Hayek explores some of the characteristics of the legal system of a country where freedom reigns: people must be ruled not by the whims of other people, whether an autocratic ruler or a democratic majority, but by laws that apply equally to everyone. In part three Hayek explores some of the applications of his theory (taxation, Social Security, central banking, education, labor unions, etc).
Part 1 is brilliant and timeless-Hayek at his absolute best. Part 3 is somewhat dated, but here and there some gems of persuasion can definitely be found, particularly in the chapters on social security and taxation.