The Constitution of Liberty
by F. A. Hayek
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Book Reviews of The Constitution of Liberty
Book Review: Philosophy - Libertarian perspective
Summary: 3 Stars
This review will be mostly technical in nature. Some good reviews already exist that discuss the overview of the material.
1. Part 1 The Value of Freedom, 8 chapters.
2. Part 2 Freedom and the Law, 8 chapters
3. Part 3 Freedom in the Welfare State, 8 chapters
4. Postscript: Why I am not a Conservative, 13 pages
5. End Notes = 100 pages
6. Analytical Table of Contents (valuable for reference), listing sub-topics by page number = 7 pages
7. Name Index = 10 pages
8. Subject Index = 16 pages.
My Remarks: this is philosophy of government, plus some historical development, plus economic theory-and-practice. It is a rather tough read, exact logic and completed thoughts until each point is carefully constucted and then commented on.
There are many quote-able passages, and the exhaustive referencing confirms the scholarly style.
The print is small: 42 lines per page, 17 characters per inch.
So, the 3-stars are given so as to ward-off readers that are looking for libertarian views of a popluar nature. Though the reading is somewhat hard, the individual cases discussed make this a perfect source for a dedicated libertarian to reference.
Book Review: Classic treatise on liberty and limited government
Summary: 5 Stars
Economist and political philosopher Friedrich A. Hayek wrote The Constitution of Liberty for publication in 1960, but his timeless insights still have currency. His reasoned advocacy of economic freedom and personal liberty applies to modern debates on controversial subjects ranging from price inflation and progressive taxation to public education. The book contrasts the benefits of limited government with the costs of central economic planning. Restricting government is more likely to produce the individual spontaneity and creativity that is vital to the advance of knowledge and civilization. Hayek demonstrates how liberty takes sustenance from the rule of law, the concept of due process and the constitutional form of government. He identifies serious but subtle threats to individual freedom. For example, he criticizes Social Security and progressive taxation as regrettable forms of income redistribution. getAbstract recommends this scholarly tome to readers seeking a detailed philosophical foundation for limited government and to anyone who wants to be familiar with the classic canon of modern economic thought.Book Review: Hayek destroys Conservative myths from within the system
Summary: 5 Stars
Hayek shows that free markets can exist without needing to ignore social needs. Hayek provides justification for policies such as a negative income tax (for poor people to buy their food, clothing, shelter, health insurance, etc.), anti-trust legislation (to prevent monopolies from using coercion), anti-corporatism (governments should not waste money promoting private enterprise since private enterprise is capable of promoting itself), the ending of patent law (why should smart people need the government to grant them a monopoly on ideas they simply happen register first), support for activism (people's movements are free to try and change the value systems of the market), and criticism of supercilious arrogance -- whether it comes from socialist planners or pseudo-Libertarian corporatists and anarchists.Long hailed as the champion of the right-wing and therefore ignored by the Left, Hayek will eventually prove to be the undoing of the arrogant, self-centered Right and pave the path for 21st century free-market liberalism.
Book Review: A great book
Summary: 4 Stars
I would have given this book 5 stars, but for the last third of the content. The majority of the book, Mr. Hayek presents a convincing case for individual liberty, and the price mechanism, (unfettered by government interference), being the best transmitter of dispersed knowledge. The last third of the book, however, Mr. Hayek seems to ally himself with the "collectivists" in promoting public housing, public education, etc., something he had railed against earlier in what he dismissively called "social justice". That doesn't seem consistent. For those looking for a more concise book, I'd recommend "The Road to Serfdom", which is a lot shorter, and competely consistent, across the board. Next up for me...Thomas Sowell's "Knowledge and Decisions", and Milton Friedman's "Capitalism and Freedom".Book Review: Socialists beware - you will not like this one, but read it
Summary: 4 Stars
Fiedrich Hayek was nearing 60 when he began writing this homage to liberty and liberals (that's the European interpretation for US readers). Throughout 400 odd pages Hayek slammed, among other things, organised labour, socialism, the abuse (politicisation) of words, the political spectrum, and the welfare state. What impressed more in this book than in some of his other works is that here Hayek actually suggested alternatives - some of which have since become economic, if not political, reality. Hayek's great talent was always to see through proposals to their underlying belief(s), and he showed his talent had not dimmed here. Even if one does not agree with anything he says, Hayek presented an awesome argument.