Rating: Summary: My sociology teacher hates me! Review: I could not help myself. It was as if he was trying to fool me." The concern I have is who will distribute the resources." "Blah Blah Blah..." was his response. He did not answer my question. Socialists never want to answer that question. So I figured "what the hell, he already hates me." And I did a report about capitalism vs. socialism, and for my research I use the man,F.A.Hayek. I am a 22 year old student. This book has had a tremendous impact on the way I think about things. I realize Hayek's The Road To Serfdom can't please everyone, and quite frankly I don't think he would have cared. Thanks Mr. Hayek, for your billiant insight into the world of unfreedom and totalitarianism,aka socialism. I'll let you know how I do on my paper.
Rating: Summary: A critique of socialism from a socialist's perspective. Review: This is a book about freedom in all respects - personal, artistic, religious - and a book that explains that these freedoms do not exist without economic freedom - the freedom to choose among these ends and to use the means at your disposal to pursue them. Most critiques of socialism question its objectives and/or its technical soundness. This book explains that socialism in practice must lead to the opposite of the peace, unity and prosperity that most socialists claim as their ideal. It goes beyond the mere economic and political discussion, however, and touches upon the essence of what it means to be human - that is, to be free. A must read for anyone interested in the human condition.
Rating: Summary: A Classic Review: Some reviewers here seem to confuse what it means to review a book. For example, a good review does not say "I hate this guys politics" but instead asks whether this book is a well reasoned and well put piece of work. This kind of standard, when applied to this book, must classify it as a timeless classic whatever you think of the central message of this book.
Rating: Summary: This is a MUST READ Review: It doesn't matter if you're a capitalist or socialist. This book is well written, informative, and intelligent. This book is a classic in the annals of free market society. I bought this book with my hard earned worker wage, the government did not "provide" this book for me. And I love it.
Rating: Summary: 'Zis book is an Outrage! Ve must overthrow zee capitalists! Review: I vant to speak with your secret police zis very instant! I vant to report zis capitalist pig-dogs to zee proper authorities!
Rating: Summary: A must read for understanding pseudo-fascist libertarianism Review: Von Hayek's concept of freedom is the right of the fist. If your not rich, you don't count. If you stand up for a better society, through a union or something else, you are a defender of atrocities by Hayeks account. How you ask, how could that be? Well according to this book, Any public insight in how the society should be run is wrong, and should be left to our bosses and other "experts" to decide. Hayek don't even consider that the worst offenders of freedom isn't the public, common man, but the corporations with their top down hierachy. The only people Hayek, Mises and all other libertarian thinkers serve is the elite!
Rating: Summary: A TIMELESS CLASSIC OF MAGISTERIAL INSIGHT. Review: From start to finish, this book offers a truly lucid and perceptive analysis of just why those who advocate economic planning are, in truth, advocating dictatorship. The free society contains individuals imbued with economic power (i.e., this can not be so it the government has it all!). This economic freedom is conducive to the freedom endorsed by democracy. The capitalist system is about freedom, freedom to choose and freedom from those great and good who think they should really choose for us. A truly dynamic book that simply must be read.
Rating: Summary: An elegant classic, with succinct, brilliant arguments Review: This book well deserves the acclaim and recognition it garners.I find it striking that it was written in 1944, yet it still is a bestseller, and is widely quoted today. I had to read it because I keptrunning into so many other sources that quote it, in the course of my research. I am certainly glad I took the opportunity to see first hand why Hayek is so well regarded. Hayek went against the intellectual current back in 1944, and it was really interesting to see his insights into what was going on in Europe and America at that time, and his predictions of the future that have mostly come true. This book must be read by any student of history, liberal democracy, or economics. Do not think a "command economy" will bring about what you are trying to achieve, he says, to those those well meaning but misguided statists who seek an egalitarian utopia through government regulation. In a centrally planned economy, you get a two-tiered society--the commanders and the commanded, the dictators and the slaves. The more regulation, the farther down the Road to Serfdom societies go, until they get to the "perfect" totalitarian state. Even liberals ("New Democrats" at least) have come to see that the free market must be able to operate, or we end up degraded and destitute, like the former Soviet Union. Now if we could only apply these same free market principles to our ailing centrally planned institution, the public schools, we would really be wise.
Rating: Summary: Powerful criticism of collectivism Review: Hayek is on of the old masters. Must reading for anyone seriously interested in liberty from government!
Rating: Summary: For the critics of Hayek... Review: Can you say "straw man?" It's touching that you consider yourselves to be friends of the working class, but capitalism itself has done more for the working class than any government. This is especially true if you weigh the mass murder of governments against their supposed contributions to human "welfare." For the record, there is no such thing as "unregulated" capitalism. Capitalism cannot function without a rule of law. If laws and property rights are not upheld, then you don't have capitalism. No classical liberal, especially not Hayek, would advocate the elimination of civil liability and personal responsibility; these are necessary for the internalization of externalities. Are the poor left out in a capitalist society? Hardly. Being poor used to mean that one starved, but in the US (one of the more "capitalist" leaning nations of the world) the poor are statistically more prone to be overweight. The average household below the poverty line in the US owns 2 televisions. Yes, the rich have much more than the poor; but they can both afford the same cell phones in a capitalist system.
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