The road to serfdom
"The Road to Serfdom" (Der Weg zur Knechtschaft) is a book by Friedrich Hayek, an Austrian-British economist and philosopher, written between 1940 and 1943 and published in 1944. It is considered a classic of free-market economics.
Hayek warned of the dangers of dictatorship arising from centralized, planned economies. He argued that such systems can lead to the abandonment of individualism and the classical free market, resulting in the loss of freedom and the enslavement of individuals under tyrannical societies and dictators. Hayek, a founder of the Mont Pelerin Society, cautioned against the rise of totalitarian regimes by highlighting the common thread of centralized economic planning in fascism, Nazism, and socialism. He believed that this concentration of power gradually empowers the state to oppress individuals.
In summary, Hayek refers to socialist planned economies as "the path of slavery," illustrating how people's reliance on the state to fulfill their material needs can lead to the concentration of power in the hands of a few elites, rather than achieving equality. This, in turn, can pave the way for socialist or totalitarian planned economies, which Hayek saw as inherently enslaving.
The book is recommended for anyone interested in personal freedom, free-market principles, and the role of government authority.
.jpg "The road to serfdom – Cartoon (Full Version)")
War forces “national planning” to permit total mobilization of your country's economy, you gladly surrender many freedoms.
You know regimentation was forced on you by your country's enemies.
.jpg "The road to serfdom – Cartoon (Full Version)")
Many want “planning” to stay…
Arguments for a “peace production board” are heard before the war ends.
Wartime “planners” who want to stay in power encourage the idea.
The “planners” promise Utopias.…
A rosy plan for the farmers goes well in rural areas, a plan for industrial workers is popular in the cities --- and so on.
Many new “planners” are elected to office.
But they can't agree on one Utopia.…
With peace, a new legislature meets, but “win the war” unity is gone.
The “planners” nearly come to blows.
Each has his own plan, each won't budge.
And citizens can't agree either.…
When the “planners” finally patch up a temporary plan months later, citizens in turn disagree.
What the farmer likes, the factory worker doesn't like.
Imagine that!
Politicians using government power to buy favor with the constituency.
“Planners” hate to force agreement.…
Most “national planners” are well-meaning idealists, and balk at any use of force.
The hope some miracle of public agreement for their patchwork plan.
< The road to serfdom – Cartoon 6 >
They try to “sell” the plan to all.
In an unsuccessful effort to “educate” people to uniform view, “planners” establish a giant propaganda machine – which the coming dictator will find handy.
The gullible do find agreement.
Meanwhile, growing national confusion leads to protest meetings.
The least educated – thrilled and convinced by fiery oratory, form a party or movement within a party.
< The road to serfdom – Cartoon 8 >
Confidence in “planners” fades.
The more the planners improvise, the greater the disturbance to normal business.
Everybody suffers. People now feel – rightly – that “planners” can't get things done.
Let's get a man who can make a plan work.
< The road to serfdom – Cartoon 9 >
The “strong man” is given power.
In desperation, “planners” authorize the new party leader to hammer out a plan and force its obedience.
Later, they'll dispense with him, or so they think.
< The road to serfdom – Cartoon 10 >
The Party takes over the country.
By now the confusion is so great that obedience to the new leader must be obtained at all costs.
Maybe you would join the Party yourself to aid national unity.
< The road to serfdom – Cartoon 11 >
A negative aim welds Party unity.
An early step of all dictators is to inflame the majority in common cause against some scapegoat minority.
In Germany, the negative aim was Antisemitism.
< The road to serfdom – Cartoon 12 >
No one opposes the leader's plan.
It would be suicide; the new secret police are ruthless.
Ability to force obedience always becomes the number one virtue in the “planned state.”
Now all freedom is gone.
< The road to serfdom – Cartoon 13 >
Your profession is planned.
The wider job choice promised by the now defunct “planners” turns out to be a tragic farce.
“Planners” never have delivered, and never will be able to.
< The road to serfdom – Cartoon 14 >
-But I'm not a carpenter. I'm a Plumber.
< PAYMASTER >
Your wages are “planned.”…
Divisions of the wage scale must be arbitrary and rigid.
Running a “planned state” from central headquarters is clumsy, unfair and inefficient.
< The road to serfdom – Cartoon 15 >
[ The world is flat. ]
Your thinking is “planned.”…
In the dictatorship, unintentionally created by the planners, there is no room for difference of opinion.
Posters, radio, press - all tell you the same lies.
< The road to serfdom - Cartoon 16 >
Your recreation is “planned.”…
It is no coincidence that sports and amusements have all been carefully “planned” in all regimented nations.
Once started, the “planners” can't stop.
You are only one in the masses.
< The road to serfdom – Cartoon 17 >
Your disciplining is “planned.”…
If you are fired from your job, its might be by a firing squad.
What used to be an error is now a crime against the state.
Thus ends the road to serfdom.
< The road to serfdom – Cartoon 18 >
Motivational English Quotes To Inspire You.
#The road to serfdom #Friedrich Hayek #Liberalism #Free-market capitalism #Central planning #Totalitarianism #Individualism #Totalitarianism #Dictatorship #Socialism #Fascism #Government authority
