The Constitution of Liberty

In this summary, you will learn

• What makes individual freedom so valuable to the advance of civilization
• How public institutions arose to protect individuals from capricious government coercion
• Why certain government policies restrain progress by limiting the number of choices that citizens can make

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Why you should read The Constitution of Liberty

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.

About the Author

Friedrich A. Hayek, an Austrian-born economist and political philosopher, advocated market-based capitalism and limited government. He was co-winner of the Nobel Prize for Economics in 1974 and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1991.