Hayek and liberalism

• Main Author: KUKATHAS, Chandran
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2006
• Subjects: Ethics and Political Philosophy; Political Economy
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/soss_research/2997; https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/soss_research/article/4254/viewcontent/hayek_and_liberalism__2_.pdf
• Institution: Singapore Management University

F. A. Hayek occupies a peculiar place in the history of twentiethcentury liberalism. His influence has, in many respects, been enormous. The Road to Serfdom, his first political work, not onlyattracted popular attention in the west but also circulated widely(in samizdat form) in the intellectual underground of Eastern Europeduring the years between the end of the war and the revolutions of1989. His critique of central planning has been thoroughly vindicated, if not by the demise of communist economic systems, thenat least by the recognition by socialists of many stripes of theimportance of market processes.1 Books and articles on his thoughtcontinue to appear and there is plenty of evidence that his ideas arewidely discussed in Europe, South America, and even in the UnitedStates. Hayek’s political influence has been no less remarkable.He persuaded Antony Fisher to abandon his plans for a politicalcareer and to devote himself instead to establishing an organization for the dissemination of classical liberal ideas. The Institute ofEconomic Affairs founded by Fisher not only played an important rolein changing the policymaking climate in Britain but also became themodel for many classical liberal ‘‘think-tanks’’ around the world. ButHayek also influenced political leaders and activists more directlythrough his writings and public speeches,2 and also through personalcorrespondence. By any reasonable standard, Hayek has been a significant public intellectual whose influence has roamed across thedisciplines of social science into the realms of public policy.