The Road to Serfdom

This influential book explores the dangers of state control over production, warning that such collectivism can lead to tyranny. The Road to Serfdom remains a critical read.

A classic work in political philosophy, intellectual history, and economics, The Road to Serfdom is now available in a new edition that includes a foreword by Bruce Caldwell, an appendix of related materials, and various forewords from earlier editions. This book has sparked both inspiration and controversy among politicians and scholars for over fifty years.

Originally published in 1944, The Road to Serfdom was viewed as radical due to its compelling warning against the perils of state control over production. Friedrich Hayek argued that the collectivist notion of granting government increasing economic power would not result in a utopian society but instead lead to the atrocities witnessed in Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy. This cautionary tale remains relevant in discussions of government intervention and individual freedom.

The new edition features a foreword by Bruce Caldwell, a prominent Hayek scholar, who provides insights into the book's origins, its publishing history, and addresses common misunderstandings of Hayek's ideas. Caldwell has also standardized and corrected Hayek's references, adding valuable new explanatory notes. With an appendix of related materials and contributions from influential figures like Milton Friedman, this edition of The Road to Serfdom serves as the definitive version of Hayek's significant work.