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The Road to Serfdom, the Definitive Edition

Written by: F. A. Hayek, Bruce Caldwell - editor
Narrated by: William Hughes
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An unimpeachable classic work in political philosophy, intellectual and cultural history, and economics, The Road to Serfdom has inspired and infuriated politicians, scholars, and the public for half a century. Originally published in 1944 - when Eleanor Roosevelt supported the efforts of Stalin, and Albert Einstein subscribed lock, stock, and barrel to the socialist program - The Road to Serfdom was seen as heretical for its passionate warning against the dangers of state control over the means of production. For F. A. Hayek, the collectivist idea of empowering government with increasing economic control would lead not to a utopia but to the horrors of Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy.

First published by the University of Chicago Press on September 18, 1944, The Road to Serfdom garnered immediate, widespread attention. The first printing of 2,000 copies was exhausted instantly, and within six months more than 30,000 books were sold. In April 1945, Reader's Digest published a condensed version of the book, and soon thereafter the Book-of-the-Month Club distributed this edition to more than 600,000 readers. A perennial best seller, the book has sold 400,000 copies in the United States alone and has been translated into more than 20 languages, along the way becoming one of the most important and influential books of the century.

With this new edition, The Road to Serfdom takes its place in the series the Collected Works of F. A. Hayek. The volume includes a foreword by series editor and leading Hayek scholar Bruce Caldwell explaining the book's origins and publishing history and assessing common misinterpretations of Hayek's thought. Caldwell has also standardized and corrected Hayek's references and added helpful new explanatory notes. Supplemented with an appendix of related materials ranging from prepublication reports on the initial manuscript to forewords to earlier editions by John Chamberlain, Milton Friedman, and Hayek himself, this new edition of The Road to Serfdom is the definitive version of Hayek's enduring masterwork.

©2007 Estate of F. A. Hayek (P)2017 Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Economics Political Science Public Policy Inspiring Conservative Authors
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What listeners say about The Road to Serfdom, the Definitive Edition

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Prophetic, germane to our times!

absolutely must read! this is easily one of the best books I have read to understand how collectivism of all kinds are inherently evil

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More important now then ever.

Keynesian economics has created the path to serfdom and we never saw it coming. Working as intended.

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Mandatory reading for the apathetic masses

You will have to continually remind yourself that this book was written during WW2 by a German born economist who escaped Germany before the war. Its a frightening read when we examine what is happening today in our Western "democracies".

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Good

Drags on for a bit at the end. The foreword kinda seems unnecessary as well. Very good overall.

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It's Not Different This Time!

Other than references to the Nazi,s and WWII, it's as if Hayek wrote this yesterday. This a great analysis of the dangerous consequences of socialism and why and how it eventually leads to tryanny. A great match up with Levins American Marxism.

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Must read for modern educated man

I found it slightly depressing that the predictions about socialism leading inevitably to totalitarianism are well on their way to being our reality today, which proves his logic and rationale were accurate.

The conditions that led to the rise of nazi Germany are well established in western society today, distrust and vilification of capitalism and free markets, popular clamor for social programs and spending etc.

This isn't so much a review as my opinions but the book must be read in full to understand Hayeks conclusions.

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A masterpiece

Just as relevant (if not more so) than when it was first published 75 years ago, Hayek thoroughly debunks every aspect of the socialist world view. Logical and Intuitive cases are made that the result of centralized power and planning are at odds with morality, democracy, efficient economies, human happiness, and freedom on almost every basic level. A true masterpiece of insight and argument.

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Persuasive and highly relevant.

This is a must read/listen for those interested in any of the social sciences. It is, at moments, prescient - and consistently sharp.

The narrator sounds a bit like Bob Odenkirk, which also liked.

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Excellent book…

This is a book everyone should read. More relevant now than before. This information should be carefully explained to the young generations.

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