Friedrich Hayek - The Road to Serfdom

About this Episode

Hayek sees a choice between individualism and socialism. He contrasts the Enlightenment project of liberal individualism against the collectivist ideologies of national socialism, fascism, and communism. Communism and fascism are two sides of the same coin - both categorically despise individualism. He warns against the trend away from liberalism in the West. According to Hayek, the very success of liberalism has become the cause of its decline. The liberal principles that made progress possible have come to be regarded more as obstacles to speedier progress. Freedom is cast aside in favor of hubristic collectivism. The Road to Serfdom demonstrates how collectivist ideologies lead inevitably to totalitarianism.