Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Lessons Learned.

Here are a few interesting bits of info I picked up while reading "The Road to Serfdom" by F A Hayek:
1. Socialism is the pet project of frustrated idealists who use look upon democracy and capitalism as impediments to planning for the common good.

2. Socialism inevitably leads to authoritarianism due to the need for uninhibited social planning.

3. As a society evolves and gets more complex, the greatest asset for its' flourishment is NOT increased central planning, but increased decentralized democratic capitalism. It is foolish to think a small body of experts can conceive of a planning system more responsive to socio-economic needs than that produced by a free market.

4. There is a fine line between the saint campaigning on social reform for the common good and the fanatic who believes in authoritarian power to impose his programs.

5. Collectivism is the death knell of capitalism.

6. Socialism is often introduced as 'our only option' in dealing with emergencies.

7. Socialism requires a legal system that operates on political arbitrariness instead of moral judgements and strict interpretation. There are no absolutes, just malleable decisions designed to effect a certain group at a specific time.
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