297: The Road to Serfdom by F. A. Hayek

(During the month of September I'm recommending conservative titles with which every well-read progressive should be familiar.)

The Road to Serfdom: Text and Documents--The Definitive Edition (The Collected Works of F. A. Hayek, Volume 2)

The Road to Serfdom attempts to explain the rise of totalitarianism in European countries prior to WWII. For Hayek the answer could be found in the increasingly large role government played in the economy. The sort of centralized planning popular in Socialism and Communism would inevitably lead to totalitarianism, Hayek warned.

Why this is libertarian/conservative: This is one of the canonical texts shaping modern Libertarianism. Hayek makes the case for free markets and against central planning, and Socialism. Many contemporary Libertarian arguments are rooted in Hayek's argument, though often distorted. Hayek is a lot smarter than many of his followers, and, whether you agree with Hayek or not, you should make yourself familiar with the arguments set out in this book.

Buy the Kindle version: The Road to Serfdom