Hayek and Popper : on rationality, economism, and democracy / Mark Amadeus Notturno.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Notturno, Mark Amadeus, author.

Series:

Routledge studies in the history of economics ; 170.

Routledge studies in the history of economics ; 170

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Popper, Karl R. (Karl Raimund), 1902-1994.

Popper, Karl R.

Hayek, Friedrich A. von (Friedrich August), 1899-1992.

Hayek, Friedrich A. von.

Liberty.

Free enterprise.

Democracy.

Physical Description:

xxiv, 172 pages ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

Abingdon, Oxon ; New York : Routledge, 2015.

Summary:

"Karl Popper and Friedrich von Hayek are remembered as two of the twentieth century's greatest proponents of open society. However, over the years, Hayek's ideas have tended to be favoured over Popper's in both academic and political discussions. This book aims to improve understanding of Popper's and Hayek's philosophies by explaining their differences, and whilst doing so, to encourage liberal political philosophers to take a better-informed and more sympathetic look at Popper's ideas about open society. Popper and Hayek differed in subtle but fundamental ways about rationality, economism, and democracy. They thus differed about whether and to what extent society is well served by deliberate attempts at social engineering and government intervention in the economy. They also differed about whether democracy is better served by institutions designed to elect the best leaders, or by institutions designed to protect us against the leaders we elect. And they differed, perhaps most importantly, about whether we should value freedom as a means to prosperity or an end-in-itself. This book argues that Hayek's views about rationality, economism, and democracy are fundamentally at odds with Popper's 3/4 and perhaps even with open society itself--and that the unintended consequences of Hayek's views may actually pose a threat to Popper's vision of a liberal and free open society."-- Provided by publisher.

"Friedrich von Hayek and Karl Popper were two of the twentieth century's greatest thinkers, and two of its greatest proponents of freedom and open society. They were also close friends, and even people who are very familiar with their writings often think that their philosophical, economic, and political views are more or less the same. This book, however, argues that Hayek and Popper differed in fundamental ways about rationality, economism, and democracy--and that these differences, and the different ways in which Hayek and Popper argued for them, lie at the heart of political thought and still have significant consequences for our own political discourse today. It argues that Hayek and Popper disagreed about whether and to what extent society is well served by deliberate attempts at government intervention; about whether and to what extent democracy involves majority rule; and, most importantly, about whether we should value freedom for its own sake, as an end in itself, or merely as a means to greater prosperity and wealth. Contrary to Popper, this volume argues that Hayek was prepared to accept socialism--which in his view logically implies totalitarianism--if it could be shown to be at least as efficient and productive as the market; that his concept of freedom is grounded in the same sort of economism that Popper criticized in Marx; and that he proposed reforms to the electoral system that would actually transform a democracy into what Popper would have regarded as a tyranny"-- Provided by publisher.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780415720038

0415720036

OCLC:

897341189

Publisher Number:

99960671766