Analysis Of John Perry s Hayek Argument - 1083 Words

Dylan Ellis October 1, 2015 ECON-209.003 Perry Burnett Hayek Philosophical Argument In Hayek’s argument, he explains how socialism’s centralized planning is an exponentially inferior economic policy compared to the competitive nature of democracy due to the restrictions government planning imposes on a population’s ability to choose. He also expresses concern over similarities between the attitude of United States’ population and socialist Germany regarding our growing desire to organize and plan everything, noting that we are headed in the same general direction as pre-fascist Germany. His argument has the intention of convincing people to stray from this path of organizing the economy and instead to simply let the country†¦show more content†¦Whenever they realize that having leaders with total power is convenient, it’s a slippery slope to totalitarianism. Totalitarianism with a group of leaders under the chief of command who, by the nature of society, are unavoidably the worst pick of the lo t. This is due to needing a hive mind, which is most easily found among the lower intellectuals, as well as people who have no strong ideals and who are easily persuaded. This similar mindset, for this system to work, has to be accepted by the public as well. The individuals of the public are also apt to be treated without common decency, the leaders justifying their actions by claiming it is for the good of society. Without Rule of Law, there’s nothing keeping this government in check either. Those who are desperate to avoid fascism, and want to do so by organizing an economy and socializing it, will see that the fruits of their labor have produced the exact effect they wanted to evade. He goes on to explain that the economy of a nation is extremely too complicated to be controlled and directed by a government. There are too many minute details that make up the economy as a whole to be effectively and consciously planned. This is how competition is the better alternative. In dividuals of a society, left to their own designs, can each be a small director of the economy. Never having enough power to take over another citizen’s life, but each playing a small part in making such a sophisticated system work. He