F.A. Hayek: Dogmatic Skeptic

Friedrich von Hayek, who died in 1992, is widely recognized as the most influential exponent of free-market liberalism in the twentieth century. Although the democratic left is unlikely to find his views very palatable, at least one lesson can be learned by contemplating Hayek’s life. He shows us what can sometimes be achieved by sticking doggedly to your guns, ignoring intellectual fashion, and waiting until your moment comes. Hayek had only one tune to play, the virtues of the free-market economy as opposed to central planning, but he played it with panache, could improvise longer or shorter versions as the occasion demanded, and above all never gave up practicing. As a result, when his moment finally did arrive sometime in the m...