Abstract

Eleven contributors--among them philosophers, economists, historians, and political scientists from the United States and Europe--present an overview of the intellectual influences and historical events which inspired Hayek and examine the idea of spontaneous order. They also describe Hayek's reasons for rejecting constructivism in favor of an evolutionary approach to economics, political theory, and legal theory. They also consider major topics in his work, such as the welfare state, the neutrality of the state, the morality of social cooperation, the rule of law, and the concepts of totalitarianism and freedom. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR.