Books

A fifth printing (impression) of the true first edition, published in April 1945 to war economy standards. The book was first published in March 1944, and was very successful for a book on economics, being reprinted three times in April, June and October 1944 (the first 'Popular Edition'). The dustwrapper correctly states 'Fifth impression - Popular Edition'. The British first edition preceded its American counterpart, which was first published in September 1944. With two pages of period magazine photos loosely inserted (see scans). ***Near fine in variant dark-blue cloth cloth-covered boards with red titles to the spine (the book is normally found in pale-green cloth with black titles). The blue colour remains unfaded even on the spine. The boards are clean and unmarked, with no bumps or creasing to the edges or corners. No tears to the cloth. The edges of the page block are nice and clean. No reading lean to the binding. Internally also near fine, clean and unmarked, with just a neat contemporary ownership inscription on the front free endpaper. Just very light foxing to the endpapers. No creases or tears to the very thin paper. Spine tight. ***In a virtually complete original printed dustwrapper, which retains the published price of 5s. net on the front flap. The dustwrapper has some loss to the thin paper at the top and tail of the spine, and some creasing at the edges, The red titles on the spine are completely unfaded. The dustwrapper is extremely thin, and hardly any copies have survived the last 80 years in this complete condition. A really nice example. ***222mm x 145mm. 184 pages including a Bibliographical Note, Sources of Quotations, and an Index at the back of the book. ***Contents: Introduction; Chapter I - The Abandoned Road, Chapter II - The Great Utopia, Chapter III - Individualism and Collectivism, Chapter IV - The "Inevitability" of Planning, Chapter V - Democracy and Planning, Chapter VI - Planning and the Rule of Law, Chapter VII - Economic Control and Totalitarianism, Chapter VIII - Who, Whom?, Chapter IX - Security and Freedom, Chapter X - Why The Worst Get On Top, Chapter XI - The end of Truth, Chapter XII - The Socialist Roots of Nazism, Chapter XIII - The Totalitarians in our Midst, Chapter XIV - Material Conditions and Ideal Ends, Chapter XV - The Prospects of International Order. ***'Since its publication in 1944, "The Road to Serfdom" has influenced the political imagination of conservative and classical liberal thinkers. The book was first published in Britain by Routledge in March 1944, during World War II, and was quite popular, leading Hayek to call it "that unobtainable book", also due in part to wartime paper rationing. ***The Road to Serfdom was to be the popular edition of the second volume of Hayek's treatise entitled "The Abuse and Decline of Reason", and the title was inspired by the writings of the 19th century French classical liberal thinker Alexis de Tocqueville on the "road to servitude". In the book, Hayek warns "of the danger of tyranny that inevitably results from government control of economic decision-making through central planning." He further argues that the abandonment of individualism and classical liberalism inevitably leads to a loss of freedom, the creation of an oppressive society, the tyranny of a dictator, and the serfdom of the individual. (Wiki) ***A collector's copy of this fifth wartime printing of the true first edition of F. A. Hayek's "The Road to Serfdom" - one of the most influential and popular expositions of classical liberalism ever published. A very uncommon book to be found now in the original dustwrapper, and hardly any will have survived in this near fine condition with a virtually complete dustwrapper. ***For all our books, postage is charged at cost, allowing for packaging: any shipping rates indicated on ABE are an average only: we will reduce the P & P charge where appropriate.

"The Road to Serfdom," written by Friedrich Hayek in 1944, is a seminal text that critiques centralized economic planning and collectivism. Hayek argues that state control over the economy inevitably leads to a loss of personal freedoms and the rise of authoritarianism. He emphasizes the importance of free markets and individual liberty as essential defenses against the encroachment of totalitarian rule. The book remains a powerful discourse on the relationship between economic systems and political freedom, warning of the dangers of surrendering too much power to the state.