Hayek, The Road to Serfdom - 16th session

October 26, 2020 (Mon), 16th session

The Road to Serfdom Reading Discussion, 16th Online Meeting: Mori, Yuron

Today, I asked about a passage I had not understood before.

“Nothing has done more harm to the liberal cause than the wooden insistence of some liberals on certain rough rules of thumb, above all the principle of laissez-faire… It was because of this insistence on certain rules of thumb, above all laissez-faire, taken by many of those who spread the principles of liberty, that once their position was weakened in some respects, their whole position was almost inevitably in danger of collapsing.”

Mori once mentioned how the American Whig Party broke apart because it could not unite its voice over the abolition of slavery, ranging from moderates who argued that each state should decide for itself to hardliners who insisted that slavery should be abolished in every state. In that sense, it is truly remarkable how the Founding Fathers of the United States, when creating a government unprecedented in history, managed to establish it through practical compromise, even if in an imperfect form at first.

I also said that the group seems to have changed a lot from when I first joined Jagongbi a year ago. Compared to then, it seems that people do not read books as much these days. Jagongbi began as a useful gathering where people would read books they wanted to read together and discuss them, and we talked about what direction it should take going forward.

A film discussion group also seems like a good idea. In light of the thought that we should offer solutions, not just criticism, if the left has expressed class conflict, nihilism, the foolishness of idealism, and the harms of selfishness through cultural means, then perhaps we too should talk about what human values we are trying to protect against such widespread irrationality and political tyranny. It seems important not only to criticize collectivism but also to present the ideal of individualism and a vision of what that would look like. In fact, that was also why Ayn Rand’s novels were such an effective mode of communication. Many people may already recognize what is negative, but perhaps they are still wandering, wondering what direction to move in, looking for a clearer answer.

First of all, if we really want to change the social and political landscape, it seems important for more people to encounter liberalism. There are probably already many people inclined to think in individualistic terms, so how can they find our group? At present, they come through the Center for Free Enterprise (CFE). I remember learning about many things through Americans on YouTube and Facebook. Director Kwak has probably given this a lot of thought, so it might be good to hear his ideas sometime.

We also said that our group seems different from many political groups. We talked about the general problem that political groups often try to gather power they do not actually have the strength to unite. There are not many liberals to begin with, and if people with different ideas try to come together politically, they will end up dividing. Yet those who focus on gaining political power become absorbed in political fights and calculations of power, like spectators watching a match on a janggi board. They have no room to discuss why so many people turned their attention to politics in the first place, or what practical concerns and interests those people actually have. But unless we become like entrepreneurs who discover needs even people themselves had not yet recognized, provide the solutions they need, and in doing so open a new market, then even if we open shops all over town, only flies will gather and no votes will come in. Above all, either because we do not understand the same mistakes that turned people away from existing politicians, or because we knowingly repeat them in order to buy votes, we will simply repeat those mistakes.

Hyunlai once said that politics also seems to operate according to economic logic. I think he meant that just as entrepreneurs launch something people want and make money, politicians also put forward policies and images and win votes. Just as entrepreneurs do not assume that people will buy something simply because they have made it, we too need to understand people before trying to change them. I do not know yet, but if we keep asking questions in the right direction, the answers will follow, so it seems better not to be impatient.

Anyone who would like to join the online reading group every Monday evening is invited to the open chat room at the link below.

https://open.kakao.com/o/gX3OIqtb

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Original title: 하이에크 <노예의 길>-16차

Author: Jayujuui ipmun dokseotoronmoim

Date: 2020-10-26

Source: https://www.cfe.org/bbs/bbsDetail.php?cid=reading01&pn=8&idx=23213