The Constitution of Liberty


The Constitution of Liberty is a book by Austrian economist and Nobel Prize recipient Friedrich A. Hayek. The book was first published in 1960 by the University of Chicago Press. It is an interpretation of civilization as being made possible by the fundamental principles of liberty, which the author presents as prerequisites for wealth and growth, rather than the other way around.
The Constitution of Liberty has notably been held up at a British Conservative Party policy meeting and banged on the table by Margaret Thatcher, who reportedly interrupted a presentation to indicate, in reference to the book, that "This is what we believe".
A postscript is included, entitled "Why I Am Not A Conservative."

Book

Part I – The Value of Freedom

1. Liberty and Liberties

2. The Creative Powers of a Free Civilization

3. The Common Sense of Progress

4. Freedom, Reason, and Tradition

5. Responsibility and Freedom

6. Equality, Value, and Merit

7. Majority Rule

8. Employment and Independence
Part II – Freedom and the Law

9. Coercion and the State

10. Law, Commands, and Order

11. The Origins of the Rule of Law

12. The American Contribution: Constitutionalism

13. Liberalism and Administration: The Rechtsstaat

14. The Safeguards of Individual Liberty

15. Economic Policy and the Rule of Law

16. The Decline of the Law
Part III – Freedom in the Welfare State

17. The Decline of Socialism and the Rise of the Welfare State

18. Labor Unions and Employment

19. Social Security

20. Taxation and Redistribution

21. The Monetary Framework

22. Housing and Town Planning

23. Agriculture and Natural Resources

24. Education and Research
Postscript: Why I am Not a Conservative

Reception

The Constitution of Liberty was placed 9th on the list of the 100 best non-fiction books of the twentieth century compiled by the biweekly conservative magazine National Review.