Honoring the great Ludwig von Mises

“The champions of socialism call themselves progressives, but they recommend a system which is characterized by rigid observance of routine and by a resistance to every kind of improvement,” argued economist Ludwig von Mises in his book “Bureaucracy,” published in 1944. “They promise the blessings of the Garden of Eden, but they plan to transform the world into a gigantic post office. Every man but one a subordinate clerk in a bureau.”

Today marks the 140th birthday of Ludwig von Mises, one of the great champions of human freedom in the 20th century.

Born into a Jewish family on Sept. 29, 1881 in what is now Lviv, Ukraine in the then-Austria-Hungary, Mises spent his early career as a civil servant and economist in Austria.

During that time, he began writing on a litany of topics, including war, critiques of socialism and defenses of classical liberalism.

Mises argued in strong defense of limited government so that individuals may be free to pursue their own self-interests, which he believed ultimately yielded the best results for humanity.

“To give the majority the right to dictate to the minority what it is to think, to read, and to do is to put a stop to progress once and for all,” he wrote in his 1927 book “Liberalism.”

In 1940, Mises fled the threat of Nazism for the United States, becoming a professor of economics at New York University.

Mises continued his strident advocacy for free markets and property rights as not only foundational to civilization, but liberatory mechanisms which allow people all over the world to peacefully interact and enrich each other regardless of their differences.

“The market economy makes peaceful cooperation among people possible in spite of the fact that they disagree with regard to their value judgments,” wrote Mises  in his magnum opus “Human Action,” published in 1949. “In the plans of the socialists there is no room left for dissenting views.”

Having lived through the wars of the 20th century, and fundamentally believing that the cornerstone of human prosperity is peaceful social interaction, Mises also wrote stridently against war and nationalism.

War, he argued, was a consequence of letting governments grow beyond the core functions of protecting life, liberty and property. “Whoever wants peace among nations must seek to limit the state and its influence most strictly,” he argued.

Nationalism, he argued, was predicated on promoting the “well-being of the whole nation or of some groups of its citizens by inflicting harm on foreigners,” particularly in the economic sphere, whether it be by restricting trade, foreign labor or foreign investment.

Accordingly, he was a strong advocate of free trade and freedom of movement.

Mises passed away on Oct. 10, 1973 at the age of 92, leaving a legacy of intellectual contributions worthy of study and respect. Today, at a time of growing government, perpetual war and creeping nationalism on the right, we honor him.