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Some supporters claim that Friedrich Hayek was more accepting of some aspects of the welfare state than is generally believed. Is that a way to sugarcoat his central laissez-faire message? The authors say there is no disguising his belief that the contemporary welfare state will lead to serfdom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the views of Bruce Caldwell, general editor of the book "Collected Works," on the book "The Road to Serfdom," written by F.A. Hayek. According to Caldwell, Hayek has shown his temper against wholesale command planning in the book. Caldwell believes that Hayek has emphasized on nationalization at the beginning point of the book. He also reflects on the topic of mixed economy which has been included in the book.

As FOXNews talk show host Glenn Beck and others champion Friedrich von Hayek's The Road to Serfdom, its sales have soared. Hayek warned that even a moderate social safety net would lead to a totalitarian government. It did not happen. But this does not deter his avid supporters. The authors follow up on their article on the subject in the previous issue of Challenge to identify how misplaced the fear invoked by Beck and others is-and how wrong Hayek was. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors reflect on the relevance of the book "The Road to Serfdom," by Friedrich von Hayek to the social policies of President Barack Obama in the U.S. The authors noted that between May 2007 and Obama's election victory in November 2008, sales of Hayek's book has quadrupled. Commentators observed that the contemporary welfare state has become a way station on a journey that is sped up by the so-called leftist machinations of the Obama administration, which is similar to "The Road to Serfdom." The authors highlighted the debate between economists Jeffrey Sachs and William Easterly on whether Hayek's views are intended for a full-blown command planning or for the welfare state.