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Friedrich Hayek's Theory of Spontaneous Order: Two Problems

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Abstract

The paper finds Hayek's basic building block, the natural/artificialcontrast, to be illuminating. But the manner in which Hayek classifiesentities according to the contrast generates two major problemsin his socio-economic theory. First, Hayek's concept “design”confuses the technical construction of, e.g., a chair with thedeliberate organization of division of labor within the firm.Second, Hayek's notion “spontaneous order” fails to note twokinds of natural order — firms and markets.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mansfield Campus, Ohio State University, Mansfield, OH, 44906, USA

    Elias L. Khalil

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Khalil, E.L. Friedrich Hayek's Theory of Spontaneous Order: Two Problems. Constitutional Political Economy 8, 301–317 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1009081431041

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