Murray N. Rothbard vs. the Philosophers - Ludwig von Mises Institute

MURRAY N. ROTHBARD VS. THE PHILOSOPHERS: UNPUBLISHED WRITINGS
32 ON HAYEK, MISES, STRAUSS, AND POLYANI
scattering of knowledge among particular situations in time
and place among millions and millions of people. Given this,
liberty becomes a direct consequence of the sharing and
spreading of knowledge, which is a necessary condition for
the unique and limited knowledge of individuals to be used in
the best way. A liberal society in which there is peaceful cooperation
and the division of labor is one that “can make use of
so much more knowledge than the mind of the wisest ruler
could comprehend.” 55 The value of individual liberty
rests chiefly on the recognition of the inevitable
ignorance of all of us concerning a great many of
the factors on which the achievement of our ends
and welfare depends. If there were omniscient
men, if we could know not only all that affects the
attainment of our present wishes but also our
future wants and desires, there would be little
case for liberty. . . . Liberty is essential in order
to leave room for the unforeseeable and unpredictable;
we want it because we have learned to
expect from it the opportunity of realizing many
of our aims. 56
For Rothbard, on the other hand, human ignorance is too
uncertain a basis for liberty. 57 According to the authentic
rationalist theory, we should be able to know what is best
for man and to found absolute values on human nature. 58
Rothbard dismisses the Hayekian premises as an “attack on
man’s reason.” 59 It seems to me, however, that precisely on
55F.A. Hayek, The Constitution of Liberty (Chicago: University of
Chicago Press, 1960), p. 31.
56Ibid., p. 29.
57Rothbard, “Letter on The Constitution of Liberty by F.A.
Hayek”; see p. 71 in this volume.
58Rothbard, “Memo to the Volker Fund on F.A. Hayek’s Constitution
of Liberty”; see p. 61 in this volume.
59Ibid.