Murray N. Rothbard vs. the Philosophers - Ludwig von Mises Institute
Murray N. Rothbard vs. the Philosophers - Ludwig von Mises Institute
Murray N. Rothbard vs. the Philosophers - Ludwig von Mises Institute
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1.<br />
LETTER ON<br />
“RUGGED INDIVIDUALISM” BY GEORGE B. CUTTEN<br />
November 16, 1948<br />
Dr. F.A. Harper<br />
Foundation for Economic Education<br />
Dear Dr. Harper:<br />
I apologize for <strong>the</strong> delay in commenting on Dr. Cutten’s<br />
speech expounding rugged individualism. 1 As a matter of fact,<br />
I was just going to write you a letter on election night, and<br />
tuned in <strong>the</strong> radio expecting to hear <strong>the</strong> returns confirming<br />
<strong>the</strong> expected results in a “dull” election. I need not explain<br />
how my attention was diverted.<br />
Since <strong>the</strong>n, I have been recuperating from and analyzing<br />
<strong>the</strong> results. My forecast on <strong>the</strong> political history of <strong>the</strong> USA in<br />
<strong>the</strong> next few years is briefly this: Truman and Congress will<br />
believe that <strong>the</strong>y now have a mandate for running headlong<br />
down a steep shortcut on <strong>the</strong> old Road to Serfdom. 2 They will<br />
show no hesitation in acting accordingly. The Republicans will<br />
1G.B. Cutten, “Rugged Individualism,” in Vital Speeches of <strong>the</strong> Day<br />
(November 5, 1934). This was a paper given by George Burton Cutten,<br />
president of Colgate University on <strong>the</strong> occasion of a university<br />
meeting, September 20, 1934.<br />
2The “Road to Serfdom” refers to <strong>the</strong> work by F.A. Hayek, The<br />
Road to Serfdom (Chicago: Chicago University Press, 1944).<br />
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