Theory and History: An Interpretation of Social and Economic Evolution (LF ed.)
- Ludwig von Mises (author)
- Bettina Bien Greaves (editor)
Theory and History is primarily a critique of Karl Marx, his materialism, and his prediction of the inevitability of socialism. This book discusses the theory of economics, i.e., the study of purposive human action, and with history, the record of the past actions of individuals. History looks backward into the past, but the lesson it teaches concerns things to come. It opens the mind to an understanding of human nature, increases wisdom, and distinguishes civilized man from the barbarian.
Related People
Critical Responses
Book
The Poverty of HistoricismKarl Popper
Popper rejects historicism and Mises’s apriorism, arguing instead for falsifiability and conjectural knowledge. While Popper opposed Marxist historicism (as Mises did), he sharply criticized Mises’s claim that economic laws are a priori and non-empirical.
Book
The Market as an Economic ProcessLudwig Lachmann
A friendly but deep internal critique., Lachmann argues Mises underestimates radical uncertainty, subjectivism, and interpretation in history. He suggests Theory and History is too rigid in its conception of meaning and coordination.
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