Austendo Introduction

Q: What is the major problem faced by those who seek to create National Socialism?

A: Hayek's main idea thus far is that America has the potential to follow in Nazi Germany's footsteps. He states, "[One] can hardly fail to see that there is more than a superficial similarity between the trend of thought in Germany during and after the last war and the present current of ideas in the democracies." (p. 4) America, then, acts according to the same state of ideas as Germany: to move towards a National Socialism. Hayek perceives this to be "a problem of most momentous significance." The problem is that without the knowledge of the results of our actions, "[That] in our endeavor to shape our future in accordance with high ideals, we should in fact unwittingly produce the very opposite of what we have been striving for[.]" (p. 7) Without knowledge of the consequences, or knowing what we are truly bringing about, we may end up 'preparing the way for, if not actually creating, the forces which stand for everything we detest.' (pp. 5-6)