Most Popular Books by Henry Hazlitt

Over a million copies sold! A fundamental influence on modern libertarianism, this classic guide to the basics of economic theory defends capitalism and the free market from economic myths that persist to this day. “A magnificent job of theoretical exposition.”—Ayn Rand Considered among the leading economic thinkers of the “Austrian School,” which includes Carl Menger, Ludwig von Mises, Friedrich (F.A.) Hayek, and others, Henry Hazlitt wrote Economics in One Lesson in 1946. Concise and instructive, it is also deceptively prescient and far-reaching in its efforts to dissemble economic fallacies that are so prevalent they have almost become a new orthodoxy. Economic commentators across the political spectrum have credited Hazlitt with foreseeing the collapse of the global economy which occurred more than fifty years after the initial publication of Economics in One Lesson. Hazlitt’s focus on non-governmental solutions, strong—and strongly reasoned—anti-deficit position, and general emphasis on free markets, economic liberty of individuals, and the dangers of government intervention make Economics in One Lesson every bit as relevant and valuable today as it has been since publication.

2016 Reprint of 1959 Edition. Full facsimile of the original edition, not reproduced with Optical Recognition Software. Henry Hazlitt did the seemingly impossible, something that was and is a magnificent service to all people everywhere. He wrote a line-by-line commentary and refutation of what he considered to be one of the most destructive, fallacious, and convoluted books of the century. The target here is John Maynard Keynes''s "General Theory," the book that appeared in 1936 and swept all before it. In economic science, Keynes changed everything. He supposedly demonstrated that prices don''t work, that private investment is unstable, that sound money is intolerable, and that government was needed to shore up the system and save it. It was simply astonishing how economists the world over put up with this, but it happened. He converted a whole generation in the late period of the Great Depression. By the 1950s, almost everyone was Keynesian. But Hazlitt, the nation''s economics teacher, would have none of it. And he did the hard work of actually going through the book to evaluate its logic according to Austrian-style logical reasoning. The result: a nearly 500-page masterpiece of exposition.

Henry Hazlitt had left the New York Times in an ideological disagreement over post-war economic policy. Once he left, he was free to speak his mind on the important issues of the day, among which the Marshall Plan. This is his blockbuster argument against the idea of putting post-war Europe on the US dole. He made the case that aid would forestall rather than generate economic recovery. This is the first time this historic and still-powerful book has been available since its publication in 1947.

« Thinking as a Science » by Henry Hazlitt is a timeless guide to the art and discipline of critical thinking, offering readers practical tools to sharpen logic and enhance intellectual development. Written in clear and accessible prose, this classic non-fiction work explores the habits and methods that underlie effective reasoning, encouraging readers to approach thought as a skill that can be cultivated and refined. Hazlitt begins by dissecting common obstacles to sound reasoning, such as prejudice, confusion, and intellectual laziness. He then presents a systematic approach to improving mental discipline, emphasizing the importance of clarity, precision, and objectivity in every aspect of thought. Drawing on examples from philosophy, science, and everyday life, Hazlitt demonstrates how anyone can apply logical principles to solve problems, make better decisions, and avoid common pitfalls in argumentation. The book delves into the value of skepticism and open-mindedness, urging readers to question assumptions and seek evidence before forming conclusions. Hazlitt also addresses the role of reading, study, and conversation in expanding one''s intellectual horizons, providing practical advice for lifelong self-improvement. Throughout, his tone remains encouraging and pragmatic, making complex ideas accessible to both students and general readers. « Thinking as a Science » stands out for its blend of theoretical insight and actionable guidance, making it an essential resource for anyone seeking to master the art of reasoning. Whether you are a student, professional, or lifelong learner, this book offers a roadmap to intellectual growth and mental clarity, reinforcing the enduring value of critical thinking in every area of life.

This is a new release of the original 1960 edition.

LARGE PRINT EDITION! More at LargePrintLiberty.com. Henry Hazlitt confronted the rise of Keynesianism in his day and put together an intellectual arsenal: the most brilliant economists of the time showing what is wrong with the system, in great detail with great rigor. With excerpts from books and articles published between the 30s and 50s, it remains the most powerful anti-Keynesian collection ever assembled.

Long before Charles Murray took on the topic, Henry Hazlitt wrote an outstanding book on poverty that not only provided an empirical examination of the problem but also presented a rigorous theory for understanding the relationship between poverty and income growth. He examines poverty in the ancient world, the poor laws of England, the advance of the middle class in the United States, the failure of welfare programs, the fallacies associated with income redistribution, and the relationship between population and poverty. Its 20 chapters are outstanding essays that make for a well-integrated text on the topic, one which holds up as prophetic in every way, having foreshadowing welfare reform but also pointing the way toward even more radical reforms. The way out of poverty, he explains, is freedom, and freedom alone. 240 pages plus index.

When Henry Hazlitt published this exceedingly rare book, he was finishing up a three-year position at The Nation as literary critic, and preparing to accept the position as H.L. Mencken''s successor at American Mercury. He was struggling with integrating his two main interests: literary criticism and economics. In economics, value is subjective, whereas the key goal in literary criticism is the discovery of something approximating objective value. The text of this book reflects that struggle in the form of a trialogue. Hazlitt has his characters debate the question of literary value, and pushes forward the proposition that the value of literature is discerned and revealed through the operation of the "social mind." So he ends up rejecting relativism while avoiding mistakes in economic theory. A fascinating study, brilliantly conceived and rendered by a master. As an extra bonus here, Hazlitt offers a postscript on the rise of Marxism in literary criticism. He shows how preposterous it is for Marxism to reject the main corpus of Western litertaure as hopelessly bourgeois, even while Marx himself read all the great works in his leisure. This is a highly significant essay becuase it was probably the first attack on Marxist literary deconstructionism ever written!

Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made available for future generations to enjoy.

Here is a splendid novel by Henry Hazlitt, first published in 1951 and revised in 1966. The plot line explores the economic theories of capitalism and socialism. It begins in a fully socialist society in which the new leader, who finds himself in that position only by accident, begins to rethink the economic basis of the system. He first begins to wonder whether the economy is doing well at all, and how they might discover this. This sets the leadership on a path to thinking about prices and calculation, and the very meaning of productivity. Trading is introduced when the leadership can''t see anything wrong with the idea of trading rationing tickets, and shortly markets appear, and everyone seems to be better off as a result. So on it continues. Slowly, piece by piece, he dismantles central planning and replaces it with a market system. All the while, the characters engaged in a Socratic-style discussion about the implications of money, exchange, ownership, markets, entrepreneurship, and more. Hazlitt was well equipped to be a fiction writer. He was literary editor of The Nation for 3 years and the successor to H.L. Mencken at the American Mercury. This novel is an excellent introduction to the problems of economic systems, and can be a great benefit to young people who are curious about the meaning of economic analysis. It is, in fact, suitable for all ages. The Mises Institute is very pleased to sponsor this reprint.

Way to Will-Power By Henry Hazlitt Contents I--A Revelation II--The Intellect as a Valet III--The Price One Pays IV--Old Bottles for the New Wine V--Resolutions Made and Resolutions Kept VI--Success and the Capital "S" VII--The Scale of Values VIII--Controlling One''s Thoughts IX--The Omnipresence of Habit X--The Alteration of Habit XI--Will and the Psychoanalysts XII--Concentration XIII--A Program of Work XIV--The Daily Challenge XV--Second and Third Winds XVI--Moral Courage Excerpt YOU have seen the advertisements. The lion and the man are facing each other; the man upstanding, hands clenched, his look defiant and terrible; the lion crouching. Who will win? The man, without doubt. He has what the beast lacks, Will-Power. And at the bottom of the page is the triangular clipping which you cut out and send for the book on how to acquire it. Or perhaps the advertisement promises you a $10,000 a year position. Nothing less than $10,000 a year seems capable of attracting the present-day reader of twenty-cent magazines. And those positions, one learns, are reserved for the men of Will-Power (not forgetting the capitals). The advertisements betray bizarre ideas about the will and will-power. Any one who has the remotest notion of psychology might be led from them to suspect the advertised course. But the advertisements reflect not alone the advertiser''s ideas, but the ideas of the plain man. they are written to catch the plain man''s eye, and they do catch his eye, else how account for their persistence, their enlargement, and their multiplication, notwithstanding the notorious expensiveness of advertising? Now I am about to reveal a profound secret about the will. The revelation will cause a good deal of shock and disappointment and a bedlam of protest. However, I derive courage to meet the protest because I have an imposing body of psychologic opinion behind me. I have behind me most of the reputable pscyhologic opinion since Herbert Spencer. And so here it is: The will does not exist. I repeat it, lest you fancy there has been a misprint. There is no such thing as the will. Nor such a thing as will-power. These are merely convenient words. Now when a man denies the existence of the will he is on dangerous ground. It is as if he were to deny the existence of the tomato. Yet I do... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Windham Press is committed to bringing the lost cultural heritage of ages past into the 21st century through high-quality reproductions of original, classic printed works at affordable prices. This book has been carefully crafted to utilize the original images of antique books rather than error-prone OCR text. This also preserves the work of the original typesetters of these classics, unknown craftsmen who laid out the text, often by hand, of each and every page you will read. Their subtle art involving judgment and interaction with the text is in many ways superior and more human than the mechanical methods utilized today, and gave each book a unique, hand-crafted feel in its text that connected the reader organically to the art of bindery and book-making. We think these benefits are worth the occasional imperfection resulting from the age of these books at the time of scanning, and their vintage feel provides a connection to the past that goes beyond the mere words of the text.