عنوان

The moral dimension of Hayek's political theory.

Number

TLets390829

Title Proper

The moral dimension of Hayek's political theory.

General Material Designation

[Thesis]

First Statement of Responsibility

Papaioannou, Theodoros.

Name of Publisher, Distributor, etc.

University of Sussex

Date of Publication, Distribution, etc.

2001

Dissertation or thesis details and type of degree

Ph.D.

Body granting the degree

University of Sussex

Text preceding or following the note

2001

Text of Note

This thesis provides an 'immanent' critique of the moral dimension of Hayek'spolitical theory.The concept of morality that Hayek advances is epistemologically founded.That concept is concerned with the recognition and respect of the natural limits ofhuman knowledge and is incompatible with the idea of objective value judgement.The moral dimension of Hayek's theory is based on the methodologicalimplications of his epistemologically founded concept of morality. That dimensionconsists of the ideas of social spontaneity and cultural evolution and is incompatiblewith any concept of objective liberal values. The moral dimension of Hayek's theoryexcludes but also requires substantive politics.The moral exclusion of substantive politics' undermines freedom and equalityin catallaxy while, at the same time, it relativises commutative justice and legitimatesthe minimal state only from the point of view of its legality. Substantive politics ismorally required for preserving and promoting institutions such as catallaxy andcommutative justice in terms of liberalism.It is argued that the moral exclusion of substantive politics is due to theepistemological premises of Hayek's theory. Those premises form the praxeologicalpresuppositions of social spontaneity and cultural evolution. In terms of them,substantive politics cannot be morally explained. Substantive politics is grounded ona normative/evaluative conception of a social good. That conception depends oncritical reason in terms of which objective liberal values can be "recognised andrespected. The moral requirement of substantive politics is due to the fact that theprocess of social spontaneity and cultural evolution cannot by itself be safeguardedagainst coercion, inequality and injustice.

Cultural evolution; Market order; Substantive politics

Papaioannou, Theodoros.

University of Sussex

Electronic name

p

[Thesis]

276903

a

Y