Conference in Berlin:
80 years of “The Road to Serfdom”

March 19, 2024 at the Hotel de Rome, Berlin

The year 2024 marks the 80th anniversary of the publication of Friedrich August von Hayek's seminal work “The Road to Serfdom”. In this classic work, Hayek warned of the dangers of state control and the restriction of individual freedom, thereby shaping the debate on freedom, the economy and society.

The important conference entitled “80 Years on the Road to Serfdom - How relevant are Friedrich August von Hayek's theses today?” took place in Berlin on March 19, 2024. It brought together outstanding personalities, including German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas. Both emphasized the urgency of freedom in the modern world. Finance Minister Christian Lindner, former German President Horst Köhler and former Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel were also present to discuss the relevance of Hayek's theories.

The focus was on the question of how Hayek's ideas can be reinterpreted in the face of global challenges - from economic order to digital freedom. The event was organized by the Friedrich-August-von-Hayek-Stiftung, Freiburg and created an important forum for exchange on the continuing relevance of Hayek's visions.

Program of the conference

80 years of “The Road to Serfdom - How relevant are Friedrich August von Hayek's theses today?”

Greeting

Jens Weidmann, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Friedrich-August-von-Hayek-Stiftung

Speech

Kaja Kallas, Prime Minister of the Republic of Estonia, winner of the International Prize of the Friedrich-August-von-Hayek-Stiftung 2022

Speech

Olaf Scholz, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany

Discussion

Kaja Kallas and Olaf Scholz
Moderation: Nikolaus Blome, Head of Politics RTL/ntv

Interview

Christian Lindner, Federal Minister of Finance
The questions were asked by Heike Göbel, Member of the Board of Trustees of the Friedrich-August-von-Hayek-Stiftung

Podium discussion

Udo Di Fabio, Member of the Board of Trustees of the Friedrich-August-von-Hayek-Stiftung
Ottmar Edenhofer, Director and Chief Economist of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research
Otmar Issing, Member of the Board of Trustees of the Friedrich-August-von-Hayek-Stiftung
Former Federal Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel, Member of the Board of Trustees of the Friedrich-August-von-Hayek-Stiftung
Moderation: Ulf Poschardt, Editor-in-Chief of WeltN24

Closing Remarks

Jens Weidmann, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Friedrich-August-von-Hayek-Stiftung

Greeting and introduction

Prof. Dr. Jens Weidmann

Jens Weidmann, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Friedrich-August-von-Hayek-Stiftung, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Commerzbank AG and Professor at the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, opened the conference “80 Years on the Road to Serfdom” and paid tribute to the timeless significance of Hayek's work.

In a place steeped in history that stands for both freedom and oppression, he made it clear that the issues of freedom and democracy are more urgent today than ever. He emphasized how important it is to reinterpret Hayek's ideas in our time.

Welcome speech

Maintaining freedom in times of crisis

Speech by Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas

In her speech on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of Friedrich von Hayek's “The Road to Serfdom”, Kaja Kallas, Prime Minister of Estonia, emphasized that Hayek's work was written in a time of war and should be understood as an urgent warning, possibly more relevant today than ever. In view of current challenges such as the polycrisis - from the pandemic to the war in Ukraine - she warned against an increasing dependency mindset and an erosion of liberal principles.

Kallas drew parallels with Hayek's time and emphasized the risks of centralization and excessive state control. She warned that crisis management measures could become permanent, which would endanger freedom and economic progress in the long term. She also highlighted the dangers of populism, polarization and propaganda, which emanate from both right-wing and left-wing movements and threaten liberal democracy. The political and social challenges of today mirror in many ways the problems that Hayek recognized decades ago.

Kallas concluded by stressing the importance of the rule of law, democratic governance and critical thinking as crucial pillars in the defense of freedom. She called for Hayek's ideas not only to be preserved, but to be applied to today's crises in order to strengthen the foundations of democracy.

Read the full speech

Hayek's ideas as a guide for society

Speech by German Chancellor Olaf Scholz

In his speech on the occasion of the publication of “80 Years of the Road to Serfdom” by Friedrich August von Hayek, the German Chancellor Olaf Scholz emphasized the importance of Hayek's work in today's world, which is characterized by numerous crises, and stated that the defense of liberal principles remains of central importance.

He underlined the relevance of openness and immigration to Germany's economic strength, while emphasizing the need to create policy frameworks that allow for the effective management of migration. Scholz spoke about the challenges of bureaucracy and the importance of research and development as drivers for the growth of the German economy.

He also pointed out the risks of populism and social polarization that threaten democracy and called for a balance between economic and social security. In this context, he emphasized the importance of a strong welfare state, which not only provides social security but also contributes to the stability and cohesion of society.

Scholz concluded his speech with a call to strengthen democracy and to apply Hayek's ideas to current challenges in order to ensure a resilient and sustainable society.

Read the full speech