Ludwig von Mises’ Liberal Social Theory: An Evaluation

Ludwig von Mises has enjoyed a mixed and contested political reception. Part of the confusion surrounding this reception can be attributed to the fact that very little scholarship has been done on his social theory, in contrast to his economics, where there is no doubt about where he stands: second generation Austrian School. This article seeks to explicate Mises social theory, paying particular attention to the way that it is firmly grounded in the concept of the division of labour, contending that the mutual dependency and prosperity brought about by the intensification of the division of labour, creates social cohesion and ultimately peace. It ends with the provocative question of whether the division of labour is actually the final and only glue holding the societies of Western liberal democracies together in the midst of extreme diversity, religious, political, ethnic and linguistic.

Jonathan Cole is an academic who works in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. He is also host of The Political Animals Podcast in which he explores the political ideas of the Right through intellectual biography.

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