Human Action

A Treatise on Economics

Ludwig Von Mises

Book Reviews

One of the four books that taught Charles Koch "how the world works.”

Michael Saylor recommended Human Action on his Bitcoin website, Hope.com

Book Synopsis

Human Action, written by Ludwig Von Mises, explores the fundamental principles of economics and human decision-making. With remarkable clarity and comprehensive analysis, Mises examines the relationship between human action, individual choices, and the functioning of a market economy.

Using the praxeological method, Mises argues that all human action is purposeful and aims at achieving desired ends. He delves into the concept of subjective value, emphasizing the role of individuals in determining the value of goods and services. Mises also investigates the impact of incentives, entrepreneurship, and innovation on economic development.

Throughout the book, Mises meticulously dissects key economic concepts such as money, inflation, interest rates, and the business cycle. He exposes the flaws in various economic theories and highlights the importance of allowing the free market to thrive without government intervention.

Mises warns against the dangers of socialism, pointing out the inherent flaws in centralized planning and the destruction it brings to individual freedom and prosperity. He argues that economic planning must not ignore the realities of human action and the market's ability to coordinate complex interactions.

Human Action is a tour de force in economics, providing a foundational understanding of how individual choices shape the world we live in. Mises' rigorous analysis, sharp insights, and commitment to liberty make this work a seminal contribution to the field.

Explore More Books

See All
Blueprint
The God Proof
The Player of Games
Planetary
The Sum of Us
These Truths
The New Economics
Dictionary of Untranslatables
The Unincorporated Man
Competition Demystified
Markings
Letters of Note
Moby Dick
The Humane Economy
The Rise and Fall of the British Empire
Awareness
Happiness
The Works
High
Drawing Life
The Giving Tree
Powernomics
Secret Sauce
The Moment of Lift
The Jungle
The Virgin Suicides
Night Sky with Exit Wounds
Poor Numbers
How To Buy Stocks
Memoirs
Bobby Kennedy
The Principia
How Innovation Works
The Great Mental Models
In Search of Lost Time
Fall of Constantinople
A History of the World in Seven Cheap Things
The Art of Spirited Away
March
Mortal Republic
The Psychology of Achievement
Trading Bases
Benjamin Franklin
The Obstacle Is the Way
Death Rattle
Daemon
Structures
The Minefield Girl
Million Dollar Weekend
Flowers for Algernon
Vagabonding
Orwell's Revenge
Black Edge
The Inner Lives of Markets
A Story Lately Told
Surely You're Joking Mr. Feynman
The Power of Full Engagement
More Money Than God
The Lord of the Rings
Monetizing Innovation
The Light Of Other Days
The Bully Pulpit
The Professor in the Cage
Meditations
High Output Management
The Story of Design
The DevOps Handbook
The Great Rupture
Whole Earth Discipline
When Genius Failed
The Clash of the Cultures
The Master Switch
That's What She Said
The Kelly Capital Growth Investment Criterion
Dreamland
The Promise of a Pencil
Use of Weapons
Makers
In Defense of Food
Principles of Economics
The Amateur
Happy Money
Liftoff
The Macintosh Way
Competing Against Luck
Start-up Nation
Gridiron Genius
No Two Alike
War
A Short Guide to a Happy Life
The Upanishads
Home Game
Astrophysics for People In a Hurry
Out of Mao's Shadow
A Pattern Language
The Oxford History of Britain
The Demon Under The Microscope
Thank God for Bitcoin
There Must Be A Pony In Here Somewhere
Behind the Cloud