Freedom for Capital, Not People

The Mont Pèlerin Society and the Origins of the Neoliberal Monetary Order

Translated by Joshua Rahtz
Ebook
On sale Jun 24, 2025 | 240 Pages | 9781804293768

See Additional Formats
The definitive history of neoliberal monetary thought

Based on new archival sources, Freedom for Capital, Not People tells the story of how the Mont Pèlerin Society transformed the world economy. Founded in 1947 by economist Friedrich von Hayek, by the turn of the 1970s the society commanded influence at the highest levels of international monetary policy – with debates sparked by Hayek, Milton Friedman and Ludwig von Mises emigrating from the seminar room to the halls of power. The group’s collective agenda, the result of years of fierce argument and shrewd political strategising, would dominate the next half century of global capitalism.
Matthias Schmelzer is an economic historian and social theorist based in Berlin. He is the author of the award-winning The Hegemony of Growth: The OECD and the Making of the Growth Paradigm and co-author of The Future Is Degrowth: A Guide to a World beyond Capitalism.

About

The definitive history of neoliberal monetary thought

Based on new archival sources, Freedom for Capital, Not People tells the story of how the Mont Pèlerin Society transformed the world economy. Founded in 1947 by economist Friedrich von Hayek, by the turn of the 1970s the society commanded influence at the highest levels of international monetary policy – with debates sparked by Hayek, Milton Friedman and Ludwig von Mises emigrating from the seminar room to the halls of power. The group’s collective agenda, the result of years of fierce argument and shrewd political strategising, would dominate the next half century of global capitalism.

Author

Matthias Schmelzer is an economic historian and social theorist based in Berlin. He is the author of the award-winning The Hegemony of Growth: The OECD and the Making of the Growth Paradigm and co-author of The Future Is Degrowth: A Guide to a World beyond Capitalism.

Books for National Depression Education and Awareness Month

For National Depression Education and Awareness Month in October, we are sharing a collection of titles that educates and informs on depression, including personal stories from those who have experienced depression and topics that range from causes and symptoms of depression to how to develop coping mechanisms to battle depression.

Read more

Horror Titles for the Halloween Season

In celebration of the Halloween season, we are sharing horror books that are aligned with the themes of the holiday: the sometimes unknown and scary creatures and witches. From classic ghost stories and popular novels that are celebrated today, in literature courses and beyond, to contemporary stories about the monsters that hide in the dark, our list

Read more

Books for LGBTQIA+ History Month

For LGBTQIA+ History Month in October, we’re celebrating the shared history of individuals within the community and the importance of the activists who have fought for their rights and the rights of others. We acknowledge the varying and diverse experiences within the LGBTQIA+ community that have shaped history and have led the way for those

Read more