The Life, Times, and Work of Ludwig von Mises

This 1912 book is Mises’ first great theory. Mises agreed with Menger about the spontaneous emergence of money. No government is needed. Mises used a logical proof called the regression theory. It explained why money is demanded in its own right.

Mises’ socialist calculation argument reshaped the debate about socialism. It was not true that socialism could work and could use the same techniques as capitalism. The book Socialism had a decisive impact on Hayek and other rising economists.

Mises left Vienna for six years in Geneva, 1934 – 1940, to write his treatise and leave behind the Austrian branch of the Nazi Party. In Geneva, Mises held the Chair for International Relations.

Arriving in New York in 1940, Mises found many friends from Geneva there, but no income or assets at the age of 59. Mises began writing in English. During this time, Leonard Read created FEE – the Foundation for Economic Education- which later on turned into a forum for Austrian economics.