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About this quote

What does it mean?
Hayek claims moral decisions are made by which groups survive rather than by individual wisdom.
In plain terms
Right and wrong are decided by which groups last longest, not by smart people.
What can you take from it?
Survival of groups often determines accepted moral norms.

Where it applies

  • societal change
  • cultural evolution
  • ideological conflict

Putting it to work

  • analyze group survival
  • track norm shifts

Questions to consider

  • How do norms really change?
  • Does survival equal right?

Another view

Individual reason can still guide moral progress.

More from Friedrich Hayek

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  3. The power which a multiple millionaire, who may be my neighbour and perhaps my employer, has over me is very much less that which the smallest functionaire pos…

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