Human Action

Mises was often referred to as the “godfather of Austrian Economics” for his voluminous contributions to economic science. This book is his most well-known and hefty treatise. 

Mises expertly walks the reader through his explanation of economics being a branch of praxeology, the study of the implications of human action. With a passionate writing style, Mises pulls no punches on his critics while providing the reader with a graduate-level economic education without the often-confusing technical jargon academic courses often impose on students.

Mises uses explanatory language rather than mathematical equations and graphs to make his points. The book is not… show more.

Human Action is Ludwig von Mises's magnum opus.

It is the best Treatise on Economics ever written. It is systematic, complete, and concise. I have read Human Action in three languages, German, English, and Spanish. While the beginning may be rough, the effort is worth it. Every responsible citizen should read it.

Any responsible citizen should know how the economy works, because if he does not know he may be fooled by politicians that promise impossible things. So how can you vote as a responsible citizen on policies if you do not know the consequences of these policies?

This is the most rewarding book in economics—maybe in all of social science—if you’re willing to be patient and attentive (no math, statistical equations, or even graphs, but this is not light reading). Human Action’s treatment of economics is comprehensive, tackling questions from the philosophical—What, for example, is the nature of economic laws?—to the practical—What do those laws mean for, say, regulating the price of milk? A true tour de force, this book changed how I think about the world, and it might do the same for you. Just remember what I said about patience and attentiveness!