Ludwig von Mises e l’azione umana come piano senza storia

The theoretical trajectory of Ludwig von Mises goes from human action to what he calls “planning for freedom”. Starting from a political definition of plan-based thought, and explaining why Mises’ work is an essential part of its history, the essay analyzes four main concepts i.e. individual, human action, government planning and market planning, discussing the role of history in Mises’ theory of social cooperation and economic calculation. The definition of human action as individual planning, the conception of the market as a social body and the centrality of social cooperation lead Mises to a redefinition of the concept of planning that while revealing political contradictions, opens new questions and insights to think the nowadays reappraisal of plan-based thought.