Father Robert Sirico is an American Roman Catholic priest who co-founded the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty of Grand Rapids to promote freedom and religious ideology. He visited Hong Kong several years ago and Jimmy Lai and I went to pick him up from the airport. On the way into town, the conversation touched on Friedrich Hayek, a well-known political economist who had a tremendous influence on how people in capitalist societies understand the concept of liberty. Father Sirico drew up a question, “What is written on the first page of ‘The Road to Serfdom’?” Both Jimmy and I rushed to answer, “To the socialists in all parties.” Different political parties have different philosophies, but how can they all be socialists? What did Hayek mean by dedicating this perennial bestseller in the U.S. on political economy to those “undercover agents”?

As we all know, Jimmy was a garment factory owner so is familiar with the operation of the market. His comprehensive understanding of the concept of the market economy began with “The Road to Serfdom.” Hayek’s native language was German, and although his work in English had been edited and embellished, the syntax does not lose its German nature and the structure is complex and dense, which definitely is not easy to chew. One cannot imagine how much effort it took for Jimmy to understand “The Road to Serfdom,” and indeed he did.

How did he learn how to read it? Before there were smartphones, Jimmy had several kilograms of Merriam-Webster’s American dictionaries next to his desk in addition to several English to Chinese and Chinese dictionaries on his desk. How many factory men are like that? Not many, right? Even for those who admire Hayek, how many businessmen are willing to go through the trouble of digging into his works? At the end of the day, it comes down to personal preference. Jimmy said that he has never handled half a mahjong tile or sang half a verse at karaoke, but he has learned to read Hayek purely because of his dedicated perseverance.

Anyone who has ever attended a meeting with Jimmy Lai knows that he sees running a business as a solution to problems, and the way to tackle them is simply to try things out. You cannot figure out what your customers like by working behind closed doors. The market is enormous. Taking a step forward is like throwing a stone into a dark road, but its echo can at least guide you by letting you know whether it landed on land or in water. By taking one step at a time, you will eventually find your way. If you are not a true devoted Hayek supporter, how can you be reverent to the hustling and bustling, profit-making, and unpredictable market and remain open-minded?

In Hayek’s words, human beings have long been unable to provide for themselves and have to trade with what they have for what they do not have, and things have been complicated ever since. The broader the market, the more specialized production will be, the more complex and elaborate the division of labor, and the more complicated in terms of resource allocation, forming an infinite black hole of knowledge. As simple as a pencil, no one can fully grasp its technical details, production process, distribution channels, but through market trading and price fluctuations, resources can be controlled smoothly and seamlessly. Jimmy is always talking about “humility” which may seem at odds with his bold style of action. However, compared to the black hole market referenced by Hayek, the knowledge that each person can acquire is indeed pathetically minimal. In addition to bending over backwards to be a willing ox, and being humble and respectful in an attempt to explore, what other ways are there to gain a foothold in the market?

Hayek pointed out that no matter how noble the intentions of socialists are, they despise the profit-oriented rules of the market. Once a person has power in his or her hands, he or she will interfere with the freedom to buy and sell, forcibly transforming humanity and restructuring the world according to his or her ideals. Interfering with market operations will result in the distortion of prices and the disorganization of information on resource allocation. It is also inevitable that the right to own, enjoy, and buy and sell resources will be infringed upon, that is, freedom will be violated and therefore leading to the road to serfdom. The extreme intervention is the total elimination of private property rights. Everyone will have to obey the command of those in power and become slaves who are completely deprived of their freedom and whose humanity is distorted. “The Road to Serfdom” was written with the intention to warn the world of the horrific consequences of active intervention.

British Hong Kong did not intervene actively, not to avoid responsibility and do nothing. Power was not used because they dared not intervene lightly with their limited knowledge of the market operation, so as not to jeopardize the livelihood of the people. The British administration was humble, and those in power were always regulated by the legal system. Everyone always had rules to follow, transaction costs were greatly reduced, the market flourished, society became a vibrant “spontaneous order,” and every family lived in peace and happiness. Like the people of Hong Kong who have lived through that era, Jimmy is grateful for the freedom under the rule of law and for the vibrancy of hope offered by freedom.

There are three bronze statues in the lobby of the Next Media office building that symbolize Jimmy Lai’s aspirations. In January 2006, Sir John Cowperthwaite, the architect of it all as Chris Patten called him, passed away. Jimmy dedicated a statue to him, not as a personal tribute, but as a tribute to the man at the helm of the economy who humbly gave way to the miracle of Hong Kong. In November of the same year, Milton Friedman, a great economist who revered Sir Cowperthwaitefor for his experience in the prosperity of Hong Kong passed away. Jimmy, who had been friends with Friedman for many years and was a disciple of Friedman, had erected a statue to commemorate his death. Hayek, who passed away in 1992, did not know Sir Cowperthwaite but was a great admirer of Friedman. Thus, Jimmy had another statue erected in honor of his liberal thinking inspirational teacher. This corner is the only place in the world where these three wise men can gather together.

Jimmy Lai chose this line from Hayek’s 1974 Nobel Prize speech to put under his statue. “The recognition of the insuperable limits to his knowledge ought indeed to teach the student of society a lesson of humility which should guard him against becoming an accomplice in men’s fatal striving to control society – a striving which makes him not only a tyrant over his fellows, but which may well make him the destroyer of a civilization which no brain has designed but which has grown from the free efforts of millions of individuals.” The current situation validates Hayek’s wisdom and portrays the challenges faced by Jimmy in his pursuit of freedom.

Both Friedrich Hayek and Jimmy Lai are Catholics. Throughout his life, Hayek believed that God was much more than an anthropomorphic image. Jimmy has always been a humble witness to the glory of the Lord.

Epilogue:

On Christmas Eve, Jimmy Lai returned home from the Stanley prison, bringing a sense of joy to many people.

Click here for Chinese version

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