New York: Appleton, 1951. First Edition, First Printing. Hardcover. Very good in good or better dust jacket with moderate shelf wear, internal stains, and tears, including snag tear at center rear panel, where there is also a small wedge piece missing. Item #10194

In Henry Hazlitt's 1951 dystopian novel, The Great Idea, later reissued as Time Will Run Back, the narrative is set in the year 282 of the "Year of Our Marx," equivalent to the year 2100 in the former capitalist world. The story unfolds in Moscow, the capital of a Communist state called Wonworld. Here, life is regimented, speech is suppressed, and even thoughts are controlled. The tale follows Peter Uldanov, the son of Wonworld's dictator, Stalenin, who is being groomed to succeed his father. Taught by Bolshekov, Stalenin's second-in-command, Peter learns about the expedient nature of truth in their regime and the ruthless strategies that have kept the Communist state in power. However, as Peter delves deeper, he discovers the inherent flaws of a centrally-planned socialist dystopia. Amid the ensuing chaos, he realizes the essential need for market pricing, private ownership, and competitive markets. The novel serves as a critique of Communism, arguing for the moral and economic strengths of democratic capitalism.