Friedrich Hayek (1899-1992) was an influential Austrian-British economist and philosopher known for his work on the theory of economics and political philosophy. He won the Nobel Prize in Economics in 1974 for his pioneering work in the theory of money and economic fluctuations. Hayek's most famous book, "The Road to Serfdom," warned against the dangers of centralized planning and advocated for free market principles. He is considered one of the leading figures of the Austrian School of Economics and a key proponent of classical liberalism.