The German economists of the Ordoliberal School, which was formed at Freiburg University, developed the first comprehensive European theory of competitive order and its regulation. The aim of this article is to analyse the opinion of Walter Eucken, founder of the School of Ordoliberalism, on competition.
His views on competition and its legal regulation will be compared with the ideas of F. A.
Hayek. A world-famous economist, Hayek drew mainly from the Austrian School tradition, but later in his life he became connected to Ordoliberal economists, influencing their thoughts on competition and being influenced by their ideas.
Hayek sketched some ideas on the regulatory framework of liberal social order in some aspects and tone similar to ordoliberal thought in his essay "Free" Enterprise and Competitive Order (1947). Hayek was appointed a chair at Freiburg University in 1962.