One piece of text from Hayek

[kwshiu]

"That the prime public concern must be directed not towards particular known needs but towards the conditions for the preservation of a spontaneous order which enables the individuals to provide for their needs in manners not known to authority was well under through most of history."

I have difficulties to understand the above sentence, as I don't know what subject the clause "was well under through most of history" refers to. Thanks!

[Excalibur]

"That the prime public concern must be directed not towards particular known needs but towards the conditions for the preservation of a spontaneous order which enables the individuals to provide for their needs in manners not known to authority was well under understood through most of history."

that = the prime public concern..................

==The concept that the prime public concern must be etc.......was well understood through most of history.

What a sentence. Does this author ever take a breath? Has he no respect for his readers, that he doesn't provide 'rest stops' along the journey of his discourse? (called 'commas').

[kwshiu]

I much thanks for the response that helps me understand the text. That kind of sentences are common in the text from Hayek... To understand such sentences is like reading lots of parentheses ((()()())) and matching the open and close parentheses of the sentences. I would often get lost a few lines down the text.

[Excalibur]

Good luck! He wouldn't be one of my favourite authors.