The ordoliberals bundled their normative concepts in the idea of a Wirtschaftsverfassung, that is, an organization of market economy under constitutional law. The idea of a kombinierte Wirtschaftverfassung was developed under the influence of Nazi Germany and referred to a combination of two Lenkungsprinzipien (“governing principles”) within the scope of this economic system: on the one hand, indirect governing via competition, and on the other hand—where required—direct governing by the state. This proposal was devised by early ordoliberals and marks a compromise, taking into consideration the National Socialist primacy of politics without dispensing with an economic system dominated by competition.

Philip Mirowski & Dieter Plehwe (eds.), The Road from Mont Pèlerin, loc. 585