The Powerful Message of Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged Essay

The Powerful Message of Ayn Rand’s Atlas Shrugged Capitalism, according to John Galt, is mutual trade to mutual advantage, (Rand Atlas Shrugged 989) or as Adam Smith put it: [trade] by mutual consent and to mutual advantage. In true capitalism, the economy is strictly separated from the state, just as there is a separation between church and state in the USA. This basic tenet of capitalism describes the only economic system that can be morally justifiable. Communism, fascism, socialism, dictatorships and regulated capitalism are all systems that breach upon an individuals basic rights, while capitalism respects and recognizes a mans right to control the product of his mind. In her philosophical treatise Atlas†¦show more content†¦By utilizing hard-working and honest heroes and heroines such as Hank Rearden and Dagny Taggart, Ayn Rand presents what really happens to the victims of the needy. In essence, capitalism is the only economic system that is compatible with individual freedom. In every other form of economy, a person is, in one way or another, a slave to the non-entity known as the public good. In the anti-capitalist society of Atlas Shrugged, the Hank Reardens and the Dagny Taggarts of the world are constantly at the mercy of the governments whims and fancies because, whenever it deems that the public good is threatened, the government can justify any action towards them. Points one and two of Directive 10-289 - where workers must stay where they work and businesses must stay in operation - clearly illustrate how an anti-capitalist economy can literally enslave its people In the name of general welfare (Rand Atlas Shrugged 505). The right to life is the most important freedom an individual can have, and capitalism is the only system that is consistent with this right. Since man has to sustain his life by his own effort, the man who has no right to the product of his effort has no means to sustain his life (Rand Mans Rights 288). This necessarily leads to the notion of the absolute right to private property, the bedrock upon which the moral and practical foundations of the capitalist system rest. ByShow MoreRelatedWar Is Peace, Freedom Is Slavery, Ignorance Is Strength2328 Words   |  10 PagesFrom the most liberal democracy to the most crushing dictatorship, governments have all faced some shortcomings. Because of the faults inherent in all governments, various types of governance have been the topic for many authors. The late novelist Ayn Rand wrote many books on the trouble that a socialist government could bring and espoused the virtue of individualism. She felt that by allowing government to l imit our individual freedoms, we were sentencing ourselves to a certain death. She wroteRead MoreProfessional Ethics10396 Words   |  42 PagesJournal of Accounting, Ethics Public Policy  Ã‚   Volume 3, Number 1 (Winter 2003), pp. 1†26 Ayn Rand and Contemporary Business Ethics   Ã‚   Stephen R. C. Hicks Introduction: business and the free society Advocates of the free society think of business as an integral part of the dynamic, progressive society they advocate. In the West, the rise of a culture hospitable to business has unleashed incalculable productive energies. Business professionals have taken the products of science and revolutionizedRead MoreImportance of Ethics in Business as an Academic Discipline8970 Words   |  36 Pagesthe American Corporate Counsel Association, â€Å"†¦the two groups overwhelmingly agree that the single measure that would most improve corporate governance is the establishment by senior management of an ethical business culture.† And, â€Å"Another clear message of the survey is that ethical leadership from the top is the key to reducing corporate malfeasance.† Considering the ethical failures in the last several years and the resulting crisis in confidence, a sincere commitment to creating and sustaining