Ayn Rand’s Increasing Relevance
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I find it amazing how quickly an icon can sprout, Justin Bieber and Miley Cyrus in mind. However what I find even more fascinating is how much more relevant a person can be after their time. Take Shakespeare, Kurt Cobain, and Emily Dickinson for some examples. Some are prophets, some are artists, and some are both. I can only figure that some kind of statement must have been made in the works of these people that rang true for the generations after them.
Ayn Rand’s novel ‘Atlas Shrugged’ was recently put into movie form and her works—plays, books, and essays-- have experienced a surge in purchases. You may think that the fad is just no big deal and will die out as soon as the movie is forgotten, however Rand’s works have been on shelves for decades since their publication. Atlas Shrugged was published in 1957 and since, has sold more than six and a half million copies. The rate of sale in recent years hung around 139,000 copies a year but tripled last year. There have been three autobiographies published about Rand in the last two years. While Rand was a great writer, it was her philosophical beliefs and literary messages that have caught on more than ever recently.
"Atlas Shrugged" is usually revered as a tale that illustrates the importance of the free market. Atlas being the Greek Titan who holds the world in its place; ‘shrugging’ as in "I’m tired of carrying you." The author shows the importance of the free market to human creativity. This is something usually lost in the arguments over economic efficiency and productivity. Most conservative or libertarian leaning intellectuals talk about how the free market will increase employment, increase buying power, raise the quality of life, and spur competition between businesses for better products at lower prices. Rand, on the other hand, uses her literary devices to demonstrate that human creativity is inhibited by government intrusion into the market. This is because the law is manipulated to serve the existing corporate giants instead of fairly treating all businesses for the defense of property rights. In the book, businesses seek legislation to put competitors out of business rather than create a better product or service.
But what does all of this mumbo jumbo have to do with modern society? Maybe the fact that entrepreneurs and investors are told that they are only welcome to create jobs if they obey hundreds if not thousands of pointless restrictions—all bound in layers and layers of regulatory legislation. Maybe the fact that little kids are being told that they can’t have a lemonade stand in front of their houses without paying the county $150 for a vendor permit, paying the city $75 for a home-based business license, going before city council to seek that home-based business license where all of the other beverage vendors of the city can come and make arguments against allowing the child to make $.50 a cup, and then let the County Health Department fine the child and confiscate all the lemonade for not having a proper hand washing station behind the table.
People are beginning to realize that creativity and productivity are co-dependant, and without one, the other is very hard to find. Creativity is the means by which opportunities for productivity are found and productivity is necessary for the full realization of one’s creative work.
Ayn Rand may have died in 1982 as a counter-cultural influence, however her ideas and works have proven to be prophecy of the encroachment of government upon these two basic needs of man’s nature. Rand will continue to grow in influence and popularity, but the real question is, “Will our leaders stop trying to control productivity by limiting creativity, and vice-versa?”
Bil Paul
12:06 am on Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Although it is true that government laws can inhibit business and the creation of jobs, unrestricted freedom in the marketplace can also create a breeding ground for those who want to rob others, as in the Bernie Madoff pyramid scheme. Also, an unrestricted marketplace encourages greed in the form of writing mortgages with little chance of being paid off, and the savings and loan debacle of a few years back, and big investment houses cheating little investors. Also, there's the tendency of for-profit health plans to deny payments to boost their profits, if left unregulated.
Also, aren't libertarians against government help programs such as food stamps? My understanding is that libertarians propose voluntary donations to charity to take care of all such needs. Voluntary donations are a dubious source to meet all the needs of the poor.
I feel there's a balancing point between too much government and too little government.
Devon Minnema
7:01 am on Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Bil, there's an entire argument for how the Madoff scheme shows that government regulations are completely ineffective and fail to produce any tangible security for investors, but that will have to be another article. de-regulated healthcare markets also have not existed for upwards of 50 years now, and the terrible horror stories are arguable only possible because of government regulation, and that will have to be another article. And last but not least, voluntary donations would multiply exponentially if individuals were not having to fork over 25+% to the government. The efficiency of private charity allows nonprofits to accomplish twice what the government can with half of the budget, but that, too, will have to be another article. I do agree that there's a balancing point, I just believe that government must be only for protecting property and individual rights instead of violating them to give the public worse and worse service.
Bil Paul
10:29 pm on Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Hi Devon -- I disagree that if taxes were reduced, people would voluntarily donate much more money to charities.
One of government's functions is to protect the weak from the powerful.
I think the libertarian philosophy stresses the supremacy of the fittest, pulling oneself up by one's bootstraps, and kind of an isolation of the individual.
It's a philosophy that meets with approval from those who were born with advantages in terms of familial support, plenty of food on the table, the strong possibility of attending college, a tradition of success in the family, and money in the bank. This segment of society often feels that they "made it" because of their own initiative, but half of it was just given to them.
Of course there are those from poor, troubled families who do become great successes, but they are a small percentage of that whole.
One of the government programs that libertarians might object to is the military draft, which was last used during the Viet Nam era, and the possibility that it might be used again is always a possibility.
-- Bil Paul
Diane Wilson
7:28 am on Friday, May 13, 2011
Devon,
Very good article. enjoyed it very much, it made me want to go read the book. I think I will check out the Dixon Library.
Michael Ceremello
6:49 pm on Sunday, August 7, 2011
I would disagree with your basic premise that Atlas Shrugged is about the free market and its importance. If you know anything about Rand, you would know her hatred of communism and socialism, including the soft tyranny of the nanny state as it currently exists in the United States. Atlas Shrugged, much as The Fountainhead, is about the supremacy of the individual. Contrary to Mr. Paul's statements, this supremacy is not restricted dependent on the person's station in life. Workplace expertise demonstrated by some of Rand's minor characters was revered. It is those who become the leeches of society rather than productive members that Rand castigates.
Mr. Paul's comments are borderline bleeding heart liberal platform statements. You cannot say that the Madoff scheme was created in an unrestricted free marketplace. Have you ever heard of the phrases "caveat emptor" or "if it seems too good to be true, it probably is"? While I respect Mr. Paul's work within our community, I have to wonder where such an obviously intelligent person comes up with such fuzzy logic and reasoning. As Mr. Minnema has pointed out, the facts contradict opinion.
Libertarians believe in personal responsibility for their actions as well as personal accountability with unlimited freedom to do whatever it is you want short of taking anything by force from your fellow citizens. Libertarianism does not work because most people are neither accountable or responsible ...