Atlas Shrugged

Atlas Shrugged is a novel by Ayn Rand, first published in 1957 in the USA.

Philosophy and writing

The theme of Atlas Shrugged is that independent, rational thought is the motor that powers the world. In the book, "men of the mind" go on strike, allowing the collapse of what only they hold together — a peaceful cohesiveness Rand claims that humans may create wherever forceful human interference is absent. Given no alternative, they remove themselves from the "looters." The book is rooted in Objectivism, the philosophical system founded by Rand.

Related Topics:
Strike - Objectivism

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Rand suggests that society stagnates when independence and individual achievement are discouraged or demonized, and that, inversely, a society will become more prosperous as it allows, encourages, and rewards independence and individual achievement. Rand believed that independence flourishes to the extent that people are free, and that achievement is rewarded best when private property is respected strictly. She advocated laissez-faire capitalism as the political system that is most consistent with these beliefs. These considerations make Atlas Shrugged a highly political book, especially in its portrayal of socialism and communism, or indeed any form of state intervention in societal affairs, as fatally flawed. However, Rand claimed that it is not a fundamentally political book, but that the politics portrayed in the novel are a result of her attempt to display her image of the ideal man and the position of the human mind in society.

Related Topics:
Private property - Laissez-faire capitalism - Political system - Socialism - Communism

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Rand argues that independence and individual achievement drive the world, and should be embraced. Her worldview requires a "rational" moral code. She disputes the notion that self-sacrifice is a virtue, and is similarly dismissive of human faith in a god or higher being. The book positions itself against Christianity specifically, often directly within the characters' dialogue.

Related Topics:
Rational - Moral code - Self-sacrifice - God - Christianity

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