Ayn Rand was a champion and advocate of
reason, self-interest, individual rights,
and political and economic freedom.
She advocated
a total separation of state and economics,
just as—and for the same reason as—we now have
the separation of state and church.
She took the position, and it is a position I certainly share,
that just as
the government has no proper voice in
the religious beliefs or practices of people,
provided no one else’s rights are violated, so there should be
freedom of production and trade
between and among consenting adults.
She believed in
a free market economy.
An economy in which not only were
you to be unencumbered by regulations
but so was everyone else.
No special favours, no special protections, franchises, subsidies.
No governmental privileges to help you against your competitors.
FUNDAMENTALS OF THE PHILOSOPHY :
That reality is what it is,
that things are what they are,
independent of anyone’s
beliefs, feelings, judgements or opinions
that existence exists, that A is A;
That reason,
the faculty that identifies and integrates
the material provided by the various senses,
is fully competent,
in principle,
to understand the facts of reality;
That any form of
irrationalism, supernaturalism, or mysticism,
any claim to
a nonsensory, nonrational form of knowledge,
is to be rejected;
That a rational code of ethics
is possible and is derivable
from an appropriate assessment
of the nature of human beings
as well as
the nature of reality;
That the standard of the good
is not God or the alleged needs of society
but rather “An Individual’s life,”
that which is objectively required
for man’s or woman’s
life, survival and well-being;
That a human being
is an end in him or herself,
that each one of us
has the right to exist
for their own sake,
neither sacrificing
others to self
nor self to others;
That the principles of
justice and respect for
individuality, autonomy,
and personal rights
must replace
the principle of sacrifice
in human relationships;
That no individual
and no group
has the moral right
to initiate the use of force
against others;
That force
is permissible only
in retaliation and only
against those
who have initiated its use;
of a moral society is respect for individual rights
and that
the sole appropriate
function of government
is to act
as guardian and protector
of individual rights.
Right or wrong in all respects, the fact that she had a vision, a highly developed one, comprehensive, intelligent, and clear; to propose answers to important valid questions not commonly considered.
I am convinced that there are errors in that vision and elements that need to be changed, eliminated, modified, or added and amplified, but I am also convinced that the fundamentals of her vision have stood the test of time, as every 'philosophy' is a 'living entity'; a 'system' that must evolve and adapt.
It doesn’t tell you your mind is impotent.
It doesn’t tell you that you’re rotten and powerless.
It doesn’t tell you that your life is futile.
It doesn’t tell you that you are doomed.
It doesn’t tell you that your existence is meaningless.
It tells you just the opposite.
that you have not learned to understand
the nature of your own power
and, therefore,
of your own possibilities.
It tells you that your mind is and can be effective,
that you are competent to understand,
that achievement is possible,
and that happiness is possible.
It tells you that life is not about
dread and defeat and anguish
but about
achievement and satisfaction.
