How Atlas will Shrug

Traywick's Corner Blog ^ | Apr, 1, 2009 | Rich Bryant

[The Duke]

The state of the US economy and the anticipation of increased taxation has inspired numerous references in recent weeks to the book "Atlas Shrugged", by the late author and philosopher Ayn Rand. In her fictitious book Rand anticipates a time when those who create wealth within the social order, and from whom that wealth is forceably extracted for the benefit of others, eventually express their frustration by ceasing their labors. Those drawing the parallel to today’s reality suggest that we are now approaching a scenario when the real producers of today’s society will cease to produce, resulting in dramatic social upheaval.

While contemplating these allusions I have been tempted to conclude that, in the real world, it would be difficult for the producers in our society to “shrug” due to the economic dependencies between the various actors involved. For example, while one may be tempted to cease production in protest of the taxes incurred, that impulse is mitigated by the affects such a disruption would have on those innocents who are dependent on the creator’s work. So, the glue of social relationships serves as a strong deterrent to the shovelers of our economy casting aside their shovels.

The other day, while dropping of a car for re-upholstery at the home of a local at-home upholsterer, I contemplated the question “Can and Will Atlas Shrug?”. While occupied with these thoughts I took note of the beautiful Spring morning, and the activities of squirrels and tropical birds in this wonderfully-relaxed Central Florida neighborhood. And it was then that I realized how Atlas can and will shrug.

You see, the workman I had hired and who had offered me very low pricing for his work had not driven to some central place of business to perform the work. Rather, the arrangement was for me to drive across town to his home to leave the car for repair. In this case the producer was charging me my own time and inconvenience to allow him to work in an environment that offered reduced expense to him, in addition to increased quality of life. This workman had not shrugged completely, but he had shrugged substantially. And in doing so, while his income had been reduced he had gained the important (but intangible, and virtually in-taxible) quality of life!

And so I have my answer. The producers in our world can and will not react to onerous taxes by simply abandoning their work completely. Rather, they will begin to abandon substantial portions of their work at a time and in a manner of their choosing, in exchange for the subsequent intangible benefits they can award themselves. And, to society the loss of twenty percent of five workers differs little (if any) from the loss of one hundred percent of one worker. Additionally, the worker had shifted some of his real burden to me, the consumer of his work.

And so, Atlas will, by degrees, begin to shrug, and society will suffer the proverbial “death by a thousand cuts”. The upheaval will come by degrees.

[Mama25]

I’m not sure he was referring to the victims of Atlas’ shrug as Rearden’s family, I suspect he was meaning those who work for the producer - the employees that put his vision out in the marketplace.