'Atlas Shrugged': From Fiction to Fact in 52 Years

Wall Street Journal ^ | January 9, 2009 | Stephen Moore

[reaganaut1]

[T]he moral of ["Atlas Shrugged"] is simply this: Politicians invariably respond to crises -- that in most cases they themselves created -- by spawning new government programs, laws and regulations. These, in turn, generate more havoc and poverty, which inspires the politicians to create more programs . . . and the downward spiral repeats itself until the productive sectors of the economy collapse under the collective weight of taxes and other burdens imposed in the name of fairness, equality and do-goodism.

In the book, these relentless wealth redistributionists and their programs are disparaged as "the looters and their laws." Every new act of government futility and stupidity carries with it a benevolent-sounding title. These include the "Anti-Greed Act" to redistribute income (sounds like Charlie Rangel's promises soak-the-rich tax bill) and the "Equalization of Opportunity Act" to prevent people from starting more than one business (to give other people a chance). My personal favorite, the "Anti Dog-Eat-Dog Act," aims to restrict cut-throat competition between firms and thus slow the wave of business bankruptcies. Why didn't Hank Paulson think of that?

These acts and edicts sound farcical, yes, but no more so than the actual events in Washington, circa 2008. We already have been served up the $700 billion "Emergency Economic Stabilization Act" and the "Auto Industry Financing and Restructuring Act." Now that Barack Obama is in town, he will soon sign into law with great urgency the "American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan." This latest Hail Mary pass will increase the federal budget (which has already expanded by $1.5 trillion in eight years under George Bush) by an additional $1 trillion -- in roughly his first 100 days in office.

The current economic strategy is right out of "Atlas Shrugged": The more incompetent you are in business, the more handouts [you get].

[Savagemom]

I’ve been reading this for the last month (it’s a long book) and I love it. After I found out about Rand and what she experienced under Communism, I love it even more - but it’s so sad watching it coming true in real life.

It should definitely be required reading for anyone in government.

[Apollo 13]

I don’t agree. We never had any tyranny except for the occupation by Germany. There are no tyrannical tendencies in Holland, no one wants that. And to think that we would have been able to withstand Germany in WWII with every father owning a tiny handgun... the idea makes me laugh. So, some believe in private arms, some don’t. I don’t.

[Apollo 13]

I don’t agree. We never had any tyranny except for the occupation by Germany. There are no tyrannical tendencies in Holland, no one wants that. And to think that we would have been able to withstand Germany in WWII with every father owning a tiny handgun... the idea makes me laugh. So, some believe in private arms, some don’t. I don’t.

[Apollo 13]

I don’t agree. We never had any tyranny except for the occupation by Germany. There are no tyrannical tendencies in Holland, no one wants that. And to think that we would have been able to withstand Germany in WWII with every father owning a tiny handgun... the idea makes me laugh. So, some believe in private arms, some don’t. I don’t.

[cartervt2k]

and no right to bear arms, thank God

One day, you or your descendants will be eating those words. You are only as free as your ability to defend your freedom.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

And Ayn Rand was Russian, for crying out loud and even she was ahead of her time.

BTW, Atlas Shrugged should be mandatory reading in grade school.

[chrisser]

If you think "diligent social engineering" and "no right to bear arms" are freedom, than I truly pity you.

As Adams said "We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you..."

[Apollo 13]

We really disagree here. Thank you for your compassion, but if that which I enjoy in Holland nowadays is tyranny in your view, then please let me enjoy that tyranny all of my life. In other words: freedom and a good, strong government go well together. It’s a matter of mutual trust.

Really... there is a middle ground between the absolute intervening state and libertarianism, I am convinced of that. As someone else here noted, ms Rand was in no way able to practice what she preached... she was a histrionic figure with no stable worldview at all. She probably had the delusion that in a totally libertarian state by some work of Fate she’d land on the right (rich) side of the fence at all times. And she was a terrible, truly terrible writer. No wonder that she does not figure in any serious literary compendium or canon, and that she’s only some pop idol for writers in the Wall Street Journal.

[Osage Orange]

With statements like the following....I wonder if you are at the right place?

"Sad that our PM blew it big in 2003 with his support for the illegal war waged on Iraq."

"(and no right to bear arms, thank God)"

[Carley]

Anyone who read her book could see the incremental destruction of our capitalism and our economy.

Obambam will put FINIS to America.

[Carley]

I suggest you read Solzhenitsyn’s First Circle

That is exactly where we are headed.

[Apollo 13]

Why? I was and am against the War On Iraq, never made a secret about it. That does not make me a leftie at all, nor do I think that FR should only be crowded by yes-men and all kinds of mutual admiration societies. That is the privilege of tyrannical countries, like North-Korea.

I have respect for GWB because he accepted the fact that intelligence on Iraq had been wrong, or at best, incomplete. I don’t want to go over the material all over again, mind. But any sane person knew before the beginning of the invasion that there were, um, suspect specimens of proof delivered for those WMDs. Which swept away the grounds for a legitimate war.

That is my consistent viewpoint, and I have enormous compassion and respect for the 4000+ U.S. troops that got KIA. That, folks, should not have happened, and it was not necessary.

I would find myself a weak idiot if I suddenly changed my viewpoints for wanting to be liked a bit more here. And if a site named Free Republic wouldn’t accept a reasonably voiced form of dissent, than that site wouldn’t deserve its own name.

[maine-iac7]

...I think?

You do?

[JMJJR]

I’ve read AS probably too many times, if that’s possible.

I feel like I’m in my final Hank Rearden moments, awaiting a John Galt epiphany.

I thought AS was supposed to be fiction, not prophecy, kinda like 1984.

Which way to the Gulch ?

[Antoninus]

I'd like to point out that atheists such as Ayn Rand (and myself) are not necessarily socialists. Some conservatives equate the two categories.

All atheists may not be socialists, but all intellectual socialists (leaving aside the useful idiots) are atheists.

Your position is very similar to that of a truely moderate Muslim. Your brethren are either sociopathic, murderous, thugs or individuals who passively enable that mindset.

[chrisser]

Certainly, there is a middle ground, but the spectrum to which you refer is quite broad, and half of it is closer to tyranny than to freedom.

I’m happy you’re happy, or at least you’re happy right now. I doubt you would have been happy in 1940. Was it just coincidence that the Nazis occupied every country bordering Germany except Switzerland?

My point is, the freedoms that you don’t seem to have much regard for now, might be crucial to your survival 10 or 20 years from now, but it will then be too late to get them back. Sadly, it probably already is. You have temporary security. Our founders had a nice saying regarding willingly surrendering freedoms in return for temporary security and what that brought in the end.

Tyranny doesn’t always come from without, and it often doesn’t come in a sudden dramatic explosion like a busting dam, but instead like a slow growing trickle, hardly noticed until too late. I suggest you come back and visit us in perhaps 10 years. Let us know how you like Sharia law. If you are typical of your countrymen, you’re in for quite a ride over the next few decades.

[Red Badger]

Her book has been amazingly accurate in what has happened in the last few months. This has become a nation of “pull” and not laws, just as in the book. The “crisis” continues, the government keeps paying off the “looters” and the people who actually earn the money are getting screwed. Sooner or later the whole thing must collapse under it’s own weight of deception and lies.........

[maine-iac7]

So... just who is John Galt?

Back in the late '60's, a friend of mine mangaged the credit card dept of a local bank. (This was in a big GE town).

A new ap for a credit card on a card company that had just started up came in.

The name: JOHN GALT

Occupation: Engineer

NO OTHER INFORMATION except that he had applied and received every credit card that had come on the scene, from it's inception. He had an unlimited credit line on each one. And he had never used one.

I thought, now if enough of the "Striking Minds" has the same deal - what if they all utilized that unlimited credit on each and every card all at the same time?

Anyway, It does give me a bit of comfort to know that Rand's books have been in print over half a century. It means people are reading them.

And. hopefully, there are a few "Galt's Gulches" sprinkled around "out there."

[Antoninus]

I am already in Europe, in Holland to be precise. Excellent country, wouldn’t want to trade it in for any other. We have good and inexpensive health care, good schools, very low unemployment, low crime rates (and no right to bear arms, thank God) - no, we don’t make the international headlines often, and that is fine by me. All thanks to diligent social engineering.

You do realize that the next generation of "Dutch" will be about 50%+ Muslim, right?

You're living in a fool's paradise, my friend. Theo van Gogh and Pim Fortuyn were just the preludes.

Do us a favor. When your country blows up, move to Australia, ok? Your attitude will only make things worse here in the US.