Atlas Shrugged

My essay on Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged", kindly translated from Belarusian by the guys from TOL Blog Belarus

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written by czalex
translated by meramo

The world of Ayn Rand might seem exaggerated, but if you take a minute and look around, read the news, you can see this world: a world we live in. Characters of corrupt politicians, of so called "public opinion leaders", for whom "there's no black and white" but only gray unscrupulousness – all these things are described in the book. Positive characters – strong, conscientious men and women. They, may lack some "human" features, some liveliness or human weakness. But it's so because Rand first of all a great essayist, and only then – a writer.

"Atlas Shrugged" is a famous novel by the American philosopher Ayn Rand. It's among the first books in the genre of a business-novel, and is the first fiction book in the library of 3dWay. The novel was published in 1957 and was later recognized as one of the best and most important literature works of the 20th century. The story takes place in an unclear period in the future in the United States. Almost all countries of the world have become socialistic "people's republics". The USA is one of the last democratic and market-oriented countries, but is following other countries' path very quickly. The economy is in recession and survives only because few profitable enterprises led by talented and skilled businessmen. One of these companies is Taggart Transcontinental, a railway company . Its chief is Dagny Taggart, the book's main hero, has to fight for her business under the press of corrupt bureaucracy, which introduces more and more restrictions of the business initiative and as by that only worsens the situation.

Ayn Rand describes an absurd world and society where a person's disadvantage is the cause for rewards, where the initiative, intellect and ability for a creative work are punished by the obligation to take care of losers. This world is ruled by people who can talk about spirituality and refusal of the material while living in dirty bungalows instead of prosperous cities burned as a result of their Utopian "human-loving" projects. The rich ones have to take care of the poor, the strong ones – of the weak , the successful ones – of losers, the talented ones – of the untalented and the intelligent ones – of fools. Sweet speeches about public interests hide the real faces of amoral and corrupt people. Public life in these cruel conditions becomes entailed by oppression and violence, which lead the country to a complete disaster.

But there are people who resist the system, the "atlases" who hold this world on their shoulders – the business elite. The state uses them as it wants. But as they give wealth, technologies, working places – they are more and more blamed for selfishness and "oppression of the working people". As this happens, they one by one disappear, leaving the society to the hands of people, who curse them. When the working people have rights to strike, so the businessmen take this right for them too – and very soon it becomes obvious, what is the key element in economy. Labor can do nothing without intelligence and business talent; it is nothing but an instrument in the hands of businessmen.

The world of Ayn Rand might seem exaggerated, but if you take a minute and look around, read the news, you can see this world: a world we live in. Characters of corrupt politicians, of so called "public opinion leaders" and "philosophers" for whom "there's no black and white" but only a gray absence of any principles – all these things are described in the book. Positive characters are strong, conscientious men and women. They may lack some "human" features, some liveliness or human weaknesses. But it may be so because of Ayn Rand's being first of all an outstanding essayist, and only then a writer.

The economy of a country has to be maximally efficient, therefore maximally rational, therefore maximally liberal. The caring about other people can not be put above giving the chance to care about themselves to those who are able to.

The same works in politics and social life. When we hear that some monumental goals have to be put above a person's private interests, the road back to Stone Age begins. And it doesn't matter whether these goals are used to camouflage some hidden agenda or are a product of naivety. Fascism, theocracy, socialism – all regimes, which legitimize themselves in any ways but a neutral and cold-blooded democratic procedure, or that start talking of Utopian ideas – these regimes are unfair, irrational, and therefore inefficient, and therefore wrong.

The system of values, where people doing their best to achieve their own purposes and wealth is the best basis for love and friendship, because the relations between people in this way grounds not on charity, but on the mutual respect and utility.

All these things are described in the novel. Rationality is the only criteria for determining the social order. Any excesses are excessive and harmful. A very talented description of the way a society not following this principle develops is the main thing that makes "Atlas Shrugged" a book to be read by every educated person.

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