For one of my classes, I was required to read a single book from a list of famous books. My options were limited so I decided that I’d pick up Atlas Shrugged, being that I was somewhat familiar with the authors previous writings. For those who don’t know, Atlas Shrugged was written by Ayn Rand and was first published in 1957. The entire book revolves around Rand’s famous (arguably infamous) philosophy of Objectivism. The main character in this book, Dagny Taggart, is the Operating Vice President of Taggart Transcontinental, an industry that owns railroads that span across North America. In this novel, the operations of the railroad are examined in its dystopic setting where, instead of our Congress, there is a National Legislature, and instead of our president, there is a Head of State. In addition to these changes, successful industrialists are increasingly limited by legislation passed by the National Legislature under the claim that it was fair for all.
Early in the novel, the railroads are forced to abide by something called the Anti-Dog-Eat-Dog rule, or more professionally known as the Equalization of Opportunity Bill. This limited how much the railroad could expand, hindering the money making efforts of the train industry. Despite the signs that the order was too restricting, they blamed it on corporate greed and passed Directive 10-289 which froze all employment assets and restricted a person’s ability to choose their job, gain promotions/raises, or quit. The Directive not only halted all industrial excess, it also restricted the creation of better inventions.
If you haven’t figured it out by now, here’s what you’re missing: The topic of this novel affects just about every living being, specifically the American people who happen to live in a free market economy just like the one detailed in the novel. One that deals with the money of the taxpayer and the purpose of government. What I’m talking about of course, is government interaction in the free market.
It’s easy to think that this doesn’t apply to you and your daily life. I know from experience just how easy it is to shut out anything outside of my life momentarily but if you just take a second to look around, you’ll see just how relevant it is. Taxes for example, just about everyone pays them. Welfare? Social Security? Income taxes? These are just the most known example of it, but the list is endless. Just imagine all the policies that industries have to abide by on a daily basis when it comes to their income. If you have a job, if your parents have a job, this applies to you.
Besides doing this as an assignment for my class, I personally believe in the importance of making sure this is still a topic of discussion, especially in this day and age where most people my age have a waning interest in these sort of things. Everybody seems to just be accepting things as they are with no real idea of the consequences of their laziness. Just think for a moment how great it is to live in a society where someone born into poverty can make something of themselves on their own. How everyone’s voice has power over the government and all voters are included in their processes. Anybody who values these things should have an ear in Washington, lest we forget the power of our voices.
Take a lesson from Atlas Shrugged, note the failures of the government when they began to interfere in businesses. Just as they seized the means of production in the Soviet Union, they did in Atlas Shrugged. When the working class is withheld their right to choose their work, negotiate their pay or make something of themselves better than what they started with, then only failure will be the reward in the end. We should strive for the most economic freedom we can, and not the minimum.
