Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand, Depicts Interplay Term Paper

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Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand, depicts interplay of two forces: regulated economic freedom and free-market system. This paper describes the philosophy and the practical stances of both the schools of thought within the context of events that occur in the book.

ATLAS SHRUGGED

Atlas Shrugged is a fictional account, which depicts the causes, the results, and the ultimate connotations attached to the moral and philosophical self-destruction that the mankind, in general, is slipping into in a gradual fashion. The most significant cause and hence the philosophy behind this moral decadence is the lack of belief in the morality of self-interest. And the vehicle through which this is perpetuated is the governmental control featuring diminishing economic freedom. Therefore the plot of Atlas Shrugged revolves around diminishing economic freedom resulting in intellectual stagnation. However there exists an opposing force that provides a directly opposite plan of action with a directly opposite belief system. Those belonging to this school of thought are intellectual and highly capable, rebelling against a society that preaches altruism, a society that teaches struggling victims that sacrifices for the sake of others is proper and moral, a society that indoctrinates its youth with a vicious, destructive skepticism. In this society, need is the most important claim to virtue, and so the most productive, capable men are forced into virtual enslavement by a vicious code of directives intended to eliminate all economic class distinctions. On the other hand, the philosophy behind economic controls is depicted to be upheld by the people of government in the form of economic regulations and controls. The plot of the book depicts these two factions by building up the story, which is continually shifting in focus between the first and the second categories. It is in the interplay of the characters and the plot, within the context of the government regulations that the philosophical motivation and the practical stances of both the schools become apparent.

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As the U.S. economy descends into a haze of hopelessness and corruption, malicious and greedy beings take power and seek to enslave the greatest of America's industrialists through government regulations. Dagny Taggart is one such corporate executive who is divided and hence enslaved. She is burdened by the growing influence of the regulations, but her great love for her railroad (the business that she is in) motivates her to continue her struggle. Dagny appears divided because she can sense the existence of a solution of her dilemma but is not in conscious knowledge of it. The unexplained disappearance of men who possess dynamic and focused minds is her connection or bridge to the second school of thought. Meanwhile she is forced to fill crucial positions with incompetent, weak-willed men. As her workforce becomes less and less capable, Dagny takes on more and more responsibility. Industrial materials such as machine parts and raw metals become scarce. This pattern convinces Dagny that there is indeed a better way of being than the existing one to which the most capable of men are attracted. In the midst of her turmoil, she stumbles upon the incomplete model of an amazing invention, an engine capable of gathering static electricity from the air and producing huge amounts of power. Dagny vows to find the man behind this motor who, as the story unfolds, is the founder of the second school of thought. Through several twists of destiny, she manages to seek founder of the opposing school of thought. The founder, John Galt leads Dagny to a town populated by the greatest of the retired industrialists. They are on strike, trying to demonstrate to the world that they are the driving force of civilization. Despite her newfound knowledge and ardent desire to belong to this philosophically superior category of people, Dagny decides to return to the world. Meanwhile the first category….....

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