Many individuals found their support of libertarianism upon ideological elements derived from the philosophy of novelist Ayn Rand, which she called Objectivism. Some libertarians who derive their beliefs from economic reasoning acknowledge various insights of Objectivism, even when not deriving their libertarianism from Objectivism. Many influential figures in the libertarian movement, such as L. Neil Smith, acknowledge a debt to Objectivism. In addition, the fiction of Ayn Rand is popular among even libertarians who do not consider themselves to be Objectivists. Therefore, it is perhaps surprising to some that the compatibility of Objectivism and libertarianism is a hotly contested matter. Libertarianism is a political philosophy advocating that individuals should be free to do whatever they wish with their person or property, as long as they do not infringe on the same liberty of others. ... It has been suggested that The Ayn Rand Collective be merged into this article or section. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... L. Neil Smith (full name Lester Neil Smith III, also known by his nickname El Neil or The Sage of the High Plains) is a libertarian science fiction author and political activist. ...

Many libertarians have been deeply influenced by aspects of Ayn Rand's Objectivism.

Image File history File links Ayn Rand cover for Reason Magazine. ... Image File history File links Ayn Rand cover for Reason Magazine. ...

Ayn Rand's Philosophy: Objectivism

Beginning with such novels as We the Living (1936), The Fountainhead (1943) and Atlas Shrugged (1957), novelist Ayn Rand communicated to her readers an original philosophy, which Rand called Objectivism. Objectivism is an integrated system, addressing issues in the five main branches of philosophy: metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, politics, and esthetics. We the Living is Ayn Rands first novel. ... The Fountainhead, Centennial edition. ... This article or section needs a complete rewrite for the reasons listed on the talk page. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... Plato and Aristotle, by Raphael (Stanza della Segnatura, Rome). ... Epistemology or theory of knowledge is the branch of philosophy that studies the nature and scope of knowledge. ... Ethics (from the Ancient Greek ethikos, meaning arising from habit) is a major branch of philosophy. ... Politics is a process by which decisions are made within groups. ... Aesthetics (or esthetics) (from the Greek word αισθητική) is a branch of philosophy dealing with the nature of beauty. ...

Rand defined capitalism as the separation of economics and state. Capitalism, she said, was the only social system compatible with Objectivism. By the 1950s, Rand was surrounded by a significant inner circle of intellectuals who, to one extent or another, had been attracted to Objectivism. Included in that inner circle, for a time, were economists Murray Rothbard and Alan Greenspan. Murray Newton Rothbard Murray Newton Rothbard (March 2, 1926 – January 7, 1995) was an American economist, historian and natural law theorist belonging to the Austrian School of Economics who helped define modern libertarianism and anarcho-capitalism. ... Alan Greenspan, former Fed Reserve Chairman The Honorable Alan C. Greenspan, PhD, KBE (b. ...

Rothbard's new libertarianism, and its diversification

Libertarianism is a term coined in the 1800s by the anarchist Joseph Déjacque, and many anarchists continue to use the term to this day. However, Murray Rothbard co-opted the term "libertarianism" to refer to his original amalgam of capitalism and anarchism, which is also known as anarcho-capitalism. Libertarian socialism is any one of a group of political philosophies dedicated to the abolition of property by restoring direct control of production and resources to the working class. ... Anarchism is a generic term describing various political philosophies and social movements that advocate the elimination of hierarchy and imposed authority. ... Joseph Déjacque (b. ... Libertarianism is a political philosophy advocating that individuals should be free to do whatever they wish with their person or property, as long as they do not infringe on the same liberty of others. ... Anarcho-capitalism refers to an anti-statist philosophy that embraces capitalism as one of its foundational principles. ...

Rothbard's libertarianism did not adopt Rand's metaphysics, epistemology, or ethics. However, Rothbard did borrow, from Rand's political ideology, what Rand called the non-aggression principle: the idea that coercive physical force is never to be initiated, and that it should only be used defensively. Rothbard, and the pro-capitalist libertarians (such as Walter Block) who followed his lead, took the view that the non-aggression principle is an irreducible concept: it is not the logical result of any given ethical philosophy but, rather, is the necessary precondition of all virtuous conduct. For this reason, unlike objectivists, libertarians refer to the non-aggression principle as the non-aggression axiom. Walter Block Walter Block (born 1941) is a leading Austrian School economist. ...

The libertarian movement continued to diversify. Today, it includes both anarchists and minarchists (i.e., those who are not anarchistic, but who believe in a minimalistic role for government). However, the movement continues to regard its non-aggression "axiom" as the lynchpin of libertarianism.

Rand's condemnation of Libertarianism

Rand was never a member of the libertarian movement. To the contrary, Rand condemned[1] libertarianism as being a greater threat to freedom and capitalism than both liberalism and conservativism. Rand said of libertarians that "They are not defenders of capitalism. They’re a group of publicity seekers... most of them are my enemies... I’ve read nothing by a Libertarian (when I read them, in the early years) that wasn’t my ideas badly mishandled—i.e., had the teeth pulled out of them—with no credit given." [2]

Rothbard (whose brief personal friendship with Rand ended in acrimony), in turn, wrote The Sociology of the Ayn Rand Cult, which concluded:

The major lesson of the history of the movement to libertarians is that It Can Happen Here, that libertarians, despite explicit devotion to reason and individuality, are not exempt from the mystical and totalitarian cultism that pervades other ideological as well as religious movements. Hopefully, libertarians, once bitten by the virus, may now prove immune. [3]

Psychologist Nathaniel Branden, who for a considerable period was Ayn Rand's lover and one of her closest associates, has claimed that Rand "...did not realize that the majority of people who called themselves 'libertarians' were advocates not of anarchism but of constitutionally limited government (in essence, the Objectivist model)... In any event, today libertarianism is part of our language and is commonly understood to mean the advocacy of minimal government. Ayn Rand is commonly referred to as 'a libertarian philosopher.' Folks, we are all libertarians now. Might as well get used to it." [4]. However, Branden's assessment must be read in light of the fact that Rand had disavowed Branden in the 1960s, well before he rendered that assessment (Rand broke all association between Branden and her ideological endeavors). Nathaniel Branden is a psychotherapist and author of psychology books and multiple articles on ethical and political philosophy. ...

Rand's reasons for condemning Libertarianism

Contrary to shallow analyses that abound, Rand's objections to libertarianism were not motivated by feelings that libertarians had plagiarized her works. (However, most certainly, they had done so and Rand was not happy about it. Though libertarians disagree citing earlier scholars who argued for similar economic and political outcomes years before Rand was even born. For example, Adam Smith argued that self-interest, or greed, improved the welfare of society in 1756, well over a century before Rand did so). To understand her objections, one must understand that Rand believed capitalism to be logically consistent only with rational self-interest: Rand regarded altruism and rule by consensus to be fundamentally in conflict with capitalism and individual freedom. Rand also argued that attempts to justify capitalism with altruist and majoritarian arguments will inevitably fail and, in failing, will make capitalism appear undefendable.

To understand Rand's condemnation of libertarianism, one must also understand that the strategy of libertarianism is to create a "big tent" movement by deliberately refraining from adoption of any particular ethical philosophy. Libertarianism instead attempts to bring together people who - for whatever reasons they may have - can support the non-aggression "axiom". As a result, libertarians differ greatly and advocate capitalism on a variety of grounds, including grounds that are altruistic, majoritarian, or even hedonistic.

Rand was concerned about the idea that a movement claiming to advocate and defend capitalism was quite prepared to use doomed arguments to do it. To Rand, those who condemn capitalism as being selfish (e.g., socialists) are not a great threat to capitalism because rational selfishness itself is ethically defensible. In contrast, she argued, those who advocate capitalism on the ground that it is not selfish - on the ground that it serves the "greater good" or is somehow altruistic or popular - defame capitalism and jeopardize its future, because such arguments are erroneous and, in many cases, intellectually dishonest. In other words, when libertarian proponents of capitalism are viewed as being in error, or as being intellectually dishonest, people are left with the impression that capitalism is not defensible. The future of capitalism is thereby jeopardized. Meanwhile libertarians follow a Kantian approach believing that free markets, peace, and limited government do not require the moral improvement of mankind to sustain them, only the right set of incentives that promotes voluntary transactions as opposed to coercive ones.

Moreover, Rand rejected libertarianism's sympathies for anarchism and its acceptance of anarchists among its membership. She rejected anarchism, saying that government must exist so as to put coercive physical force under objective control.

Objectivism: Closed Anti-libertarian system or open pro-libertarian system?

At the risk of oversimplifying, it can today be observed that views on libertarianism's compatibility with Objectivism differ between those who view Objectivism as a closed ideological system, and those who view it as an open one.

Some Objectivists, who argue that Objectivism is a closed philosophical system - i.e., that variations on Rand's ideology are not properly called Objectivism - follow Rand's lead and continue to reject libertarianism. This stance is most clearly identified with Peter Schwartz, Leonard Peikoff, and the Ayn Rand Institute. One of this group's most thoroughly-explained condemnations of libertarianism was provided by Schwartz in his essay "Libertarianism: The Perversion of Liberty" (which appears in Rand's book The Voice of Reason). Peter Schwartz is a writer and journalist who follows the Objectivist philosophy of Ayn Rand. ... Leonard Peikoff circa 1970 Leonard Peikoff (born in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1933) is an Objectivist philosopher. ... The Ayn Rand Institute: The Center for the Advancement of Objectivism (ARI) was established in 1985, three years after Ayn Rands death, by Leonard Peikoff, Rands legal and intellectual heir. ... The Voice of Reason: Essays in Objectivist Thought is a collection of essays by Ayn Rand, Leonard Peikoff, and Peter Schwartz, and edited by Leonard Peikoff. ...

Neo-objectivists, who have argued that Objectivism is an open system - i.e., that Rand merely provided a framework for future development and improvement - have diverged from Rand with respect to libertarianism. They have been willing to work with and identify with the libertarian movement. This stance is most clearly identified with David Kelley (who was expelled from the Ayn Rand Institute because of his views on Objectivism and because of his willingness to sanction libertarianism), Chris Sciabarra, Barbara Branden (Nathaniel's former wife) and several New Zealand-based libertarians. Kelley's Atlas Society has focused on building a closer relationship between his philosophy and the libertarian movement. Nathaniel Branden has approved of Kelley's efforts, quoting from a Talmudic passage: "A hero is one who knows how to make a friend out of an enemy." Neo-Objectivism covers a large family of philosophical viewpoints and cultural values descended from Objectivist philosophy. ... David Kelley For the producer of the same name, see David E. Kelley. ... Chris Sciabarra is an Objectivist scholar and writer living in New York City. ... Barbara Branden Barbara Branden (born 1933, Winnipeg, Manitoba) is an author and lecturer. ... The Atlas Society (formerly the Objectivist Center (TOC) and originally the Institute for Objectivist Studies or IOS) is a global online community linking those who admire the fiction of Ayn Rand, including Atlas Shrugged and The Fountainhead. It is not merely a literary fan club, but a part of the... The first page of the Babylonian Talmud, Tractate Berachot, folio 2a The Talmud (תלמוד) is a record of rabbinic discussions pertaining to Jewish law, ethics, customs and history. ...

See also

• Neo-libertarianism