The Stance of Atlas: An Examination of the Philosophy of Ayn Rand Book

Ayn Rand was one the most influential writers of the 20th century. According to the a poll conducted in 1991 under the auspices of the Library of Congress, her Atlas Shrugged is second only to the Bible in general influence in this country. It was she who more than any other writer in history championed capitalism not just as the most practical economic system--but as the only one consistent with reason and ethics. She called her philosophy, "Objectivism." At the present time, the market place is more highly esteemed by more Americans than is government; this may soon be the case with a majority of the literate in other countries as well. Increasingly government is now viewed as a burden, rather than as a benefit. Yet, a political- economic system cannot continue to exist simply on the basis of a current success. Moreover, the present order is a mixture of capitalism and controls. Sooner or later, problems will develop, as they did in the nineteen thirties--and then people will have to consider what was at fault. Should there be a depression or some other huge social contagion, the lack of true answers may mean more war--perhaps right here in the United States. Mr. Erickson's book, The Stance Of Atlas, contains an examination of Ayn Rand's philosophy of Objectivism. More than that, it provides answers to some of the problems in philosophy which she had attempted to solve, but unsuccessfully. It contains 361 pages, including index--softbound.