Editing Objectivism (section)

=== Politics: individual rights and capitalism ===
{{Capitalism sidebar}}
Rand's defense of individual liberty integrates elements from her entire philosophy.<ref>{{harvnb|Peikoff|1991|p=354}}; {{harvnb|Sciabarra|1995|p=274}}</ref> Since reason is the means of human knowledge, it is therefore each person's most fundamental means of survival and is necessary to the achievement of values.<ref>{{harvnb|Bernstein|2009|pp=25–31}}</ref> The use or threat of [[Force (law)|force]] neutralizes the practical effect of an individual's reason, whether the force originates from the state or from a criminal. According to Rand, "man's mind will not function at the point of a gun".<ref>{{harvnb|Rand|1967|p=141}}</ref> Therefore, the only type of organized human behavior consistent with the operation of reason is that of voluntary cooperation. Persuasion is the method of reason. By its nature, the overtly irrational cannot rely on the use of persuasion and must ultimately resort to force to prevail.<ref>{{harvnb|Peikoff|1991|pp=310–313}}</ref> Thus, Rand argued that reason and freedom are correlates, just as she argued that mysticism and force are corollaries.<ref>{{harvnb|Rand|1982|p=66}}</ref> Based on this understanding of the role of reason, Objectivists claim that the initiation of physical force against the will of another is immoral,<ref>{{harvnb|Rand|1964|p=36}}; {{harvnb|Peikoff|1991|p=310}}; {{harvnb|Smith|1997|pp=143–147}}</ref> as are indirect initiations of force through threats,<ref>{{harvnb|Smith|1997|pp=150–155}}</ref> fraud,<ref>{{harvnb|Peikoff|1991|pp=319}}</ref> or breach of contract.<ref>{{harvnb|Rand|1964|pp=129–130}}</ref> The use of defensive or retaliatory force, on the other hand, is appropriate.<ref>{{harvnb|Rand|1964|p=126}}; {{harvnb|Peikoff|1991|p=320}}</ref>

Objectivism claims that because the opportunity to use reason without the initiation of force is necessary to achieve moral values, each individual has an inalienable moral [[natural and legal rights|right]] to act as his own judgment directs and to keep the product of his effort. Peikoff, explaining the basis of rights, stated, "In content, as the founding fathers recognized, there is one fundamental right, which has several major derivatives. The fundamental right is the right to life. Its major derivatives are the right to liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness."<ref>{{harvnb|Peikoff|1991|pp=351–352}}. The Objectivist understanding of rights is explored at length in {{harvnb|Smith|1997}}.</ref> "A 'right' is a moral principle defining and sanctioning a man's freedom of action in a social context."<ref>{{harvnb|Rand|1964|p=110}}</ref> These rights are specifically understood to be rights to action, not to specific results or objects, and the obligations created by rights are negative in nature: each individual must refrain from violating the rights of others.<ref>{{harvnb|Peikoff|1991|p=355}}</ref> Objectivists reject alternative notions of rights, such as [[positive rights]],<ref>{{harvnb|Smith|1997|pp=165–182}}; {{harvnb|Touchstone|2006|p=108}}</ref> [[collective rights]], or [[animal rights]].<ref>{{harvnb|Peikoff|1991|pp=356–358}}; {{harvnb|Rand|1964|pp=120}}</ref> Objectivism claims that the only social system which fully recognizes individual rights is capitalism,<ref>{{harvnb|Rand|1967|p=19}}</ref> specifically what Rand described as "full, pure, uncontrolled, unregulated laissez-faire capitalism".<ref>{{harvnb|Rand|1964|p=37}}</ref> Objectivism regards capitalism as the social system which is most beneficial to the poor, but does not consider this its primary justification.<ref>{{harvnb|Peikoff|1991|pp=392–395}}; {{harvnb|Sciabarra|1995|p=284}}</ref> Rather, it is the only moral social system. Objectivism maintains that only societies seeking to establish freedom (or free nations) have a right to [[self-determination]].<ref>{{harvnb|Rand|1964|p=103}}</ref>

Objectivism describes government as "the means of placing the retaliatory use of physical force under objective control—i.e., under objectively defined laws"; thus, government is both legitimate and critically important<ref>{{harvnb|Peikoff|1991|p=364}}</ref> in order to protect individual rights.<ref>{{harvnb|Rand|1964|pp=125–128}}</ref> Rand opposed [[anarchism]] because she considered that putting police and courts on the market is an inherent miscarriage of [[justice]].<ref>{{harvnb|Rand|1964|p=112}}</ref>  Objectivism claims that the proper functions of a government are "''the police'', to protect men from criminals—''[[military|the armed services]]'', to protect men from foreign invaders—''[[courts|the law courts]]'', to settle disputes among men according to objective laws", the [[Executive (government)|executive]], and [[legislatures]].<ref>{{harvnb|Rand|1964|p=131}}</ref> Furthermore, in protecting individual rights, the government is acting as an agent of its citizens and "has no rights except the rights ''delegated'' to it by the citizens"<ref>{{harvnb|Rand|1964|p=129}}</ref> and it must act in an impartial manner according to specific, objectively defined laws.<ref>{{harvnb|Rand|1964|p=128}}; {{harvnb|Peikoff|1991|pp=364–365}}</ref>

Rand argued that limited [[intellectual property rights|intellectual property]] monopolies being granted to certain inventors and artists on a first-to-file basis are moral because she considered all property as fundamentally intellectual. Furthermore, the value of a commercial product derives in part from the necessary work of its inventors. However, Rand considered limits on patents and copyrights as important and said that if they were granted in perpetuity, it would necessarily result in ''de facto'' collectivism.

Rand opposed [[racism]] and any legal application of racism. She considered [[affirmative action]] to be an example of legal racism.<ref>{{harvnb|Rand|1964|pp=173–84}}; ''cf''. {{cite book |title=The Other Side of Racism |last=Wortham |first=Anne |location=Columbus |publisher=[[Ohio State University Press]] |year=1981 |isbn=978-0-8142-0318-7}}</ref> Rand advocated the right to legal [[abortion]].<ref>{{cite book |last=Rand |first=Ayn |chapter=Of Living Death |editor=Leonard Peikoff |title=The Voice of Reason |location=New York |publisher=New American Library |year=1989 |isbn=978-0-453-00634-7|title-link=The Voice of Reason (book) }}</ref> Rand believed [[capital punishment]] is morally justified as retribution against a murderer, but dangerous due to the risk of mistakenly executing innocent people and facilitating state murder. She therefore said she opposed capital punishment "on epistemological, not moral, grounds".<ref>{{harvnb|Rand|2005|pp=45–46}}</ref> She opposed involuntary [[military conscription]].<ref>{{harvnb|Rand|1967|pp=226–28}}</ref> She opposed any form of [[censorship]], including legal restrictions on [[pornography]], [[freedom of opinion|opinion]] or [[freedom to worship|worship]], famously quipping; "In the transition to statism, every infringement of human rights has begun with a given right's least attractive practitioners".<ref>{{harvnb|Rand|1982|pp=173–84}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://aynrandlexicon.com/lexicon/free_speech.html|title=Free Speech|website=Ayn Rand Lexicon}}</ref>

Objectivists have also opposed a number of government activities commonly endorsed by both liberals and conservatives, including [[antitrust]] laws,<ref>Greenspan, Alan. "Antitrust" in {{harvnb|Rand|1967|pp=63–71}}</ref> the [[minimum wage]], [[public education]],<ref>[[Nathaniel Branden|Branden, Nathaniel]]. "Common Fallacies about Capitalism" in {{harvnb|Rand|1967|pp=89–92}}</ref> and existing [[child labor]] laws.<ref>[[Robert Hessen|Hessen, Robert]]. "The Effects of the Industrial Revolution on Women and Children" in {{harvnb|Rand|1967|pp=110–113}}</ref> Objectivists have argued against [[faith-based initiatives]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aynrand.org/site/News2?&id=7475 |title=Faith-Based Initiatives Are an Assault on Secular Government |last=Epstein |first=Alex |date=February 4, 2003 |publisher=Ayn Rand Institute |access-date=June 19, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324085647/http://www.aynrand.org/site/News2?&id=7475 |archive-date=March 24, 2012 }}</ref> displaying religious symbols in government facilities,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aynrand.org/site/News2?&id=10889 |title=The Ten Commandments vs. America |first=Harry |last=Binswanger |author-link=Harry Binswanger |date=March 3, 2005 |publisher=Ayn Rand Institute |access-date=June 19, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324085654/http://www.aynrand.org/site/News2?&id=10889 |archive-date=March 24, 2012 }}</ref> and the teaching of "[[intelligent design]]" in public schools.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.aynrand.org/site/News2?&id=11555 |title='Intelligent Design' Is about Religion versus Reason |newspaper=Orange County Register |first=Keith |last=Lockitch |date=December 11, 2005 |access-date=June 19, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324085705/http://www.aynrand.org/site/News2?&id=11555 |archive-date=March 24, 2012 }}</ref> Rand opposed involuntary [[taxation]] and believed government could be financed voluntarily, although she thought this could only happen after other reforms of government were implemented.<ref>{{harvnb|Peikoff|1991|p=368}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Rand|1964|pp=135–137}}</ref>

==== Criticism on politics ====
Some critics, including economists and political philosophers such as [[Murray Rothbard]], [[David D. Friedman]], [[Roy Childs]], [[Norman P. Barry]], and [[Chandran Kukathas]], have argued that Objectivist ethics are consistent with [[anarcho-capitalism]] instead of [[minarchism]].<ref>Childs, Roy (1969). "[http://www.isil.org/ayn-rand/childs-open-letter.html Objectivism and the State: An Open Letter to Ayn Rand]"</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Barry|1987|pp=128–129}}</ref><ref name="Kukathas"/><ref>{{harvnb|Burns|2009|pp=250–251}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://mises.org/easaran/chap3.asp |last=Rothbard |first=Murray N. |author-link=Murray Rothbard |title=Anatomy of the State: What the State Is Not |website=Egalitarianism as a Revolt Against Nature and Other Essays |year=1974}}</ref>