The problem I have with Ayn Rand's philosophy is that while private enterprise can do a better job than government for a good many things, her "laissez faire" ideology that businesses should just be left to do what they want isn't really the best idea, either. Just look at what Big Pharma is doing to us all.
Very true. The excuse I make for Rand though is that during her time, there wasn't a clearly established link between enourmous corporations (like Amazon) and political leftist, like there is today.
If anything, back then it tended towards the other way. Today though we have the clarity of being able to see how big business and leftism go hand in hand.
Actually, one of the running themes of "Atlas Shrugged" was what we today call "cronyism" in relationships between the government and favored industries. She was very aware of this incestuous relationship, and always made the point that it was not a feature of capitalism, but a corruption of capitalism. Businesses could not seek favors unless the government had favors to hand out.
The problem I have with Ayn Rand's philosophy is that while private enterprise can do a better job than government for a good many things, her "laissez faire" ideology that businesses should just be left to do what they want isn't really the best idea, either. Just look at what Big Pharma is doing to us all.
Very true. The excuse I make for Rand though is that during her time, there wasn't a clearly established link between enourmous corporations (like Amazon) and political leftist, like there is today.
If anything, back then it tended towards the other way. Today though we have the clarity of being able to see how big business and leftism go hand in hand.
Actually, one of the running themes of "Atlas Shrugged" was what we today call "cronyism" in relationships between the government and favored industries. She was very aware of this incestuous relationship, and always made the point that it was not a feature of capitalism, but a corruption of capitalism. Businesses could not seek favors unless the government had favors to hand out.
Well, there was Nazi Germany, which was big corproations merged with socialist leftists.