Vicious Disagreements in the 20th Century

Ayn Rand never declared herself a libertarian, but her political stance can be regarded as libertarian. And, more importantly, she was a huge inspiration in the libertarian movement.

However, her attitude toward libertarians was …, well, here she is, in her own words:

“Libertarians are a monstrous, disgusting bunch of people: they plagiarize my ideas when that fits their purpose, and denounce me in a more vicious manner than any communist publication when that fits their purpose. They’re lower than any pragmatists, and what they hold against Objectivism is morality. They want an amoral political program.”

(By the way, here are 7 more Ayn Rand quotes for living a fulfilling life.)

On the other hand, the founders of the libertarian movement have also been critical of Ayn Rand and her collective. Murray Rothbard, though sympathetic to Rand when Atlas Shrugged was released in 1957, charged her and her followers for being a cult.

Learn more about Rand and her philosophy:

Four Points of Contention

1. The main dispute between Objectivists and libertarians lies in the debate between politics and economics. As you can learn here, Objectivism perceives politics as merely a reflection of morality, while morality derives from metaphysics and epistemology. Radical capitalism emerges as an inevitable consequence of Objectivist ethics, grounded in rational self-interest — an imperative, considering the absolute nature of objective reality and the role of reason in its discovery. 

Objectivists argue that the foundation of capitalism and individual rights in politics should rest on a solid ethical (philosophical) background. Without such a background, there exists a void that can be filled with subjective and intuitive philosophies. Objectivists always stress the necessity of philosophy as a sine qua non for the development of political theories.

See also:

Meanwhile, the libertarian central axiom of the non-initiation of force is predominantly perceived through the lens of ethics and economics. Libertarians, however, do not provide an exclusive philosophical justification for the axiom. Consequently, while some libertarians do accept Objectivism as a philosophy of liberty, others have adopted alternative philosophical views (such as subjectivism, moral relativism, skepticism, utilitarianism, theism, etc.) or express an indifferent attitude towards philosophy as such.

2. The second point of disagreement lies in the question of the state. Objectivism takes a strict stance on the role of the state in society. It advocates for the existence of a state in the form of a night-watchman state. Despite expressing support for a minimal state, Objectivists argue that taxation should be voluntary, and this stance opens the door to further debate regarding the nature of such a state. Nevertheless, Objectivists have been engaged in a vocal verbal attack on anarchists, often putting them together with communists, fascists, and collectivists.

The libertarian political position involves two basic “isms”: minarchism and anarchism. Minarchists are libertarians who support a minimal or a night-watchman state to safeguard individual rights. The majority of libertarians align with minarchism or believe in the necessity of some form of government.

Learn more about minarchism and anarchism:

3. The third point of disagreement revolves around the approach to (mainly U.S.) foreign policy. While the majority of libertarians embrace an isolationist stance concerning foreign political issues, Rand advocated for ethical interference, or the moral right of a free country (such as the U.S.) to intervene in the affairs of dictatorships.

Both libertarians and Objectivists support free trade and the abolition of trade barriers, protective tariffs, special privileges, and other forms of government interference in economic processes. However, this point of contention lies in the question of the legitimacy of foreign (military) intervention.

4. The final point of difference concerns the approach toward the ideas and interpretations of philosophy and political positions. Libertarianism is a broad ideology, involving different perspectives on human liberty. In contrast, Objectivism offers a strict interpretation and does not accommodate challenges to its ideas from third parties. Libertarianism is generally more inclusive of different approaches, embracing a diversity of philosophical and cultural backgrounds. Within the liberty movement, one can find atheists, believers, moralists, utilitarians, anarchists, minarchists, and paleo-libertarians — all (more or less) united under a central axiom. Ayn Rand was highly critical of this diversity, which is why she labeled libertarians as “hippies of the right.”

Reconciliation in the 21st Century?

Ayn Rand and her novels were a profound source of inspiration for leading figures in the libertarian movement such as Rothbard, Ludwig von Mises, Walter Block, Peter J. Boettke, David Boaz, and others. This speaks volumes about their importance. Thus, it’s evident that there can be no libertarianism with Objectivism opting out.

Libertarianism and Objectivism experienced the peak of their antagonism during the latter half of the 20th century. However, through the efforts of contemporary student networking groups, like Students For Liberty, and the support of generous and visionary sponsors, both are reemerging on the intellectual and activist stage in the 21st. This time around, they should be and are viewed as friendly, each possessing distinct attributes, though not immune to further challenges and a determination to work together toward a freer, better, and virtuous society.

Their philosophical and economic rationales for liberty — answering the question of “Why liberty?” — are complementary facets of the same principle, two sides of the same coin.

Are you a student interested in getting involved in pro-liberty activism? By applying to join Students For Liberty’s Local Coordinator Program, you can be supported in promoting the ideas of liberty while also developing your skills and meeting many like-minded students from across the world. Click on the button below to find out more and get involved!

This piece solely expresses the opinion of the author and not necessarily the organization as a whole. Students For Liberty is committed to facilitating a broad dialogue for liberty, representing a variety of opinions.