AYN RAND’S POLITICAL OBJECTIVISM: AN APPRAISAL

SOURCE:

Faculty: Arts
Department: Department Of Philosophy

CONTRIBUTORS:

Ofoegbu, F.C;
Mbaegbu, C;

ABSTRACT:

Ayn Rand’s Objectivism is a philosophy based on objective reality. It holds that reality exists as an objective absolute. And man’s “reason” is his means of perceiving it and his means of survival, so if he wants to live and survive he has to hold the “reason” as absolute. Thus political objectivism emphasizes on individual absolute freedom in the society. It states that everyman in peaceful pursuit of his happiness has an absolute right to his or her own life, liberty, and property. And it is the duty of the government to protect these rights. Hence, this dissertation makes a philosophical appraisal of political objectivism of Rand. It uses the analytic method that deals on the project of logical analysis, by dissolving and breaking down the concepts and issues of discussion into simple parts, in order to display its logical structures for easy understanding and application. Thus, this work will analyze the political objectivism (philosophy) of Rand. It finds that Rand’s political objectivism promotes individualism and capitalism, as against altruism and collectivism, endangering moral socio-political system and development. Again, it suggests universal communalism as an alternative framework to Rand’s political objectivism. This is because universal communalism makes a progressive, peaceful, and harmonious co-existence in the society.