I started reading Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged over vacation. I had read in many places what an awesome book this is but it's a sizable book and I decided it was best saved for a break from the daily routine. I have not finished it yet but it is a staggering read.
The theme of the book is complete control of economies by governments (the "Looters"). The concept of reallocating wealth to those that are neediest vs. rewarding the producers. The industrialists and creators of ideas decide the way to battle this is to go on strike - disappear. The result is all global economies in a downward spiral.
I am a bigger fan of economics than politics. The concept of the book challenges your thoughts on the responsibility for society to find the balance between rewarding production and providing a safety net for the less fortunate (in this book that would be those who do not produce).
The one hole I see in Rand's thesis is she points out that only the upper classes are destroyed in revolution. However, there has not been a society built like the United States - built on freedom of thought and capitalization of ideas. Previous revolutions have occurred against the ruling classes - royalty by birth - not by production.
We shall see how Ms. Rand wraps it up. If you like to read - you need to read this book.
