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Jennifer Burns: On Ayn Rand and the Election

Pointing out the correlation between Rand and Vice Presidential candidate Paul Ryan, Burns explains how Rand's philosophy of the "virtue of selfishness" and "favor of the individual" has become a tenant of American politics today.
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Republican vice presidential candidate, Rep. Paul Ryan, R-Wis., acknowledges the crowd at a campaign rally at Oakland University in Rochester, Mich., Monday, Oct. 8, 2012. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Stanford Professor Jennifer Burns recently spoke with us about her new book Goddess of the Market: Ayn Rand and the American Right. Pointing out the correlation between Rand and Vice Presidential candidate Paul Ryan, Burns explains how Rand's philosophy of the "virtue of selfishness" and "favor of the individual" has become a tenant of American politics today.

Interestingly, Burns says Rand might not have been a Romney/Ryan supporter, saying that "if these two religious believers are elected they will ultimately grow the state and endanger freedom because they don't fully understand capitalism."

What do you think of Ayn Rand's philosophy? Let us know by leaving a comment below.

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