Society's Impact During Economic Recession
Throughout its existence, society goes through various stages of growth and development that have an effect on its social and economic aspects. The specific cycle of development that the society is going through has an impact on the two facets of society, either negatively or positively. Every society has an economic recession that, over the course of a certain period of time, causes a general decline in economic activity, which is primarily characterized by subpar performance in key activities that generate revenue. Every person's socioeconomic views, values, and ideologies that they adhere to in their daily lives change during this time. While some people are adaptive to the changing economic environment, others grow superstitious beliefs and cut off their ability to respond creatively to the need for survival during the period of poor performance of business.
Definition and Causes of a Recession
The definition of a recession is period declining economic performance of society caused by various factors including political, ideological practice which may trigger a downward dive of society’s economic status. The Atlas Shrugged book by Ayn Rand explores society during harsh economic times and how these changes impact individual beliefs to contribute towards their survival responses. Tough economic times in every community sparks a chain of reactions through every individual existing in it based on individual mental capacities of each of them. What one believes translates to what one does to survive and eventually that determines the position they occupy in that society as it gradually grows out of the recession phase. The selfish nature of man for survival significantly develops during this cycle, and the result is individualism is more evident at the end of the period. Humankind is only able to share when they have in abundance.
The Impact of Recession in Atlas Shrugged
A recession is a physical characteristic that defines the society in the novel Atlas Shrugged. In the first part of the book, chapters one and two, Ayn Rand introduces a setting of harsh economic conditions and struggling businesses. Taggart Transcontinental company is the middle of financial crises and is struggling to stay afloat by connecting its services to Colorado, the region with the last economic boom due to its industrial activities. The company’s Vice President, shown as the last of the many businessmen in the country who strives to keep the company in business although many of her colleagues are quickly giving up and choosing either retirement or relocation to other regions. Political intervention or in Taggart's opinion interruption to nationalizing San Sebastian Line into ownership by the Mexican government is further worsening the situation. At the beginning of chapter one, Taggart encounters Eddie Willers, one the company’s employees, who rhetorically asks her “Who is John Galt?” and in response gives the employee some money. The metaphor represents a state of hopelessness by the majority of people when faced with an economic recession. The state of Eddie Willer represents the majority of people and how they cope with worsening economic conditions in the society. A flashback of Eddie further enhances the metaphor to an oak tree struck by lightening years back becoming hollow and eventually dead.
The Moral Vision of Atlas Shrugged
David Kelly, in his article, ‘The Capitalist Ideal: The Moral Vision of Atlas Shrugged,' he explains why Atlas Shrugged is a revolutionary work to clearly bring out the brutal nature of statism and explore the moral responsibility of the individual in a collective setting of society. He categorically explains the importance of individual responsibility and why economic freedom is crucial in the development of personal welfare. Using illustration of the characters of Dagny and Rearden, Kelly discusses how Ayn Taggart integrates rationale, industrial production, and trading activities as the key attributes for survival that society or state should not limit individuals so as to stimulate growth and encourage actual competition.
The Revolutionary Philosophy
Similarly the article, ‘The Revolutionary Philosophy’ uses the character of Dr. Robert Stadler to explore the arguments of the concepts of man’s happiness as presented in the book Atlas Shrugged. The underlying reason and rationale in this article are that in fact, human beings is capable of morally identifying with the purpose of his life leading to the remarkable achievement of happiness as the absolute in his life.
Individual Beliefs and Society's Progress
The two article relate to the fundamental principles of living life and accomplishing one’s purpose as argued in the book Atlas Shrugged. The characters of Dagny, Rearden and Dr. Stadler collectively show that indeed every human is responsible for the creation of the happiness or contradictions in their life. In summary, Ayn uses creatively fabricates a society that relates to our society today and shows how individual beliefs shape how we grow out of that situation to progress. While Dagny and Rearden step up to invent an alloy that will help the company adapt and emerge out of the worsening economic situation, they have to overcome social stigma of being labelled capitalist. On the other hand Dr. Stadler believes that his scientific research endeavors should be financed by the people through forceful taxation, an act which is forcefully a violation of one’s personal rights. In fact it is an act of parasitism.
Works Cited
Rand, Ayn. Atlas Shrugged. 2016.
The Atlas Society, atlassociety.org/atlas-shrugged/atlas-shrugged-blog/3776-the-capitalist-ideal-the-moral-vision-of-atlas-shrugged.
"The Revolutionary Philosophy of Atlas Shrugged." The Atlas Society, atlassociety.org/atlas-shrugged/atlas-shrugged-blog/3169-the-revolutionary-philosophy-of-atlas-shrugged?highlight=WyJhd
WORK CITED
