Anthem
by Ayn Rand

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• ISBN13: 9780451191137
• Condition: New
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Book Reviews of Anthem

Book Review: "A libel on the human race"
Summary: 1 Stars

Who the hell would ever line up and willfully participate or supposedly be coerced into a society that just about anyone would find stiffling, unproductive, unstimulating, and so horribly oppressive? The answer is that only the tiniest minority --perhaps in a monastary or some fanatical collective or cult--would submit to such conditions. Human beings are not stupid and they naturally desire freedom and justice. Almost no one, for example, would chose to be slave, for example. Also, history is full of examples of humanity struggling against slavery, colonialism, and even elite corporate globalization. Revolt against systems that oppress seems to be natural to us. People are much smarter than Ayn Rand portrays them; in a very short time almost everyone--and this is definite socialist speaking--would revolt against the undemocratic and just downright klunky and stupid socioeconomic system hammered out in this book. Human beings are not herd animals acting only by instinct. This Randian dystopia is not tenable equillibrium for human beings. "We" are freedom-loving and necessarily reciprocating and beautifully complex social beings as well (oh, sorry for the use of that ghastly "bromide", 'social').

I should also say here that I agree with the protagonist's reaction to the council's rejection of his pitch; I don't think that I would have come to the conclusion of self-worship at which he arrived, though.

Next, I notice many of the reviews here call this book an example of collectivism, socialism, or communism. It is none of these. If any of you objectivists bothered to read even one fair rendering or exposition of socialism you would know that true socialism or communism is based on the acheivement of economic abundance that would be shared so all could be individuals in their own right and not condemmed to being a member of a 'labor force'. Self-management, democracy, and the autonomy of producers (workers) is paramount. So no aged, uniquely empowered, bony-fingered council members to doom you to being a "street sweeper" for the rest of your life.

Not only does this book slander and misrepresent socialism. It does not even remotely resemble some of the most authoritarian state socialisms which were supposedly the harbingers of Rand's dystopia. Under the worst form of collectivism, say, Stalinism, I'm sure that people still chose (o.k., sometimes assigned) work according to apptitude. What's more, math and science were given an extremely high priority in the Soviet Union. For many years, the government of the U.S. was quite concerned about the economic development of the U.S.S.R. Where was there any indication that socialisms of the 1930s would someday lead to electricity being abolished from the face of the earth?

I could go on I suppose, but I just must end by saying that I do not reccommend this ridiculous book except if you want a quick introduction to Objectivist ideas. To be fair, I have heard that she has written better books. I have read parts of "Capitalism: the Unknown Ideal" and I have had enough. "Anthem" is not even good as a sample of a good individualist or pro-capitalist argument (for that, you might read Uncle Milty's "Capitalism and Freedom"). I believe Rand's form of ethical egoism to be a immoral system in which you can exert power and coerce other human beings for your own profit. Objectivism is an apologia for the unequal and unjust exercise of property and power and the privilages that result...elitism, pure and simple.

We should reject both capitalist control over our lives and our economy and revolt against state tranny as well...as "we" always have throughout history, in our time, and surely in the future.

If you want a truly masterful dystopia, read that of the great socialist truth-teller and lover of freedom George Orwell: "1984".

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