Abstract

In 1961, Ayn Rand called for "a moral revolution to sanction and complete the political achievement of the American Revolution." Through her novel Atlas Shrugged and the philosophy it presents, Rand shows what must be done to complete the unfinished American Revolution. This essay, written to commemorate the book's fiftieth anniversary, discusses the historical background necessary to understand how Atlas Shrugged accomplishes this purpose.It explains how and why the Revolution was incomplete—focusing on the law's failure to fully protect the rights of businessmen—and suggests how to achieve the "moral revolution" needed to complete the Founders' work