"The New Fascism: Rule by Consensus" by Ayn Rand

Ayn Rand at the Ford Hall Forum - Lesson 5 of 19
Course playlist: • Ayn Rand at the Ford H...
In this 1965 talk, Ayn Rand discusses the “anti-ideology” of pressure group warfare and unlimited majority rule known at the time as “government by consensus.” Rand explains why America, “a country which does abhor fascism, is moving by imperceptible degrees - through ignorance, confusion, evasion, moral cowardice, and intellectual default - not toward socialism or any mawkish altruistic ideal, but toward a plain, brutal, predatory, power-grubbing, de facto fascism.”
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[@glennjohn3824]

Amazing how relevant this speech still is today... eerily depressing actually. More so that I've lived so many years without knowing much about this woman and her great work. Nobody is perfect but she really sharpens the view of how we should be thinking as an individual and the value of our freedom. Every American should read Atlas Shrugged before they graduate.

[@elgrigorio1]

The only reason she is unheard of in schools and universities, is because too many teachers, administrators, etc in the American public as well as public schools, have been communist or socialist sympathizers. Oh how I remember some of them praising FDR and his New Deal, although his policies had a detrimental effect of black businesses and black people, as well as putting Japanese American people in interment camps, not to mention his policies raising the unemployment rate, until WW2, which brought us out of the Great Depression. Whether these teachers knew that or were unaware or ignorant, I cannot be sure.

[@hieronymusbosch9421]

So clear and succinct in expressing her ideas. Would loved to have been in that audience.

[@maxine3978]

I wouldn't like to get brainrot, but you do you

[@hieronymusbosch9421]

@@maxine3978 And you have clearly not understood a word she ever said.

[@Johnnigstomp]

@@maxine3978 what part specifically would cause that?

[@panserspikes6011]

@@maxine3978 😂 Respond much clearer next time. "You do you". Gtfo here with that passive-aggressive bs. What is the issue? U can't explain it, can you? Duh

[@1voluntaryist]

I was. That opening, "I'm going to define my terms so you will know what I am talking about" was intellectually refreshing. I miss her a lot.

[@markpong5435]

After 57 years this speach shows how great her mind was.

[@EarthSurferUSA]

She had a gift that 1 in a million have. I have it also. She understood "premise", like the premise of policy. I call it "The gift of premise". I keep it much more simple than she did though. I can see the premise of any policy, and if it does not come from individualism, then it comes from some sort of collectivism of which I call all, communism. There is very little policy today that comes from the premise of individualism.

[@johncupak3147]

Dam wish we had Ayn Rand for today a speaker of thought and ideas.

[@EarthSurferUSA]

Study, understand, and be Rand. :)

[@runningraven]

Be it.

[@1voluntaryist]

Government by consensus = democracy, i.e., brute force over reason, rights, individual choice.

[@robertwhite970]

Yes I appreciate her words above everyone I can think of in today’s times. I think the democrats and the republicans would agree that she would have to go !!!!

[@bernardporter4589]

Unbelievably and uniquely prescient

[@johnnynick6179]

Objectivism is the next step in the evolution of civilization.

[@tinaelsden7975]

Thank you very much for this podcast. You brought to light a lot of things and I will be listening to this repeatedly to fully grasp it

[@EarthSurferUSA]

Here Rand talks about socialism as the nationalization of production, (I just call all collectivism "communism" to make it simple and immune to definitions changing over time.). But what happened after this is pretty new, sending our production to communist china is "internationalizing" our production (that was created by free people in the USA in the first place.). In true free enterprise, when we do business together, we both win or it is no deal. If free enterprise and communism were compatible, we would not be losing everything we built. The USA (and our lives), have been handed over to communism. Doug in Michigan

[@Mr.Witness]

Nationalization pertains to the primary fact that the government has the right to use and dispose of the property. Where it goes is a derivative

[@drstrangelove09]

Brilliant! I have to keep rewinding and relistening to truly grasp what she's saying, it is going by too fast! Also, I want to correct the subtitles!!! For example it shows "mothers" when the word is "moderates."

[@StudiousCattery]

Why not go into machine learning and speech recognition? Then you'll have correct subtitles.

[@drstrangelove09]

@@StudiousCattery I actually did study speech recognition and pattern recognition in the late 80s in college, in graduate school, so I actually do know something about that, but getting a job doing that was not so easy back in those days.

[@johnnash5118]

I like to imagine Ayn debating NObama.

[@markpong5435]

It is interesting and true, but utopian. Impossible to imagine that ideas of Objectivism will ever become deeply rooted in a society in which crony-capitalism, identity politics, corruption and low standards of education became a social norm. Today the intellectual level of the voters is lower than it was 40-50 years ago due to more degrees in studies than in science. Another reason is immigration of uneducated, illiterate masses which has greatly reduced intellectual level of the whole society. Meritocracy has been replaced by multiculturalism, affirmative actions and diversity. I disagree with Ms. Rand that the reverse is possible. It isn't only Impossible, but it will get even worse. Already many positions in society are occupide by people who are totally unsuited for those positions and situation is getting worse. America has crossed the line of no return and will continue to slide down for years to come.

[@hieronymusbosch9421]

I agree with you except for your description of her philosophy as Utopian. Whilst it may be difficult to imagine it being implemented in the current age, objectivism is anything but Utopian - in fact quite the opposite.

[@glennjohn3824]

I disagree that it's impossible but agree with the essence of your point. Individuals are the source of society so you can't just unplug them or they will die like in the matrix movies. When the student is ready the teacher appears... come to teach, come to be taught... but be ready either way. Freedom requires the ability to think freely and act in your own best interests. Who is John Gault?

[@ryanhocstetler]

I don't see why it [meritocracy] can't happen again if it happened before. Only a matter of when and whom. I do believe, however, an analogous John Galt is either dead or never existed. See what happened to John McAfee. But maybe he's just hidden, as he ought to be, in the meanwhile. We - long-term - need him.

[@TeaParty1776]

You evade free will.

[@ytpah9823]

🎯 Key Takeaways for quick navigation: 00:44 📚 *Defines socialism, fascism, and statism, highlighting that statism is the broader concept encompassing both socialism and fascism.* 02:24 🔄 *Distinguishes between socialism and fascism based on property rights; socialism negates them entirely, while fascism leaves ownership but transfers control to the government.* 04:28 🚫 *Notes the absence of a clear ideological trend in the current culture, leading to a political and moral vacuum filled by fear.* 06:43 🔍 *Critiques the notion of governance by consensus as a means to avoid political principles and accommodate all views without commitment to any ideology.* 10:02 ❌ *Argues that consensus politics divides views into "acceptable" and "unacceptable" by the government, threatening individual and minority rights.* 13:23 ⚖️ *Claims there can be no moderation or compromise between fundamentally opposite principles, asserting the cult of compromise is essential in a mixed economy.* 16:36 🤝 *States that a mixed economy necessitates compromise on everything to maintain order, leading to a civil war of special interests.* 19:33 🏛️ *Observes that in a mixed economy, the desire for a strong government comes from all sectors, seeking to use its power for their advantage.* 22:32 📢 *Highlights the panic and intolerance among moderates and centrists at the prospect of a pro-capitalism movement, indicating a threat to their political game.* 27:43 🔄 *Notes a shift in liberalism from advocating for a planned society and social reforms to focusing on short-term, pragmatic projects without overarching principles.* 28:37 🚫 *Highlights the opposition of contemporary liberals to political philosophy, denouncing political concepts as mere labels and resisting the identification of their own views.* 29:29 🔍 *Describes the modern liberal's lust for power, characterized by a desire for an autocratic, statist, totalitarian government, while lacking a clear mission or purpose.* 30:29 🤔 *Poses the question of whether America is moving toward socialism or fascism, suggesting that the lack of clear ideology makes the direction uncertain.* 33:11 🛑 *Clarifies that a system where the government does not nationalize but controls the economy is fascism, not socialism.* 36:09 📉 *Argues that confusion between capitalism and fascism aids in spreading dangerous misconceptions about capitalism.* 39:56 ⚠️ *Warns that America is gradually moving toward a form of de facto fascism through ignorance, confusion, and intellectual default.* 41:01 🚹 *Characterizes President Johnson as a figure representing the perfect leader for a mixed economy, skilled at manipulating pressure groups.* 43:03 🏭 *Observes the preference of large corporation officials for President Johnson, indicating a division between large and small businessmen in their political outlooks.* 45:52 🗣️ *Identifies guild socialism as a growing economic organization in the U.S., which protects mediocrity at the expense of talent and innovation.* 51:56 📚 *Stresses the influence of pragmatism on America's current state, advocating for the rejection of this philosophy to avert disaster and rediscover capitalism.* Made with HARPA AI

[@sumuva2000]

Isnt voting any govt to power the rule by consensus?

[@mark9377]

yes, that's the problem

[@PrinceBieBrockP]

Government by consensus means that political decisions are made without a vote from neither the public nor representation. The reversal of Roe v. Wade is an example of government by consensus.

[@joanallisonkica739]

Ayn never addresses the Roman Catholic Church & the birth certificated "person." The "issue" is a State issued bond, or statute. One's status is either living or dead. A living man/woman or a decedent estate, the Roman Catholic Church created birth certificated "infant", 1 USC 8. A tertium quid, 35 USC 101, an invented third party. There is no tertium quid in nature.

[@kphaxx]

She never addressed many other forms of nonsense either. 🤷‍♂️

[@mikeb5372]

She has talked about the pope's cyclicals