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Atlas Shrugged is a novel by Ayn Rand, first published in 1957 in the United States. Rand's fourth and last novel, it was also her longest, and the one she considered to be her magnum opus in the realm of fiction writing. Atlas Shrugged includes elements of mystery and science fiction, and it contains Rand's most extensive statement of Objectivism in any of her works of fiction.
The book explores a dystopian United States
where many of society's most productive citizens refuse to be exploited
by increasing taxation and government regulations and go on strike. The
refusal evokes the imagery of what would happen if the mythological Atlas refused to continue to hold up the world. They are led by John Galt.
Galt describes the strike as "stopping the motor of the world" by
withdrawing the minds that drive society's growth and productivity. In
their efforts, these people "of the mind" hope to demonstrate that a
world in which the individual is not free to create is doomed, that
civilization cannot exist where every person is a slave to society and
government, and that the destruction of the profit motive leads to the collapse of society. The protagonist, Dagny Taggart, sees society collapse around her as the government increasingly asserts control over all industry.
The novel's title is a reference to Atlas, a Titan of Greek mythology, who in the novel is described as "the giant who holds the world on his shoulders". The significance of this reference is seen in a conversation between the characters Francisco d'Anconia and Hank Rearden,
in which d'Anconia asks Rearden what sort of advice he would give to
Atlas upon seeing that "the greater [the titan's] effort, the heavier
the world bore down on his shoulders". With Rearden unable to answer,
d'Anconia gives his own response: "To shrug".
The theme of Atlas Shrugged, as Rand described it, is "the
role of man's mind in existence". The book explores a number of
philosophical themes that Rand would subsequently develop into the
philosophy of Objectivism.
It advocates the core tenets of Rand's philosophy of Objectivism and
expresses her concept of human achievement. In doing so, it expresses
many facets of Rand's philosophy, such as the advocacy of reason, individualism, capitalism, and the failures of government coercion.
Atlas Shrugged received largely negative reviews after its
1957 publication, but achieved enduring popularity and consistent sales
in the following decades.
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