Atlas Shrugged Ayn Rand

Wall St journal Oct 10 2007 by David Kelley, Capitalist Heroes. (Ayn Rand Atlas Shrugged)

 

At a crucial point in the novel, the industrialist Hank Rearden is on trial for violating an arbitrary economic regualtion. Instead of apologiing for his pursuit of profit or seeking mercy on the basis of Philanthropy, he says, “I work for nothing but my own profit – which I make by selling a product they need to men who are willing and able to buy it. I do not produce it for their benefit at the expense of mine, and they do not buy it for my benefit at the expense of theirs; I do not sacrifice my interests to them nor do they sacrifice theirs to me; we deal as equals by mutual consent to mutual advantage-and I am proud of every penny that I have earned in this manner…”