Egoism and Libertarian Ethics

Synonyms

Laissez-faire; Libertarianism; Self-interest; Selfishness

Introduction

Although not a concept contemplated in ethical terms by either Murray Rothbard or Ludwig von Mises, egoism is strongly present in libertarian philosophy through the work of Ayn Rand: “The Objectivist ethics holds that the actor must always be the beneficiary of his action and that man must act for his own rational self-interest” (Rand 1964: 8). Rand also developed this idea in her fiction, which is chronologically anterior to her philosophy. Her literary work gives context to her philosophy and makes it possible to associate psychology with normative objectivism.

Historically, Rand’s thought was significantly influenced by the political context of the Cold War, which explains both its development and its popularity, in particular in the USA. Against the backdrop of a philosophy of the state rendered as important as the philosophy of the individual, egoism appears as the salutary asceticism needed to resist...