The Freedom to Prosper
“Capitalism demands the best of every man—his rationality—and rewards him accordingly.”
— Ayn Rand
Capitalism is often criticized not for its outcomes—but for its morality. Even those who concede that it “produces the goods” with undeniable success hesitate to offer it full moral praise. As Irving Kristol once put it, capitalism deserves two cheers—not three. Why? Because it seems incompatible with the morality most people uphold: the morality of self-sacrifice, altruism, and other-ism.
But what if that very premise is wrong?
The Morality of Self-Interest
People instinctively resist capitalism because it is rooted in self-interest. This triggers discomfort. Our culture teaches that to be self-interested is to be greedy, dishonest, and destructive. When someone like Bernie Madoff commits massive fraud, he’s labeled as the embodiment of self-interest. And yet, Steve Jobs—also profoundly self-interested—represents creativity, innovation, and value creation. How can both men fit in the same moral category?
The answer lies in how we define self-interest.
True self-interest, as articulated by Ayn Rand, is not whim-worship or emotional impulse. It’s not lying, cheating, or stealing. It is:
- Rational
- Long-term
- Life-affirming
Self-interest means valuing your life enough to act in accordance with reality—to think, to produce, to live with integrity. Bernie Madoff was not self-interested. He was self-destructive. His fraud, lies, and deception violated reality and destroyed his own soul. Steve Jobs, on the other hand, pursued greatness, loved his work, and made human life better in the process.
The Foundations of a Moral Life
Ayn Rand proposes that a moral life—one consistent with human nature—requires three principles:
1. Rationality
We are rational animals. Nature doesn’t give us instincts; it gives us minds. To survive, we must think. Rationality means engaging with facts, understanding cause and effect, and acting in alignment with reality.
Capitalism rewards rationality. The entrepreneur who solves real problems, thinks long-term, and creates value wins.
2. Productiveness
Life is not automatic. We must produce the values our survival depends on—food, shelter, ideas, art, technology.
Capitalism honors this by connecting reward to value creation. Wealth is not a sin; it is a measure of the values one has created for others, through voluntary exchange. It’s how someone like Elon Musk can earn billions—not by force, but by building rockets, cars, and infrastructure that move humanity forward.
3. Trade
All human relationships should be voluntary, mutually beneficial, and win-win. Trade is the rejection of force. It’s a recognition that others are sovereign minds, capable of judging their own values.
In this context, justice means rewarding ability and productivity—not redistributing outcomes by force.
Capitalism as the Moral System
Capitalism is the only system based on voluntary exchange, reason, and individual rights. It:
- Recognizes the individual as an end in himself.
- Leaves people free to pursue their own happiness.
- Rewards virtue: rationality, effort, and integrity.
- Penalizes vice: fraud, evasion, and force.
It is not a system of exploitation—it is a system of freedom.
“When men are free to trade with reason and reality as their only arbiter… it is the best product and the best judgment that win.”
— Ayn Rand
Reclaiming the Concept of Self-Interest
To defend capitalism, we must reclaim self-interest from the moralists who equate it with evil. The morality of self-sacrifice does not elevate the poor—it only disarms the virtuous.
Capitalism is moral because it reflects the truth about human nature: we are individuals with minds, capable of reason, deserving of freedom.
If we want a free society—if we want prosperity, innovation, dignity—we must start by rejecting the false moral code of self-sacrifice and embracing a rational, self-interested ethic.
The Path Forward
Lasting political change doesn’t begin in Washington—it begins in the culture. And culture flows from philosophy. To preserve capitalism, we must change how people think about themselves, their lives, and what it means to be good.
If every child grew up hearing, “Your life is your responsibility. You create your soul,” the world would be different. A culture that honors the independent mind will produce citizens who demand freedom, not servitude.
“The standard for evaluating a system is: does it lead to human flourishing?”
Capitalism does. It’s the only system that does.
Capitalism is moral. Self-interest is moral. Flourishing is moral.
Give capitalism its third cheer.