Elites and big business' effects on surrounding societies

Camille Kelleher

Blog Post #3

Ayn Rand’s description of the Northeastern industrial cities, the failed towns of Rome and Starnesville, and the Midwest countryside draws a theme of the elites and big businesses’ effect on surrounding societies. The failure of the Twentieth Century Motor Company reeked total destruction and loss of societal values in the innocent towns of Rome and Starnesville. Both environments are beyond the enduring sense of hopelessness that has kept Northeastern businesses and individuals somewhat alive and productive. 

The interactions that Dagny and Henry have with the family in Starnesville and Mayor Bascom make them look shallow and incompetent. Rand shows how self-interested Rearden is when he offers $10 to the family. His pride in his successful and materialistic ventures has no importance in that society; his offering makes him seem more of a savage then the individuals in that family. The value of finding the electrostatic motor in that community represents how human development has stemmed from simplistic culture and life absent from technology. Consequentially, this is exactly why there is no need for a billboard in the middle of the wilderness; Dagny’s comment is a side effect of wasted and unpractical wealth.  

Rome and Starnesville are the epitome for the phrase “Who is John Galt?” because they are well past any governmental force that could save them. They need a leader with superior and divine power that can reverse the falling human trends that have brought poverty and hardship. The towns potentially represent the path that the Northeastern industrial towns could follow if all the business flee to Colorado. 

Yet, does the possibility of Northeastern towns failing like the ones in Wisconsin  provide sufficient reason for Washington to stunt the development of large businesses like Taggart Transcontinental and Rearden Metal? Should ambitious and industrious businesses feel as if they should take the blame for smaller businesses that don’t have the creativity for profitable business strategies? I think that it is unfair for Dagny and Rearden to be scapegoats for other businesses’ failures; however, my opinion only remains valid as long as each entrepreneur works for individual self-interest and does not form a monopoly with another business.