Атлант расправил плечи
The Utopia of Greed
I’masortoffreakhere,anyway.Noneofthemapproveofmyparticularmethodoffightingourbattle.Johndoesn’t,Dr.Akstondoesn’t.Theythinkthatmylifeistoovaluableforit.But,yousee,myfatherwasabishop—andofallhisteachingstherewasonlyonesentencethatIaccepted:‘Alltheythattaketheswordshallperishwiththesword.’"
"Whatdoyoumean?"
"Thatviolenceisnotpractical.Ifmyfellowmenbelievethattheforceofthecombinedtonnageoftheirmusclesisapracticalmeanstoruleme—letthemlearntheoutcomeofacontestinwhichthere’snothingbutbruteforceononeside,andforceruledbyamind,ontheother.EvenJohngrantsmethatinourageIhadthemoralrighttochoosethecourseI’vechosen.Iamdoingjustwhatheisdoing—onlyinmyownway.Heiswithdrawingman’sspiritfromthelooters,I’mwithdrawingtheproductsofman’sspirit.Heisdeprivingthemofreason,I’mdeprivingthemofwealth.Heisdrainingthesouloftheworld,I’mdrainingitsbody.Hisisthelessontheyhavetolearn,onlyI’mimpatientandI’mhasteningtheirscholasticprogress.But,likeJohn,I’msimplycomplyingwiththeirmoralcodeandrefusingtograntthemadoublestandardatmyexpense.OratRearden’sexpense.Oratyours."
"Whatareyoutalkingabout?"
"Aboutamethodoftaxingtheincometaxers.Allmethodsoftaxationarecomplex,butthisoneisverysimple,becauseit’sthenakedessenceofalltheothers.