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Wouldn't John Galt Put Ellis Wyatt Out of Business? What Happens t

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Dustin86

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*** Atlas Shrugged Spoilers ahead *** (added by sN)

 

 

Note: The title of this thread was meant to be "Wouldn't John Galt Put Ellis Wyatt Out of Business? What Happens to the Jobless in an Objectivist Society?", but it was truncated by the system.

 

Let me first preface this by saying that I think John Galt's motor, which uses no power source other than "atmospheric static electricity", is a scientific impossibility.

 

However, if the possibility is entertained, John Galt would quickly drive Ellis Wyatt out of business. This is because if people could simply put one of John Galt's motors in their cars and trucks, who would ever pay for gas again? Nobody. They wouldn't need it.

 

Ellis Wyatt, being the shale oil magnate of Galt's Gulch Valley (a hidden location in Atlas Shrugged where the "producers" all moved to escape the "looter" society), would obviously be the loser here.

 

Now, Objectivists may reply that Wyatt's shale oil business would still survive, albeit on a smaller scale, since people also need plastics and petrochemicals, which come from oil.

 

However, what if Ken Dagganer (who also lives in the Valley) were able to produce synthetic oil from coal at a cheaper price than Wyatt was able to produce shale oil, and Dagganer was able to produce enough of it to fulfill the Valley's needs for plastics and other petrochemicals without seriously eating into the coal he had to produce for other purposes. (In reality, vastly less oil goes into producing plastics and petrochemicals than into our cars and trucks.)

 

Ellis Wyatt, now out of business, would have to hunt for a job. However, what if Wyatt found that there were simply no job openings in the Valley. Ellis Wyatt would find himself a jobless man inside an Objectivist society. It seems his only realistic choice would then be to leave the Valley and rejoin the "Subjectivist" society outside.

Edited by softwareNerd
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The book explains it better than I can actually.  First, work is time and the motor increases everyone's time greatly.  Productivity will benefit all.  Wyatt will benefit in a world of cheap energy just like you and I would.

 

Second, Wyatt will either put his genius into a new business or go work for the man who is by definition a better energy producer than him.  Galt would hire him since he is a scientist who needs good industrialists.  Like the man said in the Valley, he'd give it up to be a cinder sweeper for Rearden since he's make more with him then on his own.  

 

Remember - The book is about the mind. Those with it can turn it to any productive endeavor.  

 

I will add that one does not lament the demise if the ice delivery guy when the reason is getting a refrigerator.  Unless you really want to live in a world of stagnation and no progress then industries SHOULD die when a better answer comes along.  I for one am thankful my long commute to work isn't compounded by owning a horse and buggy that was kept to save jobs not lost to the more effect automobile. 

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Wouldn't John Galt Put Ellis Wyatt Out of Business?

 

No, but his invention would probably cause him to change his business to some extent, to adapt to the new market conditions. But then again, all businesses have to constantly change to do that, so one more reason to change would not be a big deal.

What Happens to the Jobless in an Objectivist Society?

 

Depends.

 

Those who wish to and are able to work, but currently can't find jobs because the many laws hindering free trade, would be able to find them more easily.

 

Those who are unable to work would be able to ask for help, and everyone who thinks they should be helped (I've never talked to anyone who doesn't, btw.) would be able to help them. 

 

Those who choose not to work would likely be affected negatively, because they wouldn't be able to live off taxpayers, and few people would be willing to give them money.

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