Was Ayn Rand a facist?

[Psy]

I was watching a old interview of Ayn Rand and the topic went into the crisis in gas prices (this was from the 1970's), where she says primitive societies (Arabs) don't have any moral rights to own resources and their resources, as these rights are reserved only to advanced civilians and the imperialist powers (she didn't use that term) invested resources and effort in building up these nations (she ignores that these nations were only build up to better exploit their resources) thus these imperialist powers own these nations.

She goes onto explain that the high gas prices are caused by a monopoly by uncivilized barbarians that stole oil from the US and UK. Ignoring that the situation would still exist if the oil in the Middle East didn't exist.

I just though that is something Hitler would have said if he had a American talk show in the 1970's.

[Schrödinger's Cat]

There's an interesting road of connectivity between fascism, Objectivism, and even anarcho-capitalism. Fascists optimize the term "freedom" to mean freedom for a particular national/ethnic group to succeed. Freedom for objectivists and anarcho-capitalists means freedom to exploit.

Ayn Rand was particularly monstrous, especially with her self-concerned philosophy.

Socialism, in contrast, is built on the principle of liberty and scientific observations.

[Os Cangaceiros]

The thing you have to realize is that Ayn Rand was essentially the Ann Coulter of the American school of capitalist libertarianism. She said many, MANY outrageous and absurd things, and used many colorful invectives to label her ideological opponents, including "barbarians", "Attillas", and "looters". I wouldn't take anything she says seriously, to tell you the truth. No one does today, anyway; in fact, there's a sizable (and growing) faction within "libertarianism" that rejects her outright. Most of them are Rothbardians, though, so that isn't exactly a hopeful developement, heh.

Really, though, it's telling that no one in academia takes Objectivism seriously. There's nothing intrinsically "moral" or objectively right about selfishness.

[Psy]

The thing you have to realize is that Ayn Rand was essentially the Ann Coulter of the American school of capitalist libertarianism. She said many, MANY outrageous and absurd things, and used many colorful invectives to label her ideological opponents, including "barbarians", "Attillas", and "looters". I wouldn't take anything she says seriously, to tell you the truth. No one does today, anyway; in fact, there's a sizable (and growing) faction within "libertarianism" that rejects her outright. Most of them are Rothbardians, though, so that isn't exactly a hopeful developement, heh.

Really, though, it's telling that no one in academia takes Objectivism seriously. There's nothing intrinsically "moral" or objectively right about selfishness.

The thing was the interviewer lobbed Middle Eastern independence at her, yet she went off that Middle Eastern independence is bad thing because the imperialist powers invested resources in their Middle Eastern colonies so gaining independence from a imperial power is equal to theft. Also we should not feel sorry for these nations because they are underdeveloped thus not deserving of our pity.

[Os Cangaceiros]

I don't know. It seems pretty logical, from her point of view.

If capitalist powers were to invest all that money into foreign countries and then not utilize said countries to their monetary advantage, and instead grant the countries their independence, that would be horribly altruistic.

[TheCultofAbeLincoln]

Do you have a link to that interview?

[Psy]

Do you have a link to that interview?
Yup

Ayn Rand Phil Donahue Interview Part 1 of 5 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzGFytGBDN8)

Ayn Rand Phil Donahue Interview Part 2 of 5 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUwTHn-9hhU)

Ayn Rand Phil Donahue Interview Part 3 of 5 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6N4KbLbGYgk) (where she talks about how imperialism is just)

Question and answers.
Ayn Rand Phil Donahue Interview Part 4 of 5 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-q7cje1I3VM)

Ayn Rand Phil Donahue Interview Part 5 of 5 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfqq4VKh1xM)

She once again defends imperialism in the questions and answer section by suggesting the plight of colonial people is not the same of the suffering of the people of the west, by agreeing that Hitler was bad for oppressing Europeans but colonial people oppressed by imperial powers is fine.