Ayn Rand

Ayn Rand, born as Alisa Rosenbaum in 1905, was a Russian-American author and philosopher. She is best known for her novels 'Atlas Shrugged' and 'The Fountainhead,' which espouse the doctrines of objectivism and political libertarianism. Rand's family moved to the Crimea after their pharmacy was requisitioned by the Bolsheviks during the Russian Revolution. After attending university in Leningrad, she moved to America in 1926, joining relatives who had previously settled there.

In America, Rand initially worked in the Hollywood film industry, learning English, working in the RKO wardrobe department, and working as an extra. She also wrote screenplays and novels through the night. Her first screenplay was sold in 1932, but her first novel, 'We the Living,' was not successful. However, she achieved fame as a novelist with 'The Fountainhead' in 1943. Objectivism, a philosophy she created, is opposed to state interference of all kinds, and her follow-up novel 'Atlas Shrugged' describes a group who attempt to escape the conspiracy of mediocrity in America. Objectivism has been an influence on various other movements, such as Libertarianism, and Rand's vocal support for Laissez-faire Capitalism and the free market has earned her a distinct spot among American philosophers. Ayn Rand died in 1982, leaving behind a lasting influence on popular thought.