Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal is a collection of essays, mostly by Ayn Rand, with additional essays by her associates Nathaniel Branden, Alan Greenspan and Robert Hessen. The book focuses on the moral nature of laissez-faire capitalism and private property. The book has a very specific definition of capitalism, a system it regards as broader than simply property rights or free enterprise. It was originally published in 1966. Most of the essays originally appeared in The Objectivist Newsletter or The Objectivist. The hardcover first edition was published by New American Library in 1966. When... the book was published in paperback in 1967, it was revised to include two additional essays. In 1970, Rand revised the introduction to reflect her break with Nathaniel Branden. Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal is, in Rand's words, a comprehensive defense of the only social system consistent with man's requirements as a rational being: laissez-faire capitalism. After an introduction by Rand, the book is divided into two main sections. The first section, "Theory and History", contains essays that focus on the theoretical basis for capitalism and historical arguments related to it.
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