Yaron Brook on Capitalism, Question 2 - Ayn Rand Institute

http://www.aynrand.org

Dr. Yaron Brook answers a question on whether there is a connection between anti-semitism and altruism.

From the Q-&-A period of a lecture titled "Why Unregulated Laissez-Faire Capitalism Is the Only Moral Social System," delivered at the University of California, Irvine, on April 14, 2008.

Yaron Brook is president and executive director of the Ayn Rand Institute in Irvine, California.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Ayn
• Rand
• Institute
• interest
• Christian
• Jews
• usury
• mortal
• sin
• middle
• ages
• capitalism
• anti-semitism
• altruism
• selfishness
• commentary
• analysis

[legendre007]

Dr. Brook is right. I read "Mein Kampf." Contrary to anti-capitalist propaganda from the likes of Edwin Black, Hitler's hatred for Jews doesn't come from Hitler being an elitist assuming that Jews are underdogs whom big capitalist Nazis can stomp on. Rather, "Mein Kampf" accuses Jews of being greedy capitalist elitist Social Darwinist bullies who exploit the poor Aryan proletariat. Anti-Semitism has long stemmed from pro-altruist ideologues' stereotyping of Jews as self-interested capitalists.

[cesar69montoya]

great stuff

[IHeartDenver]

@ulysseinvest What you pointed to- lehmn, goldman, morgan- were not results of egoists, capitalists, individualists. Any half decent objectivist and laissez faire capitalist can see the difference from someone like Steve Jobs would used his mind to create wealth and those listed above who used government to get their money and to save their companies.

[flyermay]

And second: usury is not allowed in the old testament for Jews towards Gentiles (non-Jews); it's prohibited for everyone alright, and proof of it is that all Abrahamic religions originally condemned usury at least until the middle ages.

What happened is that Talmudic Law changed in the 12th century, thanks to the arguments of Maimonides, and they allows usury for Jews towards Gentiles, but still not towards other Jews.

[flyermay]

Two corrections:

First, the reason for all Abrahamic religions to consider usury (interests) immoral, and therefore being prohibited, is not because of altruism; it's because of cultural heritage of ancient laws from the Middle East.

Usury was banned from ancient Sumer; but only in reference to money, and not for interests generated from other goods. The reason is that they considered money sterile -unlike other goods often lent (i.e. seeds, livestock)- and therefore, its interests immoral.

[BillCashmere]

Thanks for posting this! This is well appreciated!

[takewhole]

All religions and religious leaders highly condemn the practice of usury. Even in the old testament charging interest is likened to shedding blood/murder. However the exception is that Jews are allowed to practice Usury to non-jews as non-jews are considered inferior and akin to animals in human bodies and so it is acceptable to enslave them in any which way a Jew pleases. It is normally european/american jews who practice this to the highest level. God will take these bastards to account.

[ulysseinvest]

I like Ayn Rand - and usually like what Brook has to say. But I think he is missing one point. There is a difference between building wealth and stealing wealth. Steve Jobs, Warren Buffet, John Lennon, gave stuff to the public which the public paid for and wealth was created - no-one ever complained. Lehman, Goldman, Morgan - mostly abused from loopholes in the money supply and gov agencies by building products they knew weren't viable... this was no real "wealth creation"...

[pitbull103]

Speech therapy.

[MohammedbenDover]

MoonMankkkkkk, you make an interesting comment. I think I see your point now.

[MoonMankkkkkk]

Regardless of why the Jews took up such a practice, they don't need a justfication for it. The same mentality that would cause bigotry towards Jews, shunning them from common job practices, is ethically consistent with holding a grudge against their usury. In essence, crtisizing the Jews for their usury is not an innocent sentiment, even without a knowledge of their historical treatment.

[MohammedbenDover]

I don't know. Ask the anti-semites. The question and the answer in the clip was in regards to anti-semitism, money-lending, and altruism.

Did you listen to the clip, or are you just trying to be argumentative?