In an 1815 letter to Thomas Jefferson, John Adams wrote, "What do we mean by the Revolution? The war? That was no part of the revolution; it was only an effect and consequence of it. The revolution was in the minds of the people..."

The founding fathers were much more philosophic thinkers than most today -- certainly the shouting hoards of militant, irrational liberals who call themselves intellectuals -- and our founders understood the role of ideas as the essential driving factor that motivates the actions of men. 

From the enlightenment era's deep respect for reason and the individual that preceded the American Revolution, to the bizarre mystical altruist collectivism of Kant, Hegel and Marx that led to the totalitarian uprisings of the Nazis and the Communists, to the cognitive disintegration and nihilism of the filth-ridden haters of the New Left, no significant cultural movement or fundamental change has occurred without some ideological base -- nor has any existing society survived without it.

Right now our country is in a period of ideological upheaval, which lies at the chaotic root of the political upheaval we see in the out-of-control, power hungry Obama regime, the pathetically weak Republican opposition, the deep cultural divisions, and the beginnings of violent civil unrest in the "occupy" movement. 

While immediate political action is absolutely necessary, long term stability and a return to prosperity and freedom -- perhaps even exceeding that of the past -- are ultimately only possible with a widespread, consistent, rational defense of freedom and individual rights. 

For that, we need intellectual ammunition accompanied by the most widespread advocacy for good, rational ideas possible.  This is the purpose of my weekly Saturday morning podcast: to advocate for such ideas, to provide a forum for their discussion and dissemination among defenders of freedom, and to offer moral support for your continued resolve in our fight to save the country.

This week, my discussion was focused on discussion of the theory and justification for individual rights.  You can listen to an archived recording by clicking on this link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/defending_capitalism/2011/11/05/defending-capitalism


In the show I mentioned a series of references for further reading on the Objectivist theory of rights.  Here are some of those references, in no particular order:

Moral Rights and Political Freedom -- Tara Smith

The Capitalist Manifesto -- Andrew Bernstien

Capitalism: the Unknown Ideal -- Ayn Rand

Ayn Rand's Theory of Rights: the Moral Foundation for a Free Society -- Craig Biddle (http://www.theobjectivestandard.com/issues/2011-fall/ayn-rand-theory-rights.asp)

Atlas Shrugged -- Ayn Rand

Objectivism: the Philosophy of Ayn Rand -- Leonard Peikoff

The Virtue of Selfishness -- Ayn Rand

We the Living -- Ayn Rand