"Francisco's Money Speech"

There's been a resurgence of interest in Ayn Rand's classic book, Atlas Shrugged. This 50+ year old 1000+ page book suddenly jumped in 2009 to #95 on Amazon's list of bestsellers. Sue Grafton's book, U, only made #99.

I've written about Atlas before. While I don't agree with everything Rand advocates, I do think Atlas is one of several books she's written that everyone should read. Certainly every business owner should read Atlas.

Maybe 1000+ pages is more than you can take. At least read "Francisco's Money Speech," which is the response of one character in the book to a vapid woman's disdain toward business and the pursuit of profit...

"So you think that money is the root of all evil?" said Francisco d'Anconia. "Have you ever asked what is the root of money? Money is a tool of exchange, which can't exist unless there are goods produced and men able to produce them. Money is the material shape of the principle that men who wish to deal with one another must deal by trade and give value for value. Money is not the tool of the moochers, who claim your product by tears, or of the looters, who take it from you by force. Money is made possible only by the men who produce. Is this what you consider evil?

Read the rest at Capitalism Magazine. If you do, I bet you'll want to buy the book.