About the Course
Explore Ayn Rand’s moral and philosophic case for capitalism, the social system based on individual rights, and how to defend it on solid ground.
Is capitalism the best social system because it brings “the greatest good to the greatest number,” as many economists claim? Does capitalism lead to coercive monopolies and depressions, as its opponents say? Must capitalism be mixed with regulations to mitigate its inherent inequities, as conservatives argue?
In Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal, Ayn Rand dispatched such claims and provided evidence-based reasoning to show what capitalism is, how it differs from other social systems, and why it is both moral and practical—for the same reason: because it establishes and protects the social conditions necessary for human flourishing.
In this reading group, Martin Hooss will lead discussions on selected essays from Rand’s Capitalism, focusing on the integration of the moral and the practical, and comparing and contrasting her views with those of influential economists such as Frédéric Bastiat and Ludwig von Mises.
Take a deep dive into the moral and political thought of America’s first “radical for capitalism.” You’ll profit immensely.
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How This Course Works
This course is interactive and discussion-driven, so enrollment is limited. Register early to secure your spot.
The course is held live on Zoom, which you can download for free here. Sessions are video recorded, so if you miss a session (or want to review), you can watch the recording. OSI may sell course recordings and/or use them for marketing, promotional, or educational purposes.
Homework assignments are optional. Doing them may require an additional hour or more per week but will greatly enhance what you learn in this course.
If you don’t have a copy of the book, you need to get one so you can read the chapters we’ll be discussing each week. You can purchase the book from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, BetterWorldBooks, or practically any other bookstore. We recommend a print copy of the book, but if you prefer an electronic copy, that is fine, too. (If your financial situation is such that you cannot afford to purchase a copy of the book, please let us know by emailing [email protected], and we will help you get one.)
Course handouts and supplementary materials are delivered via email. Course participants are invited to an exclusive OSI Courses group on Facebook, where they can post questions and engage in discussions with the instructor and other participants.
Have a question that wasn’t answered here? Read our FAQ or email us at [email protected].
By enrolling, you agree to OSI’s Course Terms and Conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
OSI courses are live, interactive, and discussion-driven, so enrollment is limited. Register early to secure your spot.
Courses are held on Zoom, and sessions are recorded, so if you miss a session (or want to review), you can watch the recording. You can download Zoom for free here.
Courses vary in length. And some involve homework. Please see the specific course pages for details.
Course handouts and supplementary materials are delivered via email (please register with an active email address). Participants have access to an exclusive OSI Courses group on Facebook.
Zoom is a free video-conferencing app that we use to conduct our courses. You can download it here.
Sessions are video recorded, so if you miss a session (or want to review), you can watch the recording. That said, we highly recommend attending each live session so that you can ask questions and engage with your instructor(s) and other participants.
If you do miss a session, we recommend that you watch the recording before attending the next session.
Anyone aged 29 or younger may apply for an OSI scholarship to cover the full cost of a course. For information on how the scholarships work, please visit our Scholarships page.
You can see all current and past courses here.
If you have a question that isn’t answered in the FAQ or course description, please email us at [email protected].
