Law and Ayn Rand: Objectivism from the Perspective of Legal Philosophy
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.52195/pm.v17i2.101Abstract
Objectivism, the philosophy of Ayn Rand, subordinates legal concepts to radical capitalism as a political ideal. Such concepts, however, play an important role in her political thought. Scrutiny of those writings where Ayn Rand deals with these concepts shows a middle ground between Natural Law, Positivist and Legal Realist perspectives. According to Objectivism, objectivity becomes the essential feature of Law in the stricter sense. In this respect, Rand’s approach moves away from the philosophical influences of Aristotle and Saint Thomas Aquinas, and proclaims the incompatibility of the minimal state with uncertainty and any kind of discretionary powers in the legal field. The contrast with Hayek’s later legal-philosophical contribution points to the feasibility of an integration into what could constitute the basis for a Libertarian legal science.
Keywords: Ayn Rand, Objectivism, political philosophy, philosophy of Law, Law.
JEL Classification: K10, K20, K21, K30.
Resumen: En el objetivismo, la filosofía de Ayn Rand, el tratamiento de los conceptos jurídicos se subordina al capitalismo radical como ideal político. Dichos conceptos, sin embargo, juegan un papel importante en esta teorización. El examen de los textos donde Rand los aborda revela un posicionamiento intermedio entre las perspectivas iusnaturalista, positivista y realista. Lo determinante en la configuración del Derecho, para el objetivismo, será la objetividad de la ley. En la materia, Rand se distancia de Aristóteles y Santo Tomás como únicas influencias filosóficas reconocidas y proclama la incompatibilidad del Estado mínimo con cualquier indeterminación o discrecionalidad en el ámbito de lo legal. El contraste con los sucesivos planteamientos iusfilosóficos de Hayek apunta a la posibilidad de una integración en lo que podría ser el fundamento de una ciencia jurídica libertaria.
Palabras clave: Ayn Rand, objetivismo, filosofía política, filosofía jurídica, Derecho.
Clasificación JEL: K10, K20, K21, K30.
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