Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution and Declaration of Independence. America’s Founding Fathers established what would become—in Ayn Rand’s words—“The first society in history . . . led, dominated and created by the Producers,” those who use their minds to create the values on which human life depends. Unshackled from the purveyors of faith and force, they created a land of unparalleled prosperity.
Join us in New Orleans, the city where Ayn Rand delivered her final public lecture, for a celebration and examination of America, the producers who built it, and why its future depends, as Rand put it in that lecture, on such producers acquiring “philosophical self-defense and self-esteem.”
Image credit: Bain News Service, publisher.
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ARI is funded by donor contributions. You can support our work by becoming an ARI Member or making a one-time contribution: ari.aynrand.org/donate
Explore these ideas further! ARI's online publication, New Ideal, explores pressing cultural issues from the perspective of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism: newideal.aynrand.org
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2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution and Declaration of Independence. America’s Founding Fathers established what would become—in Ayn Rand’s words—“The first society in history . . . led, dominated and created by the Producers,” those who use their minds to create the values on which human life depends. Unshackled from the purveyors of faith and force, they created a land of unparalleled prosperity.
Join us in New Orleans, the city where Ayn Rand delivered her final public lecture, for a celebration and examination of America, the producers who built it, and why its future depends, as Rand put it in that lecture, on such producers acquiring “philosophical self-defense and self-esteem.”
Image credit: Bain News Service, publisher.
Subscribe to ARI’s YouTube channel to make sure you never miss a video:
youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=AynRandInstitute
Download or stream free courses on Ayn Rand’s works and ideas with the Ayn Rand Institute app:
– App Store itunes.apple.com/us/app/ayn-rand-university/id1452535178?mt=8
– Google Play play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aynrandu
ARI is funded by donor contributions. You can support our work by becoming an ARI Member or making a one-time contribution: ari.aynrand.org/donate
Explore these ideas further! ARI's online publication, New Ideal, explores pressing cultural issues from the perspective of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism: newideal.aynrand.org
******
Keep in Touch! Sign up to receive email updates from ARI: aynrand.org/signup
Follow ARI on Twitter: twitter.com/AynRandInst
Follow ARI on Facebook: facebook.com/AynRandInstitute
Follow ARI on Instagram: instagram.com/aynrandorg
Subscribe to the ARI Live! podcast: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ayn-rand-institute-live/id1440399458
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Join an upcoming virtual or in-person event: ari.aynrand.org/events
Visit ARI’s website for more about our content and programs: ari.aynrand.org




![The Dramatic Injustice of the January 6th Pardons
In this episode of The Ayn Rand Institute Podcast, Ben Bayer and Elan Journo discuss Trump’s blanket pardon of all the people involved in the January 6 attack on the Capitol.
Among the topics covered:
● How Trump’s blanket pardon lets outrageous evil off the hook;
● How Trump’s claims about the 2020 elections and the January 6 attack are arbitrary;
● How Trump and many Republicans are attempting to rewrite reality;
● How the pardons normalize political violence and reflect the tribalism of our culture;
● Why the blanket pardoning is an attack on the Constitution and the rule of law.
Recommended in this podcast are the podcast episodes “The Storming of the Capitol” [https://youtu.be/jHZwu1V7Lq0] and “The January 6 Hearings.” [https://youtu.be/BAn692ODItc]
The podcast was recorded and posted on January 22, 2025.
0:00:00 Introduction
0:01:48 Trump lets outrageous evil off the hook
0:06:45 Trump’s arbitrary claims about the 2020 elections and January 6
0:16:21 Rewriting reality by Trump and Republicans
0:25:22 Normalizing political violence through the pardons
0:38:45 The blanket pardoning as an attack on the Constitution and the rule of law
Subscribe to ARI’s YouTube channel to make sure you never miss a video:
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Download or stream free courses on Ayn Rand’s works and ideas with the Ayn Rand University app:
– App Store https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ayn-rand-university/id1452535178?mt=8
– Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aynrandu
ARI is funded by donor contributions. You can support our work by becoming an ARI Member or making a one-time contribution: https://ari.aynrand.org/donate
Explore these ideas further! ARIs online publication, New Ideal, explores pressing cultural issues from the perspective of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism: https://newideal.aynrand.org/
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Visit ARI’s website for more about our content and programs: https://ari.aynrand.org/ The Dramatic Injustice of the January 6th Pardons](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/fEOGBX9R05w/mqdefault.jpg)


![Will Jeff Bezos’s Washington Post Defend “Personal Liberties and Free Markets”?
In this episode of The Ayn Rand Institute Podcast, Onkar Ghate and Elan Journo examine Jeff Bezos decision to reorient The Washington Posts opinion section toward issues of personal and economic freedom.
Among the topics covered:
• How Bezos move reflects a genuine appreciation for the American ideals that enabled his success;
• How Ayn Rands critique of discretionary government power should concern Elon Musk;
• Why the new opinion section must confront the Trump administrations threats to freedom;
• How the backlash against Bezos overlooks the reality that business leaders are victims of government controls who ought to defend their rights;
• The role of the mixed economy in corrupting the American system.
Recommended in this podcast are Ayn Rand’s essay “America’s Persecuted Minority: Big Business” [bit.ly/arbigbusiness] and the resources at ARI’s new pro-business initiative, The Atlas Circle [theatlascircle.substack.com].
Bezoss post: https://x.com/jeffbezos/status/1894757287052362088
Musks post: https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1893976187119992903
theatlascircle.substack.com
The podcast was recorded on February 26, 2025 and posted on February 28, 2025.
0:00:00 Introduction
0:02:30 Bezos’ appreciation for the American ideals
0:12:24 Rand’s critique of discretionary government
0:19:51 The new opinion section confronting the Trump administration
0:24:19 Business leaders as victims of government controls
0:37:06 Mixed economy as corrupting the American system
Subscribe to ARI’s YouTube channel to make sure you never miss a video:
https://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=AynRandInstitute
Download or stream free courses on Ayn Rand’s works and ideas with the Ayn Rand Institute app:
– App Store https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ayn-rand-university/id1452535178?mt=8
– Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aynrandu
ARI is funded by donor contributions. You can support our work by becoming an ARI Member or making a one-time contribution: https://ari.aynrand.org/donate
Explore these ideas further! ARIs online publication, New Ideal, explores pressing cultural issues from the perspective of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism: https://newideal.aynrand.org/
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Subscribe to the ARI Live! podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ayn-rand-institute-live/id1440399458
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Join an upcoming virtual or in-person event: https://ari.aynrand.org/events/
Visit ARI’s website for more about our content and programs: https://ari.aynrand.org/ Will Jeff Bezos’s Washington Post Defend “Personal Liberties and Free Markets”?](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/gFXDYaKnCVw/mqdefault.jpg)
![Trumps Betrayal of Ukraine
In this episode of The Ayn Rand Institute Podcast Ziemowit Gowin interviews Elan Journo and Onkar Ghate on Trump’s stance on the Ukraine-Russia war, which led him to call President Zelensky a dictator and publicly berate him in the Oval Office.
Among the topics covered:
● What America’s approach to the Ukraine-Russia war should be;
● How Trump’s Oval Office blowup at Zelensky reveals his amorality;
● The mindset driving Trump’s sympathy for Putin and his approach to negotiation;
● When it would be proper to negotiate with an aggressor;
● The long-term consequences of America’s pro-Russia shift.
Mentioned in this podcast is Ayn Rand’s essay “The Anatomy of Compromise” in Capitalism: The Unknown Ideal [https://aynrand.org/novels/capitalism-the-unknown-ideal/?nab=1]. Recommended for further reading are Elan Journo’s essay “Why John Mearsheimer Gets Ukraine Wrong,” [https://newideal.aynrand.org/why-john-mearsheimer-gets-ukraine-wrong/] Ziemowit Gowin’s essay “European Appeasement Emboldened Putin’s Aggression,” [https://newideal.aynrand.org/european-appeasement-emboldened-putins-aggression/] and Journos and Ben Bayer’s essay “Putin’s War Embodies National Conservatism’s Ideology [https://newideal.aynrand.org/putins-war-embodies-national-conservatisms-ideology/].
The podcast was recorded on March 5, 2025 and released on March 7, 2025.
0:00:00 Introduction
0:02:10 What America’s approach to the Ukraine-Russia war should be
0:06:55 Trump’s amorality
0:18:29 Trump’s sympathy for Putin and his approach to negotiation
0:27:53 When is it proper to negotiate with an aggressor
0:32:55 The long-term consequences of America’s pro-Russia shift
Subscribe to ARI’s YouTube channel to make sure you never miss a video:
https://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=AynRandInstitute
Download or stream free courses on Ayn Rand’s works and ideas with the Ayn Rand Institute app:
– App Store https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ayn-rand-university/id1452535178?mt=8
– Google Play https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.aynrandu
ARI is funded by donor contributions. You can support our work by becoming an ARI Member or making a one-time contribution: https://ari.aynrand.org/donate
Explore these ideas further! ARIs online publication, New Ideal, explores pressing cultural issues from the perspective of Ayn Rand’s philosophy, Objectivism: https://newideal.aynrand.org/
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Keep in Touch! Sign up to receive email updates from ARI: https://aynrand.org/signup
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Join an upcoming virtual or in-person event: https://ari.aynrand.org/events/
Visit ARI’s website for more about our content and programs: https://ari.aynrand.org/ Trumps Betrayal of Ukraine](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/h1tIDRzi9Ho/mqdefault.jpg)

