Ayn Rand (1905–1982) was an American writer and philosopher known for her works that combine fiction with philosophical ideas. Born in St. Petersburg, Russia, under the name Alice Rosenbaum, but emigrated to the United States in 1926, where she took the pseudonym Ayn Rand. Her most famous novels, "The Fountainhead" (1943) and "Atlas Shrugged" (1957), became the basis for the development of the philosophy of Objectivism.
Objectivism, created by Rand, emphasizes rational egoism, individualism, and capitalism as the only moral economic system. Rand argued that each person should live for himself, using reason as the main tool for survival, and that society should protect the individual's rights to property and liberty.
Her writings and ideas continue to have a major influence on literature, political movements, and economic thought, although they are often controversial and criticized for their radical views.
