Ayn Rand - Altruism and Capitalism

The essence of altruism is self-sacrifice, if you do something for another that involves harm to yourself, that is altruism, but voluntarily giving something to another who hasn't earned it, that's morally neutral, you may or may not have a good reason for doing it. As a principle, nobody would think of forbidding all voluntary giving; judging what giving is proper depends on the context of the situation, on the relationship of the two persons involved." ~Ayn Rand

I reject altruism, public service, and the public good as the moral justification of free enterprise. Altruism is what is destroying capitalism. Adam Smith was a brilliant economist, I agree with many of his economic theories, but I disagree with his attempt to justify capitalism on altruistic grounds. My defense of capitalism is based on individual rights, as was the American founding fathers, who were not altruists. They did not say "man should exist for others", they said "he should pursue his own happiness. ~Ayn Rand