Rand and Marx

[Traitorfish]

Ayn Rand and Karl Marx, the two political thinkers who have suceeded in twisting more bollocks than any others combined. (Shush, Dachs and/or Park!) Neither are what you'd call popular in the mainstream, and, although they have pretty divergent legacies, the majority of people are not what you'd call overly well-aquainted with either. But which, if either, has the most to offer as a thinker? Which among them is capable of making the most valuable contributions to modern social, economic and political thought? Which is the most deserving of study, however little you may consider that to be?

The poll should be fairly self-explanitory, and, hopefully, we get some more interesting results than 94% for option 4.

 

[Gigaz]

Well, considering the popularity of socialist parties in the world, you could easily claim that Marx was much more successful then Jesus in winning followers.

 

[Hygro]

Marx. He actually contributed a lot to social science. Just because people took his ideas the wrong way or credited him with their own machinations doesn't mean we shouldn't learn from his works.

 

[Ajidica]

I would say Marx was more influential and relavent today. As Hygro said, he did contribute alot to the social sciences. Plus Marx has the awsome beard and looks imposing on red banners.
All that Rand contributed were the rantings of a drug-addicted Russian bat with a fatal misunderstanding of history. (In the essay's I've read by her, she writes about how much she loves the Transcontinental Railroad and the Apollo Project: both of which were government funded and sponsored initiatives!)

I have to vote Marx because he, unlike the Russian bat, actualy contributed to social sciences (and whose writings are responsible for one of the most important events in the last 1000 years.)

 

[Babbler]

I don't think Marx has had an entire video game devoted to his thought.

Advantage: Rand.

 

[Cheetah]

Rand and Marx.

The potential for history's most unhappy marriage ever!

 

[Ajidica]

Rand and Marx.

The potential for history's most unhappy marriage ever!

I just had the greatest idea for a game ever. Clue: Political Edition!

"It was Marx, in Russia, with Historical Inevitability."
"It was Rand, in America, with Egoism."
And so on.

 

[ParadigmShifter]

When the Rand Brothers make a funny movie, we can chat.



EDIT: That groucho smiley sucks.

 

[Leoreth]

I don't think Marx has had an entire video game devoted to his thought, showing how it fails.

Advantage: Marx.

Fixed.

I don't think there's a serious competition here. Marx can be called a scientist without problem, Rand not so much. Not that I agree with either of the groups that use their names as lables.

 

[Antilogic]

Marx. He actually contributed a lot to social science. Just because people took his ideas the wrong way or credited him with their own machinations doesn't mean we shouldn't learn from his works.

Marx also has the advantage of time--people have been thinking about his ideas for something like a century longer, and thus the ideas he first expressed have had more time to develop. In terms of political impact, I think more political parties in more countries are influenced by Marx than by Rand, so Marx wins in this measure as well.

 

[Tycho Brahe]

Rand who?

 

[useless]

I don't think Marx has had an entire video game devoted to his thought.

Advantage: Rand.

The game was deeply critical of Rand's failed philosophy.

 

[_random_]

The premise that power should and inevitably will be less concentrated seems a lot sounder than the premise that altruism is immoral. Both Marx and Rand take their respective ideas in some rather objectionable directions, but seeing how good ideas go bad is probably more useful than seeing how bad ideas go horrendous.

 

[Dachs]

Marx can be called a scientist without problem, Rand not so much.

Maybe a Wissenschaftler, but not a "scientist" in any meaningful sense of the English word.

Marx is clearly more influential and Marxian analysis is contextually useful. Rand, um, isn't.

 

[useless]

Rand's whole philosophy is basically "Screw you, got mine".

She couldn't even live by her own beliefs, and had to rely on the government in the end.

 

[Silurian]

Rand's whole philosophy is basically "Screw you, got mine".

She couldn't even live by her own beliefs, and had to rely on the government in the end.

but that is the ultimate "Screw you, got mine" after not wanting others to rely on the government .

 

[Ajidica]

but that is the ultimate "Screw you, got mine" after not wanting others to rely on the government .

Given her use of government programs and her idolization of the Transcontinental RR (Yay Credit Moblier!), I think we can put her ideas under the "Golddigger" heading.

 

[BvBPL]

Marx. He actually contributed a lot to social science.

I'm not really one to say "this," but, this. Hygro hit it spot on. Both were political theorists, but Marx was also a social scientist. That's his advantage.

 

[Neonanocyborgasm]

At least Marx proposed class struggle and tension as a major factor of history, which was a somewhat novel notion at the time. Rand, as far as I can see, only served to give the rich and powerful more excuse to perpetuate their greed and power.

 

[Crezth]

I don't think Marx has had an entire video game devoted to his thought.

Advantage: Rand.

Any video game with a communist state or communists in it isn't enough?