Money is the root of...what?

Once upon a time I read a book that literally changed my life. Until I had devoured "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand I could not have put into words what I already knew to be true about many different topics such as the value of work, what charity is and is not, the role of government and the role of money. This book helped me find clarity on these issues and much more. I think the overall message of this book is what would happen to this country if people were not allowed to use their innate ability to be creative and to produce through hard work. That might seem a bit strange or that it could never happen in a free country but you'd be amazed at how similar a chord this book strikes with the policies that are guiding our nation at this moment. I would highly recommend this book to anyone who is willing to look past a bit of swearing and sexual content. One of the powerful speeches from this book is given by one of the great industrialist characters in response to overhearing a comment that money is the root of all evil. I'd like to devote a couple of posts to elaborating on this topic.

So first, what is money? Money is simply a medium of exchange for goods and services rather than using a straight-up barter system. For example, if I want a loaf of bread from the bakery and the baker happens to need 4 eggs but I only have 2 gallons of milk then I can give the baker money, which he can then use to buy his 4 eggs from another farmer. That farmer may not want bread but he wants some milk so he can take money from the baker and give it to me in exchange for the milk that he wants. I in turn can use that money to buy some more bread or any other product that I happen to be desiring. Money represents exchange of products. Money saves time. With a barter system you would have to spend time finding someone who has exactly what you want and is willing to exchange it for something that you have and that you are willing to give up. This would not be an easy task. By using paper money men trade what they value; they trade hard work, effort, and their minds.

This form of trade by means of money is what Rand calls "the code of the men of good will." It is "the material shape of the principle that men who wish to deal with one another must deal by trade and give value for value." This process of exchange of money for effort and effort for money is in fact the blood life of society. It requires men to recognize that they must work for their own benefit and progression. "Is this what you consider evil?" Rand asks. And to those who say well, actually it's the love of money that is the root of all evil Rand responds that to love is to know and love the nature of something. Therefore, when I acknowledge that money is created only through the power of the best within me, through my effort, then I am a lover of money because I am willing to work for it and I will know that I deserve the money that I make.

Again, money is the life line of the society which we hold dear. It is "the barometer of a society's virtue" or in other words, if a society is honest and hard working then there will be a lot of money and a lot of exchange. Those who are willing to put effort into making money through the power of their mind and their will and their physical labor are those who sustain society. As pointed out by author economist and author Richard Maybury in his book "Whatever Happened to Penny Candy?" the American nation was the first to use the phrase "to make money." (For example, in Spanish the phrase for making money 'ganar dinero' literally translates into 'win money.' You may know more examples.) Our great nation was built on the backs of self-made wealthy men who made money because they worked hard, not because they conquered it. They loved money.

The opposite of those hard workers are the people who expect to receive a lot of money in exchange for mediocracy or privileges in exchange for nothing. They would rather use force (weapons or laws) to steal money rather than to actually put in effort to produce. These are the leaches on society that drain it. These are the people who promote the idea that money is the root of all evil but would sell their soul to get a hold of a little bit of it. They do not truly love money, they hate it.

Therefore what? Let us not be leaches demanding that we receive the benefits of the efforts of those who have rightfully earned their money. We must respect money and the power that it gives us through our honest efforts to produce. Let us be deserving of the money that we make.

For a full script of this spectacular speech click here.