Editing Ayn Rand (section)

=== Political influence ===
{{Capitalism sidebar}}
{{see also|Objectivism and libertarianism}}

Although she rejected the labels "conservative" and "libertarian",{{sfn|Burns|2009|p=258}}{{sfn|Weiss|2012|p=55}} Rand has had a continuing influence on [[right-wing politics]] and libertarianism.{{sfn|Burns|2009|p=4}}{{sfn|Gladstein|2010|pp=107–108, 124}} Rand is often considered one of the three most important women, along with [[Rose Wilder Lane]] and Isabel Paterson, in the early development of modern [[American libertarianism]].{{sfn|Burns|2015|p=746}}{{sfn|Brühwiler|2021|p=88}} [[David Nolan (libertarian)|David Nolan]], one founder of the [[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarian Party]], said that "without Ayn Rand, the libertarian movement would not exist".{{sfn|Branden|1986|p=414}} In his history of libertarianism, journalist [[Brian Doherty (journalist)|Brian Doherty]] described her as "the most influential libertarian of the twentieth century to the public at large".{{sfn|Doherty|2007|p=11}} Political scientist [[Andrew Koppelman]] called her "the most widely read libertarian".{{sfn|Koppelman|2022|p=17}} Historian Jennifer Burns referred to her as "the ultimate gateway drug to life on the right".{{sfn|Burns|2009|p=4}}

The political figures who cite Rand as an influence are usually conservatives, often members of the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican Party]],{{sfn|Doherty|2009|p=54}} despite Rand taking some atypical positions for a conservative, like being [[pro-choice]] and an atheist.{{sfn|Weiss|2012|p=155}} She faced intense opposition from [[William F. Buckley Jr.]] and other contributors to the conservative ''National Review'' magazine, which published numerous criticisms of her writings and ideas.{{sfn|Burns|2004|pp=139, 243}} Nevertheless, a 1987 article in ''The New York Times'' called her the [[Reagan administration]]'s "novelist laureate".{{sfn|Burns|2009|p=279}} Republican [[United States Congress|congressmen]] and conservative pundits have acknowledged her influence on their lives and have recommended her novels.{{sfn|Heller|2009|p=xii}}{{sfn|Brühwiler|2021|p=184}}{{sfn|Burns|2009|p=283}} She has influenced some conservative politicians outside the U.S., such as [[Sajid Javid]] in the [[Conservatism in the United Kingdom|United Kingdom]], [[Siv Jensen]] in [[Conservatism in Norway|Norway]], and [[Ayelet Shaked]] in [[Conservatism in Israel|Israel]].{{sfn|Brühwiler|2021|pp=174–184}}{{sfn|Rudoren|2015}}

[[File:TDTP08.JPG|thumb|alt=Man holding a poster that says "I am John Galt"|A protester's sign at a 2009 [[Tea Party movement|Tea Party]] rally refers to John Galt, the hero of Rand's ''Atlas Shrugged''.]]
The [[2008 financial crisis]] renewed interest in her works, especially ''Atlas Shrugged'', which some saw as foreshadowing the crisis.{{sfn|Burns|2009|pp=283–284}}{{sfn|Doherty|2009|pp=51–52}} Opinion articles compared real-world events with the novel's plot.{{sfn|Doherty|2009|p=54}}{{sfn|Gladstein|2010|p=125}} Signs mentioning Rand and her fictional hero John Galt appeared at [[Tea Party protests]].{{sfn|Duggan|2019|p=xiv}}{{sfn|Brühwiler|2021|p=146}} There was increased criticism of her ideas, especially from the [[political left]]. Critics blamed the [[Great Recession]] on her support of [[Rational egoism#Ayn Rand|selfishness]] and [[free markets]], particularly through her influence on Alan Greenspan.{{sfn|Burns|2009|p=283}} 

In 2015, Adam Weiner said that through Greenspan, "Rand had effectively chucked a ticking time bomb into the boiler room of the US economy".{{sfn|Weiner|2020|p=2}} In 2019, Lisa Duggan said that Rand's novels had "incalculable impact" in encouraging the spread of [[neoliberal]] political ideas.{{sfn|Duggan|2019|p=xiii}} In 2021, [[Cass Sunstein]] said Rand's ideas could be seen in the tax and regulatory policies of the [[First presidency of Donald Trump|Trump administration]], which he attributed to the "enduring influence" of Rand's fiction.{{sfn|Sunstein|2021|pp=145–146}}