“The moral justification of capitalism does not lie in the altruist claim that it represents the best way to achieve ‘the common good.’ It is true that capitalism does — if that catch-phrase has any meaning — but this is merely a secondary consequence. The moral justification of capitalism lies in the fact that it is the only system consonant with man’s rational nature, that it protects man’s survival qua man, and that its ruling principle is: justice.” — Ayn Rand

Learn More:

• “Capitalism”; “‘Common Good’”; “Morality” in The Ayn Rand Lexicon

• “19th-Century Capitalism” by Ayn Rand

• “The Martyrdom of the Industrialists” by Ayn Rand