Changes

The most likely span of the years of the great strike is 1945-1957, with the novel's major action taking place in the last three years of this period. This novel, then, qualifies as an [[alternate history]] of the United States of America, and of the civilized world. In this version of history, the United States did not intervene in the War of the Reds and the Whites in [[Russia]], and probably did not participate in the [[First World War]]. That War probably ended with every country on earth, except America, becoming a [[Communist]] state. In addition, [[prohibition]] cannot have occurred, because [[alcoholic drinks]] flow freely in many settings.

The most likely span of the years of the great strike is 1945-1957, with the novel's major action taking place in the last three years of this period. This novel, then, qualifies as an [[alternate history]] of the United States of America, and of the civilized world. In this version of history, the United States did not intervene in the War of the Reds and the Whites in [[Russia]], and probably did not participate in the [[First World War]]. That War probably ended with every country on earth, except America, becoming a [[Communist]] state. In addition, [[prohibition]] cannot have occurred, because [[alcoholic drinks]] flow freely in many settings.

Politically, the United States would have been in the hands of the proponents of [[Progressivism]], which was in fact a potent-enough force in the election of 1912 to field a [[Third Party|third party]] candidate for President ([[Theodore Roosevelt]]) who actually out-polled the losing major-party candidate in that race, [[William Howard Taft]]. In this version, perhaps, [[Woodrow Wilson]] does not have his stroke, or if he does, the [[Republican Party]] does not succeed in having a man as President for more than a single term, and their un-named incumbent loses to [[Mr. Thompson]], who is still serving as President when the "looters' system" fails. (Mr. Thompson does not appear to be a parody of [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] or any other known American political or other historical figure; he is merely a type and in fact is described as almost deliberately nondescript.)

Politically, the United States would have been in the hands of the proponents of [[Progressivism]], which was in fact a potent-enough force in the election of 1912 to field a [[Third Party|third party]] candidate for President ([[Theodore Roosevelt]]) who actually out-polled the losing major-party candidate in that race, [[William Howard Taft]]. In this version, perhaps, [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]] runs for [[President of the United States|President]] in 1944, but ''not'' with [[Harry S. Truman]] for a running mate. Instead, he runs with [[Mr. Thompson]], who is still serving as President when the "looters' system" fails. Ayn Rand said that Truman was her anti-type for Mr. Thompson. If so, the only thing those two would have had in common was their physical appearance.

[[Tax]]ation during this period consisted primarily of the [[income tax]], which in actual fact had recently been ratified as a valid [[Constitution of the United States|Constitutional]] option. Though the confiscatory (up to 94%) tax rates of the Great Depression era would await the administration of [[Franklin D. Roosevelt]], they could easily have been enacted into law earlier, during the hypothetical Thompson administration. Many other taxes, some of them completely ''ad hoc'', are applied at one time or another in the course of the novel.

[[Tax]]ation during this period consisted primarily of the [[income tax]], which Roosevelt raised to confiscatory (up to 94%) levels during the [[Second World War]]. Many other taxes, some of them completely ''ad hoc'', are applied at one time or another in the course of the novel.

 

We may assume that World War II went to completion, that [[Communism]] took hold throughout Western Europe, South America, and elsewhere, and that Mr. Thompson, far from objecting, welcomed the change. One thing that does ''not'' bear mention is the establishment of the Republic of [[Israel]]. In fact, Israel was very close to being a People's State at its inception, the usual community being the ''kibbutz'', which was by definition a collectivistic community. The [[Galt's Gulch|Atlantis]]-like community that John Galt establishes is, if anything, the anti-kibbutz.

==Criticism==

==Criticism==