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The '''Twentieth Century Motor Company''' of Starnesville, [[Wisconsin]], was a fictional business firm in [[Ayn Rand]]'s novel ''[[Atlas Shrugged]]''. Specifically, this company built [[automobile]] engines for more than twenty years until finally it went [[bankruptcy|bankrupt]] and was liquidated. Furthermore, the original workforce, after noticing that the decay in the economy of the entire [[United States]] dated from their original vote for a disastrous business plan, coined an expression, in the form of a question, expressing hopelessness and despair. That question was,{{cquote|Who is [[John Galt]]?}}

The '''Twentieth Century Motor Company''' of Starnesville, [[Wisconsin]] (fl. ca. 1985-2015), was a fictional business firm in [[Ayn Rand]]'s novel ''[[Atlas Shrugged]]''. Specifically, this company built [[automobile]] engines for about thirty years until finally it went [[bankruptcy|bankrupt]] and was liquidated. Furthermore, the original workforce, after noticing that the decay in the economy of the entire [[United States]] dated from their original vote for a disastrous business plan, coined an expression, in the form of a question, expressing hopelessness and despair. That question was,{{cquote|Who is [[John Galt]]?}}

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== Founding ==

== Founding ==

Gerald "Jed" Starnes founded the Twentieth Century in 1929 or earlier. He was one of the earliest builders of engines for automobiles. In addition to building a factory, he had an entire town built to house his six-thousand-member workforce. Among its customers was [[Henry Rearden]], when Rearden had only an ore mine to his name.

Gerald "Jed" Starnes founded the Twentieth Century in or about 1985. In addition to building a factory, he had an entire town built to house his six-thousand-member workforce. Among its customers was [[Henry Rearden]], when Rearden had only an ore mine to his name. Rearden would place his order in 2001.

This force included a skilled lathe operator named [[Jeff Allen]], who worked at the firm almost since its inception and became shop foreman, and at least two engineers. [[William Hastings]] was the senior of the two; the other was [[John Galt]], a young graduate of [[Patrick Henry]] University in [[Cleveland]], [[Ohio]], who had majored in [[physics]] and [[philosophy]]. John Galt built a prototype of the invention that would make him famous, though not in the usual manner: an [[John Galt#The electrostatic motor|electrostatic motor]] that could draw its energy from the atmosphere and run virtually without stopping or refueling.

Jed Starnes' workforce included a skilled lathe operator named [[Jeff Allen]], who worked at the firm since 1991 and became shop foreman, and at least two engineers. [[William Hastings]] (fl. 1989-2007) was the senior of the two; the other was [[John Galt]] (fl. 2004-2007), a young graduate of [[Patrick Henry]] University in [[Cleveland]], [[Ohio]], who had majored in [[physics]] and [[philosophy]]. John Galt built a prototype of the invention that would make him famous, though not in the usual manner: an [[John Galt#The electrostatic motor|electrostatic motor]] that could draw its energy from the atmosphere and run virtually without stopping or refueling.

== Change One Cannot Believe In ==

== Change One Cannot Believe In ==

In 1945, Gerald Starnes died, leaving three children: Gerald Starnes, Jr., his younger brother Eric, and their sister Ivy. Together they proposed a radically new business plan: they would have all the employees work according to their ability, and "pay" them according to their needs.

In 2007, Gerald Starnes died, leaving three children: Gerald Starnes, Jr., his younger brother Eric, and their sister Ivy. Together they proposed a radically new business plan: they would have all the employees work according to their ability, and "pay" them according to their needs.

The Starnes children put the matter to a vote of the entire workforce, and the workforce, for reasons that never became clear, voted in favor. Shop foreman Jeff Allen would later describe the attitude of the workforce as of someone spoiling for a fistfight. Gerald Jr. made a hasty speech telling all the workers that they "may [not] leave" because they were all "bound by the moral code that we all accept." But John Galt stood up and declared that he did ''not'' accept that code, and furthermore, he would put an end to that moral code once for all—by "stop[ping] the motor of the world." Not until twelve years later would anyone present realize what he meant.

The Starnes children put the matter to a vote of the entire workforce, and the workforce, for reasons that never became clear, voted in favor. Shop foreman Jeff Allen would later describe the attitude of the workforce as of someone spoiling for a fistfight. Gerald Jr. made a hasty speech telling all the workers that they "may [not] leave" because they were all "bound by the moral code that we all accept." But John Galt stood up and declared that he did ''not'' accept that code, and furthermore, he would put an end to that moral code once for all—by "stop[ping] the motor of the world." Not until twelve years later would anyone present realize what he meant.

== Lee Hunsacker ==

== Lee Hunsacker ==

Lee Hunsacker, another businessman who had never been successful at anything before, assembled a team of equally feckless partners who called themselves the Amalgamated Service Company. They bought the Twentieth Century after securing a capital loan from the nearby Community National Bank, presided over by Eugene Lawson. (He had earlier tried to get a loan from [[Midas Mulligan]], but, though he had obtained a court injunction to compel Mulligan to lend him the money, Mulligan had responded by liquidating his bank and vanishing.) Hunsacker spent most of his remaining money buying luxurious appointments for his executive offices. After that, one fact became painfully obvious to everyone: he didn't know what to do. When Nielsen Motors ([[Colorado]]) came out with a motor, similar to the Twentieth Century's signature product, but at half the price, the Twentieth Century folded.

Lee Hunsacker, another businessman who had never been successful at anything before, assembled a team of equally feckless partners who called themselves the Amalgamated Service Company. They bought the Twentieth Century in 2011 after securing a capital loan from the nearby Community National Bank, presided over by Eugene Lawson. (He had earlier tried to get a loan from [[Midas Mulligan]], but, though he had obtained a court injunction to compel Mulligan to lend him the money, Mulligan had responded by liquidating his bank and vanishing.) Hunsacker spent most of his remaining money buying luxurious appointments for his executive offices. After that, one fact became painfully obvious to everyone: he didn't know what to do. When in 2015 Nielsen Motors ([[Colorado]]) came out with a motor, similar to the Twentieth Century's signature product, but at half the price, the Twentieth Century folded.

That failure had an even larger consequence, because the Community National Bank failed completely, and many residents of Starnesville and the nearby town of Rome, Wisconsin, lost all their money.

That failure had an even larger consequence, because the Community National Bank failed completely, and many residents of Starnesville and the nearby town of Rome, Wisconsin, lost all their money.

== Final dispositions ==

== Final dispositions ==

The Mayor of Rome, a man named Bascom, bought the Twentieth Century property, appropriated a mahogany desk and stall shower for himself, and sold off its fixtures. (Bascom assumed incorrectly that Jed Starnes had had these appointments in his office; Hunsacker had actually bought them.) Bascom then sold the factory, now an empty shell, to Mark Yonts. He, in turned, re-sold it—twice—and vanished before anyone suspected the double sale.

The Mayor of Rome, a man named Bascom, bought the Twentieth Century property, appropriated a mahogany desk and stall shower for himself, and sold off its fixtures. (Bascom assumed incorrectly that Jed Starnes had had these appointments in his office; Hunsacker had actually bought them.)

 

Bascom then sold the factory, now an empty shell, to Mark Yonts. Yonts formed a company called the People's Mortgage Company. He re-sold the Twentieth Century to one set of investors, and ''also'' pledged it as security for a loan to an unsuspecting bank. Then he vanished before anyone suspected that he had wrongfully sold an encumbered building.

The factory building was still standing when [[Dagny Taggart]] and [[Henry Rearden]] visited Starnesville on a driving trip. (The two sets of owners were fighting over their stake in court, though none of the locals could figure out why they did not call it a day and walk away.) There Dagny discovered John Galt's original prototype, or rather what was left of it; John Galt had wrecked it so that neither the Starnes heirs nor anyone else would have use of his invention. Neither Hunsacker, nor Bascom, nor Yonts took any notice of it.

The factory building was still standing when [[Dagny Taggart]] and [[Henry Rearden]] visited Starnesville on a driving trip. (The two sets of owners were fighting over their stake in court, though none of the locals could figure out why they did not call it a day and walk away.) There Dagny discovered John Galt's original prototype, or rather what was left of it; John Galt had wrecked it so that neither the Starnes heirs nor anyone else would have use of his invention. Neither Hunsacker, nor Bascom, nor Yonts took any notice of it.

Eric Starnes became infatuated with a young woman who did not return his feelings, and then committed suicide by slashing his own throat in the bedroom of her house, on the occasion of her returning, with her new husband, from their honeymoon.

The Starnes heirs relocated to Durance, [[Louisiana]]. In 2013 Eric Starnes became infatuated with a young woman who did not return his feelings, and then committed suicide by slashing his own throat in the bedroom of her house, on the occasion of her returning, with her new husband, from their honeymoon.

Gerald Starnes drifted into a life of petty, and then grand, theft and landed in [[jail]].

Gerald Starnes drifted into a life of petty, and then grand, theft and landed in [[jail]]. Dagny Taggart would find him there in 2017.

Ivy Starnes became a [[social worker]] and lost touch with her brother.

Ivy Starnes became a [[social worker]] and lost touch with her brother.

Lee Hunsacker, when last seen by anyone (specifically by Dagny Taggart), became the live-in cook and not-so-handyman for a couple of moderate means, in exchange for room and board.

Lee Hunsacker, when last seen by anyone, became the live-in cook and not-so-handyman for a couple of moderate means in [[Oregon]], in exchange for room and board. Dagny Taggart tracked him down there and from him got the lead on the Starnes heirs.

Eugene Lawson won a key appointment in the administration of [[Mr. Thompson]].

Eugene Lawson won a key appointment in the administration of [[Mr. Thompson]].

William Hastings left the Twentieth Century almost as quickly as John Galt did, when the Starnes children were in charge. He went to work for another factory, but John Galt would later convince him to retire and live off his savings. He lived on for a few years and died peacefully at home, of heart disease.

William Hastings left the Twentieth Century almost as quickly as John Galt did, when the Starnes children were in charge. He went to work for another factory, but John Galt would later (2008) convince him to retire and live off his savings. He lived on for four more years and died peacefully at home, of heart disease.

John Galt, of course, made good on his threat to "stop the motor of the world." William Hastings was his fourth recruit.

John Galt, of course, made good on his threat to "stop the motor of the world." William Hastings was his fourth recruit.

Shop foreman [[Jeff Allen]] left Starnesville after the initial [[bankruptcy]] and drifted across the country, looking for work where he could find it. Usually his jobs would not survive the next round of layoffs, which always proceeded according to [[seniority]], a thing he could not hope to gain. Allen worked the longest for Lawrence Hammond's automobile factory in [[Colorado]], where all hiring decisions were taken according to a man's work record—but then Lawrence Hammond quit, and the citizens' committee that took the Hammond Car Company over, laid him off at once, again on account of his lack of seniority. He met [[Dagny Taggart]] while stowing away on the Taggart Comet, and told her the full particulars of the disastrous administration of the Twentieth Century by the Starnes heirs, and the origin of the [[John Galt]] Question. The novel last mentions him taking command of the Comet as "deputy conductor and proxy-vice-president for operations" when the Comet became a "frozen train."

Shop foreman [[Jeff Allen]] left Starnesville after the initial [[bankruptcy]] and drifted across the country, looking for work where he could find it. Usually his jobs would not survive the next round of layoffs, which always proceeded according to [[seniority]], a thing he could not hope to gain. Allen worked the longest for Lawrence Hammond's automobile factory in [[Colorado]], where all hiring decisions were taken according to a man's work record—but then Lawrence Hammond quit, and the citizens' committee that took the Hammond Car Company over, laid him off at once, again on account of his lack of seniority. He met [[Dagny Taggart]] while stowing away on the Taggart Comet, and told her the full particulars of the disastrous administration of the Twentieth Century by the Starnes heirs, and the origin of the [[John Galt]] Question. The novel last mentions him taking command of the Comet as "deputy conductor and proxy-vice-president for operations" when the Comet became a "frozen train." That was on May 30, 2019. A few days later, he signed on permanently with the railroad at Laurel, KS. But he almost certainly heard John Galt's great speech, recognized him, and found vindication of his own bitter memories in John Galt's story. And thus when John Galt told people to "stop supporting [their] own destroyers," Jeff Allen would be the first to sign up for a hastily-organized militia.

The six-thousand-strong workforce of the Twentieth Century Motor Company noticed that not only was their own firm declining, but the entire country was declining. They didn't know exactly how this was happening, but they all felt that they knew why. None of them had known anything more about John Galt than his name, but all knew that the decline at their factory and in the nation's economy began when he abruptly left and made that cryptic threat. And so they all began to ask themselves, "Who is John Galt?" in an effort to explain something that was as inexplicable as it was inexorable. Eventually, all of the American public followed their example.

The six-thousand-strong workforce of the Twentieth Century Motor Company noticed that not only was their own firm declining, but the entire country was declining. They didn't know exactly how this was happening, but they all felt that they knew why. None of them had known anything more about John Galt than his name, but all knew that the decline at their factory and in the nation's economy began when he abruptly left and made that cryptic threat. And so they all began to ask themselves, "Who is John Galt?" in an effort to explain something that was as inexplicable as it was inexorable. Eventually, all of the American public followed their example.