What does the story of Atlas Shrugged have to say about the relative powers of good and evil and the conditions under which one is victorious over the other? The Sanction of the Victim and the Horror of Denial "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." This oft-repeated paraphrase of a less palatable line by Edmund Burke has found its way into modern public parlance as a call for vigilance against the eternal insinuation of evil. Yet the question remained: “What is the nature of this evil?” and “What actions do good men take to prevent it?” In her 1957 Magnum Opus, Atlas Shrugged, American writer Ayn Rand took the next step in that line of thought; “The evil in the world is only made possible by the sanction you give it.” (Rand 1066). Through Hank Rearden's family relationships, his struggles against the government, and John Galt's final exposition of his philosophical discoveries, Rand explains the nature of good and evil; good can only lose if it presents itself to be denied, and evil can only triumph with the voluntary consent of good. Henry Rearden is the exemplar of the American industrialist: a self-made millionaire, famous for the uncompromising integrity of his business and the physical properties of his steel (the cornerstone of his business). Outwardly, to many he appears to be a perfectly intact being. Yet he bears the guilt of a great sin; contradiction. He refuses to employ the same principles in his interpersonal relationships that allow him to excel in industry. As his future friend Francisco D'Anconia will later ask: "You who do not allow one percent impurity in a metal alloy, what have you allowed in your moral code?" (Rand 4... . middle of paper ......Whenever evil wins, it is only by default: by the moral failure of those who shy away from the fact that there can be no compromise on fundamental principles. " (Rand - Capitalism)BibliographyBurke, Edmund. "Thoughts on the cause of the present discontent." 1770 Original quote: "when bad men unite, good men must unite; else they will fall, one by one, a merciless sacrifice in one despicable struggle." Rand, Ayn Atlas shrugged. New York City, NY; Penguin Group Inc. 2005.Rand, Ayn. Capitalism: The Unkown Ideal.Works CitedBurke, Edmund “Thoughts on the Cause of the Present Discontent.” associate; otherwise they will fall, one by one, a merciless sacrifice in a despicable struggle." Rand, Ayn. Atlas Shrugged. New York City, NY; Penguin Group Inc. 2005. Rand, Ayn. Capitalism: the unknown ideal.