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After World War II, a third variant [of "individualism"] gained momentum in America. It defined individualism as the making of choices so as to maximize oneÂs preferences. This differed from Âselfish individualism in that the preferences were not specified: they could be altruistic as well as selfish. It differed from Âexpressive individualism in having general algorithms by which choices were made. These made it rational.
This form of individualism did not arise by chance. Alex AbellaÂs ÂSoldiers of Reason (2008) and S. M. AmadaeÂs ÂRationalizing Capitalist Democracy (2003) trace it to the RAND Corporation, the hyperinfluential Santa Monica, Calif., think tank, where it was born in 1951 as Ârational choice theory. Rational choice theoryÂs mathematical account of individual choice, originally formulated in terms of voting behavior, made it a point-for-point antidote to the collectivist dialectics of Marxism; and since, in the view of many cold warriors, Marxism was philosophically ascendant worldwide, such an antidote was sorely needed. Functionaries at RAND quickly expanded the theory from a tool of social analysis into a set of universal doctrines that we may call Ârational choice philosophy. Governmental seminars and fellowships spread it to universities across the country, aided by the fact that any alternative to it would by definition be collectivist. During the early Cold War, that was not exactly a good thing to be.
The overall operation was wildly successful. Once established in universities, rational choice philosophy moved smoothly on the backs of their pupils into the Âreal world of business and government (aided in the crossing, to be sure, by the novels of another RandÂAyn). Today, governments and businesses across the globe simply assume that social reality is merely a set of individuals freely making rational choices. Wars have been and are still being fought to bring such freedom to Koreans, Vietnamese, Iraqis, Grenadans, and now Libyans, with more nations surely to come.
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A good read.
Cheers,
Scott.