8vo. Original two-tone buckram, spine stamped in silver and gilt; later slipcase. Provenance: Robert Van den Berg (presentation inscription from author).

FIRST EDITION, LIMITED ISSUE, number 24 of 700 copies, SIGNED BY RAND. This copy ADDITIONALLY INSCRIBED BY RAND: "To Robert Van den Berg, cordially, Ayn Rand." Rand was a staunch advocate of capitalism, which she viewed as the only moral economic system because it respects individual rights and freedoms. In her philosophy of Objectivism, she argued that capitalism allows individuals to act in their rational self-interest, engage in voluntary trade, and pursue their own happiness without interference from the government or other coercive forces. She believed that the free market, driven by competition and innovation, is the most efficient way to allocate resources and promote human progress. For Rand, capitalism is not just an economic system but a reflection of individual liberty and the protection of human rights.