"Individual rights are not subject to a public vote; a majority has no right to vote away the rights of a minority; the political function of rights is precisely to protect minorities from oppression by majorities (and the smallest minority on earth is the individual)"

Ayn Rand’s statement underscores a fundamental principle of classical liberal and libertarian thought: that rights exist prior to and independent of democratic processes or popular opinion. She asserts that individual rights are inherent and inalienable, not granted by society or government, and thus cannot be rescinded or diminished simply because a majority desires it. The foundation of this idea is the recognition that individual autonomy and freedom are essential for a just and moral society.

By rejecting the notion that rights are subject to majority rule, Rand challenges the very basis of majoritarian democracy when it seeks to erode personal liberties. The danger she highlights is the “tyranny of the majority,” wherein a popular vote can be used as a tool of coercion, suppressing dissenters or marginalized groups. True political rights function as a shield that guards minorities, the numerical few, from the potential oppression of the numerical many.

Rand points out that the ultimate minority is the individual, emphasizing that the collective cannot have a legitimate claim to violate the liberty of even one person. In other words, a system that truly respects rights is measured not by how it treats the majority, but by how it protects the freedoms of the individual against collectivist encroachment. The political purpose of rights is not to grant permission for democratic participation only, but more importantly, to establish boundaries that cannot be lawfully crossed, regardless of majority sentiment.

Society’s progress is often determined by its capacity to safeguard dissenting voices and unconventional choices. Ensuring that rights are not simply subject to the whims of popularity guarantees a diversity of thought, belief, and expression. By grounding individual rights as the bedrock upon which all freedom rests, Rand defends a social order that prioritizes human dignity and moral agency above the fleeting passions of majorities.