John Galt is a fictional character in Ayn Rand's novel Atlas Shrugged. Although he is absent from much of the text, he is the subject of the novel's often repeated question, "Who is John Galt?", and the quest to discover the answer. As the plot unfolds, Galt is acknowledged to be a creator and inventor who embodies the power of the individual capitalist. He serves as an idealistic counterpoint to the social and economic structure depicted in the novel. The depiction portrays a society based on oppressive bureaucratic functionaries and a culture that embraces the stifling mediocrity and egalitarianism of socialistic idealism. In this popular mass ideology, the industrialists of America were a metaphorical Atlas of Greek mythology, holding up the world, whom Galt convinces to "shrug," by refusing to lend their productive genius to the regime any longer. In the novel, Galt is the son of an Ohio garage mechanic, who leaves home at age twelve and begins college at Patrick Henry University at age sixteen. There he befriends Francisco d'Anconia and Ragnar Danneskjöld as all three of them double-major in physics and philosophy. After graduating, Galt becomes an engineer at the Twentieth Century Motor Company, where he designs a revolutionary new motor powered by ambient static electricity. When the company owners decide to run the factory by the collectivist maxim, "From each according to his ability, to each according to his need," Galt refuses to work there any longer and abandons his motor. These events all occur before the novel begins, but are described by the characters. During the main storyline of the book, Galt has secretly organized a strike by the world's creative leaders, including inventors, artists and businessmen, in an effort to "stop the motor of the world," thereby bringing about the collapse of the collectivist society. While working incognito as a laborer for Taggart Transcontinental railroad, he travels to visit the key figures that he has not yet recruited, systematically convincing them to join the strike. This strike is not revealed immediately within the story, but forms the backdrop of the novel as a mystery which protagonist Dagny Taggart seeks to uncover, with Galt as her antagonist. The storyline unfolds by exploring rumors and legends about the identity of Galt. Galt's actual identity is learned only after a prolonged search by Taggart. Taggart discovers that Galt and the other strikers have created their own secret enclave known as "Galt's Gulch," a town secluded in a Colorado mountain valley. While in the valley, Taggart develops a romantic relationship with Galt, although she refuses to join the strike. After Taggart returns home, Galt takes over the airwaves to deliver a lengthy speech explaining the irrationality of collectivism and offering his own philosophy (actually a summary of Rand's Objectivist philosophy) as an alternative. Galt spoke against what he saw as the "evil" of collectivism and Christian ideas of collective sin and guilt, and said they should be replaced by enlightened selfishness and individualism.[1] Seeking Galt after the speech, Taggart accidentally leads the authorities to him, and he is arrested. Taggart and the strikers rescue Galt as he is being tortured by the government. They return to Galt's Gulch and prepare to take over the country as the collectivist government is collapsing. The book's opening line "Who is John Galt?" becomes an expression of helplessness and despair at the current state of the novel's fictionalized world. Dagny Taggart hears a number of legends of Galt before finding the real John Galt and eventually joins his cause, and learning that all of the stories have an element of truth to them. The Galt character has been compared to various iconic figures from literature and history. In the novel itself, he is compared with Prometheus from the Greek myths. In contrast to Prometheus, who suffered for bringing a great benefit to mankind, Galt refuses to suffer and withdraws the benefit instead.[2] Rand scholar Mimi Reisel Gladstein sees similarities to the figures of Arthur and Galahad from the Arthurian legends.[3] Some interpreters have also noted parallels between Galt and Jesus, particularly in the scene where Galt is being tortured.[4] Critics of the character have called Rand's characterization of him unrealistic, calling him "more a symbol than a person"[5] and "two-dimensional."[6] Mimi Reisel Gladstein describes Galt as "more icon than character."[7] Rand's own notes indicate that she expected the character to have "[n]o progression" and "no inner conflict" because he was "integrated (indivisible) and perfect."[8] Literature professor Shoshana Milgram traces the origins of the character to adventure stories that Rand read as a child, including the French novels La Vallée Mystérieuse and Le Petit Roi d'Ys. Rand also owned a copy of a 1940 novel with characters named Jed and John Peter Galt. There was a 19th Century Scottish novelist of the same name, but Milgram says that any connection to the character is "highly unlikely." Milgram also notes that the name Rand originally picked for her character was Iles Galt.[9] Author Justin Raimondo has found parallels between Atlas Shrugged and The Driver, a 1922 novel by Garet Garrett.[10] Garrett's novel has a main character named Henry M. Galt. This Galt is an entrepreneur who takes over a failing railway, turning it into a productive and profitable asset for the benefit of himself and the rest of the nation. The general population and government turn against him instead of celebrating his success. Raimondo also notes that in The Driver, some characters ask, "Who is Henry M. Galt?", similar to the question "Who is John Galt?" that plays an important role in Atlas Shrugged.[11] At least two real people of Rand's acquaintance have been suggested as partial inspirations for Galt. Rand denied any connection to her friend John Gall, a conservative attorney, but did claim some inspiration came from her husband, Frank O'Connor.[12] "The book’s hero, John Galt, also continues to live on," wrote journalist Harriet Rubin in a September 2007 article about the influence of Atlas Shrugged. Rubin mentions John Galt Solutions (a software company) and the John Galt Corporation (a demolition company) as examples of companies named after the character.[13] The John Galt Corporation achieved some local notoriety in New York in 2007 as the company handling the troubled clean up and dismantling of the Deutsche Bank Building in consequence of the September 11 attacks of 2001.[14] The use of John Galt as a symbol in the context of political or social protest has taken root in some places. The phrase "going John Galt" has been used[15] to refer to productive members of society cutting back on work in response to the projected increase in U.S. marginal tax rates for those making over $250,000, limits on deductions for higher earners, and the use of tax revenues for causes they regard as immoral.[16] Some people who are "going John Galt" discussed their reasons on a PJTV program in March 2009.[17] "Who is John Galt?" signs were seen at Tea Party protests held in the United States and at banking protests in London in April 2009.[18] Ron Paul's American presidential campaign of 2008 included a play on the phrase, using "Who is Ron Paul?" on campaign tee shirts; his Congressional web site biography uses the same title.[19] The name has also been used by bloggers,[20] and a book titled Dreams Come Due: Government and Economics As If Freedom Mattered, which argues for free market capitalism, was written under the pseudonym John Galt.