In this 1964 radio interview, Ayn Rand responds to questions about the use of the term “extremism” in political discourse. Rand rejects “extremism” as an undefined term used to smear and discredit one’s opponent without evidence, analyzing several instances of the term’s use in presidential politics. Rand discusses why the term “extremism” is really an attack on consistency of principles, how presidential candidate Barry Goldwater could have defended himself against smears leveled at him, and why it is important to evaluate individuals and movements based on their ideas.
