Ayn Rand was an author, philosopher, and screenwriter.  Her philosophy was Objectivism-- she favored individualism, laissez-faire capitalism, and constitutional protection of the right to life, liberty, and property. She opposed all forms of collectivism and statism, including fascism, communism, and the welfare state.  Here are some of her thoughts on the Individual and Individual Rights

• 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)
• There can be no such thing, in law or in morality, as actions to an individual, but permitted to a mob
• Individual rights are the means of subordinating society to moral law
• The smallest minority on earth is the individual. Those who deny individual rights cannot claim to be defenders of minorities

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Words of Wisdom: Ayn Rand on Money
Words of Wisdom: Ayn Rand on Achievement
Words of Wisdom: Ayn Rand on Government
The Bill of Rights (Our Rights . . . Lest We Forget)