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I liked Atlas Shrugged when I read it. But I think if Dagny Taggart would see today's world she wouldn't be too happy as well. While capitalism won over communism the corruption of governments didn't die out it just became more clever.

I sometimes toy with the thought of writing a second ending to be Atlas Shrugged where old Dagny looks at our world and can't grasp what is wrong with it.

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In Atlas Shrugged she didn't just rail at communism, but also at the use of political "pull" over merit to shape (distort) the economic landscape. That's still very relevant in many domains today, though I think the "Dagney's" of the world (and most hackers and other astute observers) just as easily grasp it then as now.

It's not only about the "pull" over merit as you state it but about politically established priorities that harm good businesses. Just as the US cloud business was harmed by the NSA when national security (and intl. espionage) was put above competitiveness.

Those political priorities still come from "Washington" and rule over NY (or Silicon Valley). Both cities are meant within context of the book.

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