Knowledge Is Power In Ayn Rand's Anthem

Sir Francis Bacon declared “Knowledge is power.” Technology and the scientific process allow for knowledge of self, causing an individual to gain personal power. In Ayn Rand’s Anthem, Equality lives in a totalitarian world that has no concept of the individual. The government does not allow for many technological advancements, taking the power of knowledge from the people. By keeping technology from the people and themselves, the government has complete control over the power. When technology and science are primitive, there is no progression. Technological and scientific knowledge cause progress. As people learn, it is a natural human desire to share our learning and progress it. Equality discovers electricity and uses his newfound knowledge

As Equality discovers new knowledge and expands his wisdom, he continuously progresses in obtaining a knowledge mindset. He persists in the endeavor to acquire this mindset as he escapes and proceeds to learn through reading and studying his surroundings. “May knowledge come to us!” (Rand 93) he exclaims after beginning to study and read. Technology and science lead to self-worth and individualism, for as one discovers things on their own, they become increasingly confident in themselves and their abilities. Societies cannot advance when they restrain a mindset of learning and knowledge from their people because learning is essential to any sort of scientific or technological advancements. Without advancement in society, knowledge is left to remain stagnant and even

Through discovering his own power, Equality realizes he can do much much more without his government than with it. Oppressive governments limit the freedom to explore because they want to keep their citizens from gaining knowledge. In Anthem, only the scholars can freely learn and express their ideas to one day be accepted, doing so only in groups. The Council tells Equality, “It took fifty years to secure the approval of all the Councils for the Candle” (Rand 74). Without being able to explore and share their ideas, the citizens are left with primitive technology and no power to oppose their government. Learning by oneself leads to an individualistic mindset, going against the “We” this society believes