[MD] Altruism

[craigerb at comcast.net]

[Ben]
> 1)  John is wealthy.  A government worker, Tom, takes 100$ from John, 
> claiming to be acting altruistically.  Tom keeps 40$ as his salary, wastes 
> 30$ and divides the remaining 30$ amongst poor people.

> 2)  John is wealthy.  A government worker, Tom, takes 100$ from John, 
> claiming to be acting altruistically.  Tom keeps 2$ as his salary, wastes 2$ 
> and divides the remaining 96$ amongst poor people.
> As an objectivist, is there any difference in the morality of 1 and 2?

Ben,
Rand is not a utilitarian.  From her moral point of view, the forcibly taking of the $100 from John is what is determinate. John might object less to 2) than 1), but that is merely a practical matter.
Craig