Why did Ayn Rand support laissez-faire capitalism?

Ayn Rand supported laissez-faire capitalism because she viewed it as the only socioeconomic system consistent with her political philosophy, which is rooted in the principle that no individual has the right to initiate the use of physical force against others.1

Rand argued that this "nonaggression principle" is incompatible with government-led wealth redistribution or social welfare programs, as these institutions rely on the threat of force to extract resources from individuals. Consequently, she maintained that the only just role for government is to protect an individual's rights to life, liberty, property, and the pursuit of happiness.1

Because Rand’s Objectivism emphasizes ethical egoism—the belief that pursuing one's own rational self-interest is a virtue—she advocated for a system that fully respects individual property rights and remains free from government regulation. In her view, a "full, pure, uncontrolled" market is the only system that upholds these moral requirements.1