Individual rights is the only proper principle of human coexistence, because it
rests on man’s nature, i.e., the nature and requirements of a conceptual
consciousness. Man gains enormous values from dealing with other men; living in
a human society is his proper way of life—but only on certain conditions. Man
is not a lone wolf and he is not a social animal. He is a contractual animal.
He has to plan his life long-range, make his own choices, and deal with other
men by voluntary agreement (and he has to be able to rely on their observance
of the agreements they entered).