Garett's political viewpoint overall, and the central theme throughout all his books, is libertarian or classical liberal. All his works exemplify the basic premise that a man is responsible for his own life, and that no man can expect a free ride from others, through forced income distribution schemes such as socialism and communism. As the 20th century progressed, he believed that Americans were signing away their birthright of freedom by trading their responsibilities of self-governance and self-responsibility for socialistic measures such as FDR's New Deal expansion of government.

His most influential work is commonly regarded to be The Driver. Published in 1922, it tells the story of financial speculator Henry M. Galt who, through his own vision and work ethic, takes over a failing railway, turning it into a hugely productive and profitable asset for the benefit of himself and the rest of the nation. Unable to see what he has achieved in turning his own business and the wider economy around from recession to boom, and blinded by the intense wealth and power he enjoys as a result, the general population and the government turn against him, ultimately destroying him instead of celebrating his success.