Of all the statist violations of individual rights in a mixed economy, the military draft is the worst. It is an abrogation of rights.

It negates man's fundamental right-the right to life-and establishes the fundamental principle of statism: that a man's life belongs to the state, and the state may claim it by compelling him to sacrifice it in battle. Once that principle is accepted, the rest is only a matter of time.

If the state may force a man to risk death or hideous maiming and crippling, in a war declared at the state's discretion, for a cause he may neither approve of nor even understand, if his consent is not required to send him into unspeakable martyrdom-then, in principle, all rights are negated in that state, and its government is not man's protector any longer. What else is there left to protect? (Ayn Rand)

Of all the statist violations of individual rights in a mixed economy, the military draft is the worst. It is an abrogation of rights. It negates man's fundamental right-the right to life-and establishes the fundamental principle of statism: that a man's life belongs to the state, and the state may claim it by compelling him to sacrifice it in battle. Once that principle is accepted, the rest is only a matter of time. If the state may force a man to risk death or hideous maiming and crippling, in a war declared at the state's discretion, for a cause he may neither approve of nor even understand, if his consent is not required to send him into unspeakable martyrdom-then, in principle, all rights are negated in that state, and its government is not man's protector any longer. What else is there left to protect?

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abrogation battle cause claim compelling consent crippling death discretion draft economy force fundamental government individual left life longer maiming man matter military nor once principle protector rest right risk sacrifice send state statism statist time war worst

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