By Wanjiru Njoya
Mises.org
September 23, 2026
Conscription is a form of indentured servitude. Murray Rothbard argued that everyone has a natural right to self-defense, but "we have no moral right to use coercion-the bayonet or the revolver-to force someone else to defend us."
Rothbard argued that if we want men to stand in our defense, "the way to induce people to volunteer for hazardous jobs is to pay them extra as compensation." And yet, instead of offering a wage that would reward men who sign up willingly, governments rely on force to press conscripts into service.