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Conscription

Canada Flag

Canada

Canada Grants Refugee Status to Russian Fleeing Conscription

Western nations should adopt a general policy of granting refuge to Russians seeking to avoid conscription, and otherwise fleeing Vladimir Putin's increasingly repressive regime.

Ilya Somin |The Volokh Conspiracy | 1.21.2023 4:33 PM

Russian immigrants stand against a Russian passport and an image of Russian President Vladimir Putin

Immigration

It's a Mistake To Turn Away Russian Civilians Fleeing Conscription

Several countries are rejecting Russians fleeing forced military service. But offering them refuge would help protect dissidents and deprive Putin of critical manpower.

Fiona Harrigan | 9.26.2022 5:16 PM

Putin overlaid on a photo of tanks

Russia

Russians Are Fleeing the Threat of Conscription

Unsurprisingly, numerous Russians don't want to be forced to fight in Vladimir Putin's pointless war.

Eric Boehm | 9.21.2022 2:30 PM

sipaphotosthirteen572885

War

Military Drafts Loom Over Europe Thanks to Russia

International tensions empower politicians seeking to force the unwilling into government service.

J.D. Tuccille | 5.6.2022 7:00 AM

polspphotos921498

War

Freedom Is a Victim of Russia's Invasion of Ukraine

This war, like all wars, will invigorate the state and be deadly to liberty.

J.D. Tuccille | 4.22.2022 7:00 AM

Zelensky

Ukraine

Two Illiberal and Unjust Zelensky Policies the West Should Force Him to End

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is leading his nation a just cause. But we should not allow him to impose censorship and emigration bans in the process. A nation fighting for freedom must not undermine it.

Ilya Somin |The Volokh Conspiracy | 4.1.2022 10:20 AM

Draft

Sex Discrimination

House Votes to Apply Mandatory Draft Registration to Women

A better way to end sex discrimination would be to simply abolish it for everyone.

Ilya Somin |The Volokh Conspiracy | 9.30.2021 4:20 PM

blind-spot-3

Biden Administration

Check Your Authoritarian Blind Spot

And your friends' authoritarian blind spots, too.

Matt Welch, Nick Gillespie, Katherine Mangu-Ward, and Peter Suderman | 9.27.2021 3:06 PM

zumaamericasseven549952

Military

Dump the Draft Forever Instead of Making Women Register

Why is registration for involuntary servitude still a thing?

J.D. Tuccille | 9.27.2021 7:00 AM

NancyPelosi

Congress

House Votes To Make Your Daughters Eligible for the Military Draft

With minimal debate, Selective Service was doubled in a "must-pass" $778 billion defense bill.

Matt Welch | 9.24.2021 2:04 PM

GirlDraft

Sexism

Women Are on the Verge of Being Forced Into Military Conscription Due to a Perverse Notion of 'Equality'

Expanding government-imposed burdens to new classes of people is a bad idea, unless the goal is equality of immiseration.

Matt Welch | 7.23.2021 3:32 PM

westendrf571351

Military

Senate Considers Requiring Women To Register for the Draft

A proposal obtained by Politico would get rid of male-only language in an upcoming military service bill.

Ella Lubell | 7.22.2021 9:58 AM

Draft

Sex Discrimination

Supreme Court Refuses to Consider Case Challenging Male-Only Draft Registration—but Suggests it Might Revisit the Issue in the Future

Three justices - including conservavtive Brett Kavanaugh - strongly suggested they believe male-only draft registration is unconstitutional.

Ilya Somin |The Volokh Conspiracy | 6.7.2021 2:32 PM

GalMilitary3

Feminism

Washington Wants To Be Able To Draft Your Daughters Into Military Service, in the Name of 'Equity'

Here's a better idea: Abolish the "Selective" Service.

Matt Welch | 3.18.2021 9:18 AM

CvG Vol 4 still

Comedy

Citizen vs. Government (Vol. 4)

Bewildering answers to simple questions

Austin Bragg and Andrew Heaton | 9.23.2020 12:15 PM

Draft

Sex Discrimination

Fifth Circuit Upholds Constitutionality of Male-Only Draft Registration—But only Based on Precedent

The issue may be headed for the Supreme Court, which hopefully will reverse its 1981 ruling in Rostker v. Goldberg.

Ilya Somin |The Volokh Conspiracy | 8.14.2020 2:21 PM

Pete Buttigieg

Pete Buttigieg

America Doesn't Need Pete Buttigieg's Forced Labor Scheme

“What is freedom? It is the right to choose one’s own employment. Certainly it means that, if it means anything,” thundered Frederick Douglass.

J.D. Tuccille | 5.1.2019 1:15 PM

maddow-buttigieg4-17-2

Pete Buttigieg

Pete Buttigieg's National Service Plan Is a Really Bad Idea Whose Time Might Have Come

Mayor Pete pitches a vague policy as a cure to help fix "the lack of social cohesion" that he says defines contemporary America.

Nick Gillespie | 4.17.2019 3:35 PM

Large image for longform feature pages.

1968

We've Got Good News…

A look at the victories we've won in the last half-century

Jesse Walker | 11.25.2018 6:00 AM

NationalService

National Service

Why Mandatory National Service is Both Unjust and Unconstitutional

A post based on my presentation at a panel on mandatory national service organized by the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service.

Ilya Somin |The Volokh Conspiracy | 10.19.2018 3:38 PM

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France

Sacre Bleu! France to Reinstate Mandatory National Service for 16-Year-Olds

Emmanuel Macron wants teens to "value" their citizenship. Milton Friedman would be appalled.

Joe Setyon | 6.29.2018 10:10 AM

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Rand Paul

Rand Paul Wants to End the Draft and Force Congress to Vote on Authorizing War

Libertarian-ish senator plans to introduce "The Muhammad Ali Voluntary Service Act" and force Congress to vote on Authorization of Use of Military Force.

Anthony Fisher | 6.8.2016 5:41 PM

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Rand Paul

Rand Paul to Introduce Muhammad Ali Bill to End Selective Service

The House, meanwhile, voted to extend it to women.

Ed Krayewski | 6.8.2016 5:14 PM

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Vietnam

Muhammad Ali Was America's Most Effective Anti-War Advocate (And Still Is)

The Greatest put his life and career on the line and helped turn public sentiment against the Vietnam War.

Anthony Fisher | 6.6.2016 3:29 PM

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Big Government

Friday Funnies: Uncle Sam at the Bar

Chip Bok | 2.12.2016 7:00 AM

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Conscription

End, Don't Extend, the Draft

The only fair measure would be to abolish registration and never draft anyone again.

Sheldon Richman | 2.11.2016 8:00 AM

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Military

Should Women Be Required to Sign Up for the Military Draft?

Marco Rubio, Jeb Bush, and Chris Christie say OK. Ted Cruz calls it "nuts."

Ronald Bailey | 2.8.2016 9:55 AM

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Politics

Mainstreaming Liberty

How five 20th century economists subtly remade the political landscape

Veronique de Rugy | 10.1.2015 12:00 PM

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Civil Liberties

To Destroy ISIS, Conscript Millennials, Says Baby Boomer Journalist

I am a millennial, get me out of here!

Robby Soave | 6.17.2015 10:40 AM

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Politics

I Avoided Fighting in Vietnam and Have No Regrets

If anything, avoiding that war was a moral duty.

Sheldon Richman | 5.3.2015 12:01 AM

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Civil Liberties

Friday A/V Club: Uncle Sam Reminds You to Visit Your Local Draft Board

An artifact from the age of peacetime conscription

Jesse Walker | 2.27.2015 11:01 AM

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Politics

Ben Carson's Comparison of ISIS to the Founding Fathers: Bad Politics, But Worse Thinking

A free and prosperous society should have fewer, not more people prepared to die for it at any given time

Matt Welch | 1.16.2015 12:35 PM

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Politics

Does Declining Volunteerism Mean We Need National Service? Only If You Don't Count Money

Matt Welch | 1.2.2015 2:46 PM

Policy

Remember Walter Oi, Who Helped Expand Freedom By Ending the Draft

J.D. Tuccille | 1.8.2014 12:46 PM

Policy

Would Conscription Put the Brakes on War?

Andrew Bacevich's new book offers a powerful critique of U.S. foreign policy-but the solution it proposes is no remedy.

Anthony Gregory | 9.28.2013 3:00 PM

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Policy

It's Not Smart for Cops To Pick Fights With Doctors and Nurses

J.D. Tuccille | 8.16.2013 8:38 AM

Civil Liberties

Judge Orders Doctors To Pump Prisoner's Stomach, Doctors Tell Judge To Piss Off

J.D. Tuccille | 8.15.2013 8:33 PM

Civil Liberties

Austrians Vote To Maintain Conscription

One of the last vestiges of slavery

Reason Staff | 1.22.2013 2:28 PM

Policy

Austrians Vote to Keep the Draft

John Ross | 1.21.2013 8:00 AM

Policy

New York Sentences Petty Criminals to Sandy Relief

There's nothing like pressed labor for that feeling of community spirit

Reason Staff | 12.21.2012 4:40 PM

Politics

Drafting Millions, What Wouldn't it Solve? Asks New York Times Op-Ed

Lucy Steigerwald | 7.11.2012 11:05 AM

Economics

It's Milton Friedman's World: We're Just Living Freely in It

The economist who advocated "Power to the People"

Brian Doherty | 11.21.2006 3:02 PM

Culture

Overcoming Merit

The illiberal agenda behind the "overclass" hype

Virginia Postrel | 10.1.1995 12:00 AM

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