"Justifying conscription to promote the cause of liberty is one of the most bizarre notions ever conceived by man! Forced servitude, with the risk of death and serious injury as a price to live free, makes no sense"
- Ron Paul
About this Quote
In this quote, Ron Paul, a popular libertarian figure and former U.S. Congressman, is critiquing the idea of conscription-- or necessary military service-- by highlighting what he sees as a fundamental contradiction in its purpose and result. His argument centers on the irony and perceived hypocrisy of using mandatory service to combat for liberty.
Paul begins by describing this reasoning as "one of the most unusual ideas ever conceived by male." This strong language recommends that he views the logic of conscription for liberty as inherently flawed and absurd. The primary contradiction he mentions is the juxtaposition of "forced servitude" with the goal of promoting freedom. Conscription requires individuals to yield their personal autonomy and flexibility to the state, obliging them to take part in military service no matter individual choice. This responsibility can entail considerable dangers, such as death or extreme injury, which starkly contrasts with the ideal of living freely and making self-governing choices about one's life and actions.
Further, the phrase "required bondage, with the danger of death and serious injury as a rate to live complimentary" underscores the individual cost conscripts must bear, which Paul suggests is antithetical to the notion of liberty. Rather of voluntary participation, conscripts are forced-- under threat of legal charge or other social pressures-- to serve in the military. This compulsion is what he's bring into question as contradictory when juxtaposed with the rhetoric of defending or promoting liberty.
Underlying his criticism is an ingrained libertarian concept advocating for specific flexibility and skepticism of government authority. Paul's declaration can be translated as a call to re-evaluate the means by which society looks for to accomplish and preserve freedom. He concerns whether true liberty can ever really be protected by a system that imposes such extensive restrictions on individual liberty and autonomy. Hence, through this quote, Paul challenges the ethical and philosophical credibility of conscription in the context of fighting for flexibility.
This quote is written / told by Ron Paul somewhere between August 20, 1935 and today. He/she was a famous Politician from USA.
The author also have 35 other quotes.