The New York City Draft Riots on This Day in History

Gangs of New York - Draft Riots

This Day In History: The New York City draft riots happened on this day in 1863. Opponents of conscription began three days of rioting which ended up in 120 deaths and will be later regarded as the worst riot in United States history. Many countries still have the draft (compulsory recruitment for military service) such as Russia, Austria, Israel, Switzerland and Norway.

Ayn Rand had harsh words for the draft: "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?...Politically, the draft is clearly unconstitutional. No amount of rationalization, neither by the Supreme Court nor by private individuals, can alter the fact that it represents 'involuntary servitude.'"

You may also be interested in 220 Books on the American Civil War on DVDrom 1861-1865

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