To secure and protect individual rights, Ayn Rand argues, the use of force must be placed under objective control. In this lesson, Dr. Ghate and Dr. Salmieri analyze Rand’s essay “The Nature of Government” and address students’ comments. Topics covered include the definition of government, why government is needed, the principle of individual rights as the means to a civilized society, the proper role of government, the propriety of the use of force, and Rand’s views on anarchy.