In this 1967 lecture, Ayn Rand discusses two prominent issues of the day: the Vietnam War and the military draft. Focusing on Vietnam, Rand argues against the morality of fighting a war that does not serve any national interest. Rand also explains how the military draft violates the rights of those conscripted. Relating both of these controversies to an earlier talk, “The New Fascism: Rule by Consensus,” she argues that current events demonstrate the fragility and inevitable breakdown of the alleged ideal of “government by consensus.”
