--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A free government with an uncontrolled…" description: "\"A free government with an uncontrolled power of military conscription is the most ridiculous and abominable contradiction and nonsense that ever entere..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c9/daniel-webster-2347_anti-war_a-free-government-with-an-uncontrolled-p_1058278.jpg" --- # A free government with an uncontrolled power of military… ![“A free government with an uncontrolled power of military conscription is the most ridiculous and abominable contradiction and nonsense that ever entered into the heads of men.” quote by Daniel Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c9/daniel-webster-2347_anti-war_a-free-government-with-an-uncontrolled-p_1058278.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c9/daniel-webster-2347_anti-war_a-free-government-with-an-uncontrolled-p_1058278.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c9/daniel-webster-2347_anti-war_a-free-government-with-an-uncontrolled-p_1058278.jpg) > “A free government with an uncontrolled power of military conscription is the most ridiculous and abominable contradiction and nonsense that ever entered into the heads of men.” [Daniel Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-webster/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Criticizes uncontrolled military conscription as absurd and morally wrong. **In simple terms:** Conscription without limits is absurd. Key Takeaway Oppose unchecked conscription powers. Themes military conscription government morality Mood critical historical Type political ethical When to use this quote - Legislative debate - military policy - public protest Key Concepts Political philosophy civil liberties state power Questions to Reflect On - Should a state have any conscription? - How to balance security and liberty? A Different Perspective May ignore defense needs. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Anti war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anti-war/) [Conscription](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscription/) [Contradiction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/contradiction/) [Free government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/free-government/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Military](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/military/) [Nonsense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nonsense/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [Who will show me any Constitutional injunction which makes it the duty of the American people to surrender everything valuable in life, and even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-webster/who-will-show-me-any-constitutional-injunction-which-makes-it-the/) [Daniel Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-webster/) > [What higher property do you have than your own person? I totally agree, by the way, with John Locke's idea that one's body is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/what-higher-property-do-you-have-than-your-own-person-i-totally-agree/) [Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/) > [ “Be ... suspicious ... of all those who employ the term 'we' or 'us' without your permission. This is \[a\] form of surreptitious conscription… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/be-suspicious-of-all-those-who-employ-the-term-we-or-us-without-your/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [I regard the principle of conscription of life as a flat contradiction of all our cherished ideals of individual freedom, democratic liberty and Christian…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-nash-baldwin/i-regard-the-principle-of-conscription-of-life-as-a-flat/) [Roger Nash Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-nash-baldwin/) > [Anarchism is grounded in a rather definite social-psychological hypothesis: that forceful, graceful and intelligent behaviour occurs only when there is an uncoerced and direct…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-goodman/anarchism-is-grounded-in-a-rather-definite-social-psychological/) [Paul Goodman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-goodman/) > [The worship of the nation has been able to make men tolerate under its authority what they could never have tolerated from princes: a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilaire-belloc/the-worship-of-the-nation-has-been-able-to-make-men-tolerate-under/) [Hilaire Belloc](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilaire-belloc/) > [I am an opponent of war and of war preparations and an opponent of universal military training and conscription; but entirely apart from that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bayard-rustin/i-am-an-opponent-of-war-and-of-war-preparations-and-an-opponent-of/) [Bayard Rustin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bayard-rustin/) > [All these fifty-year-old guys wearing baseball caps and shorts and acting like children. It winds me up. Men don't have to take responsibility anymore.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrissie-hynde/all-these-fifty-year-old-guys-wearing-baseball-caps-and-shorts-and/) [Chrissie Hynde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chrissie-hynde/) > [“Universal peace-time conscription was adopted by almost all countries as the basis of their military system. This ensured that wars would grow bigger in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liddell-hart/universal-peace-time-conscription-was-adopted-by-almost-all-countries/) Liddell Hart > [Conscription if necessary, but not necessarily conscription.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-lyon-mackenzie-king/conscription-if-necessary-but-not-necessarily-conscription/) [William Lyon Mackenzie King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-lyon-mackenzie-king/) > [Wicksell's old-fashioned liberalism is reminiscent of John Maynard Keynes' attitude toward conscription during World War I. Keynes opposed conscription, but he was not a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mancur-olson/wicksell-s-old-fashioned-liberalism-is-reminiscent-of-john-maynard/) [Mancur Olson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mancur-olson/) > [If a country can't save itself through the volunteer service of its own free people, then I say : Let the damned thing go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/if-a-country-can-t-save-itself-through-the-volunteer-service-of-its/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Once conscription was introduced during the First World War, and once Britain's wars ceased being confined to the empire or to continental Europe and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-colley/once-conscription-was-introduced-during-the-first-world-war-and-once/) [Linda Colley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-colley/) > [“In 1870, came the victory of the short-service troops of Prussia over the long-service troops of France, where conscription had but recently been reintroduced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-h-liddell-hart-2/in-1870-came-the-victory-of-the-short-service-troops-of-prussia-over/) [B.H. Liddell Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-h-liddell-hart-2/) > [With respect to where we are now, we have a voluntary army. And if we ever go back to conscription I hope that at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/with-respect-to-where-we-are-now-we-have-a-voluntary-army-and-if-we/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) ## More by Daniel Webster > [In the nature of things, those who have no property and see their neighbors possess much more than they think them to need, cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-webster/in-the-nature-of-things-those-who-have-no-property-and-see-their/) [Daniel Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-webster/) > [“Liberty and Union, now and for ever, one and inseparable!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-webster/liberty-and-union-now-and-for-ever-one-and-inseparable/) [Daniel Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-webster/) > [If we work on marble it will perish. If we work on brass, time will efface it. If we raise temples, they will crumble…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-webster/if-we-work-on-marble-it-will-perish-if-we-work-on-brass-time-will/) [Daniel Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-webster/) > [This is the Book. I have read the Bible through many times, and now make it a practice to read it through once every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-webster/this-is-the-book-i-have-read-the-bible-through-many-times-and-now/) [Daniel Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-webster/) > [Men hang out their signs indicative of their respective trades; shoe makers hang out a gigantic shoe; jewelers a monster watch, and the dentist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-webster/men-hang-out-their-signs-indicative-of-their-respective-trades-shoe/) [Daniel Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-webster/) > [There is something on earth greater than arbitrary or despotic power. The lightning has its power, and the whirlwind has its power, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-webster/there-is-something-on-earth-greater-than-arbitrary-or-despotic-power/) [Daniel Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-webster/) > [Faith puts God between us and our circumstances.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-webster/faith-puts-god-between-us-and-our-circumstances/) [Daniel Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-webster/) > [Failure is more frequently from want of energy than want of capital.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-webster/failure-is-more-frequently-from-want-of-energy-than-want-of-capital/) [Daniel Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-webster/) > [The Bible is a book of faith, and a book of doctrine, and a book of religion, of special revelation from God; but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-webster/the-bible-is-a-book-of-faith-and-a-book-of-doctrine-and-a-book-of/) [Daniel Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-webster/) > [Our destruction, should it come at all, will be from...the inattention of the people to the concerns of their government, from their carelessness and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-webster/our-destruction-should-it-come-at-all-will-be-from-the-inattention-of/) [Daniel Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-webster/) > [When the spotless ermine of the judicial robe fell on John Jay, it touched nothing less spotless than itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-webster/when-the-spotless-ermine-of-the-judicial-robe-fell-on-john-jay-it/) [Daniel Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-webster/) > [If the Union was formed by accession of States then the Union may be dissolved by the secession of States.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-webster/if-the-union-was-formed-by-accession-of-states-then-the-union-may-be/) [Daniel Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-webster/) > [A solemn and religious regard to spiritual and eternal things is an indispensable element of all true greatness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-webster/a-solemn-and-religious-regard-to-spiritual-and-eternal-things-is-an/) [Daniel Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-webster/) > [Philosophic argument, especially that drawn from the vastness of the universe, in comparison with the apparent insignificance of this globe, has sometimes shaken my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-webster/philosophic-argument-especially-that-drawn-from-the-vastness-of-the/) [Daniel Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-webster/) > [We are all agents of the same supreme power, the people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-webster/we-are-all-agents-of-the-same-supreme-power-the-people/) [Daniel Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-webster/) [Explore all 170 Daniel Webster quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-webster/) ## More Anti war quotes > [We know the candidate Barack Obama, what he was like - the anti-war government nig... America was a source for division around the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-santorum/we-know-the-candidate-barack-obama-what-he-was-like-the-anti-war/) [Rick Santorum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-santorum/) > [In the eyes of empire builders men are not men but instruments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-bonaparte/in-the-eyes-of-empire-builders-men-are-not-men-but-instruments/) [Napoleon Bonaparte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-bonaparte/) > [I was involved in the anti-war movement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-ayers/i-was-involved-in-the-anti-war-movement/) [Bill Ayers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-ayers/) > [My first wish is to see this plague of mankind banished from the earth, and the sons and daughters of this world employed in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-washington/my-first-wish-is-to-see-this-plague-of-mankind-banished-from-the/) [George Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-washington/) > [One reason the United States finds itself at the edge of a foreign policy disaster is its underinformed citizenry, a key weakness in democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-halper/one-reason-the-united-states-finds-itself-at-the-edge-of-a-foreign/) Stefan Halper > [A good soldier is a blind, heartless, soulless, murderous machine. He is not a man. His is not a brute, for brutes kill only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-london/a-good-soldier-is-a-blind-heartless-soulless-murderous-machine-he-is/) [Jack London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-london/) > [The moral and constitutional obligations of our representatives in Washington are to protect our liberty, not coddle the world, precipitating no-win wars, while bringing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/the-moral-and-constitutional-obligations-of-our-representatives-in/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [The way I'm going now is to focus on peace, to create peace. As Sister Corita said, "I don't go to anti-war rallies. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maxine-hong-kingston/the-way-i-m-going-now-is-to-focus-on-peace-to-create-peace-as-sister/) [Maxine Hong Kingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maxine-hong-kingston/) > [Here's the thing. Just because you're pro-troops doesn't mean you're pro-war. And just because you're anti-war doesn't mean you're anti-troops. Just because you don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toby-keith/here-s-the-thing-just-because-you-re-pro-troops-doesn-t-mean-you-re/) [Toby Keith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toby-keith/) > [The worst evils which mankind has ever had to endure were inflicted by bad governments.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-von-mises/the-worst-evils-which-mankind-has-ever-had-to-endure-were-inflicted/) [Ludwig von Mises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-von-mises/) > [Repetition does not transform a lie into a truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-d-roosevelt/repetition-does-not-transform-a-lie-into-a-truth/) [Franklin D. Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-d-roosevelt/) > [You cannot be on one hand dedicated to peace and on the other dedicated to violence. Those two things are irreconcilable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/condoleezza-rice/you-cannot-be-on-one-hand-dedicated-to-peace-and-on-the-other/) [Condoleezza Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/condoleezza-rice/) > [Free nations don't develop weapons of mass destruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/free-nations-don-t-develop-weapons-of-mass-destruction/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [...Uncalled-for aggression arouses the hatred of the civilian population...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/uncalled-for-aggression-arouses-the-hatred-of-the-civilian-population/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [Once conscription was introduced during the First World War, and once Britain's wars ceased being confined to the empire or to continental Europe and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-colley/once-conscription-was-introduced-during-the-first-world-war-and-once/) [Linda Colley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-colley/) [Browse all 486 Anti war quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/anti-war/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A free government with an uncontrolled power of military conscription is the most ridiculous and abominable contradiction and nonsense that ever entered into the heads of men.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Daniel Webster" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-webster/a-free-government-with-an-uncontrolled-power-of-military-conscription/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anti war" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-webster/a-free-government-with-an-uncontrolled-power-of-military-conscription/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c9/daniel-webster-2347_anti-war_a-free-government-with-an-uncontrolled-p_1058278.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c9/daniel-webster-2347_anti-war_a-free-government-with-an-uncontrolled-p_1058278.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9c9/daniel-webster-2347_anti-war_a-free-government-with-an-uncontrolled-p_1058278.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A free government with an uncontrolled power of military conscription is the most ridiculous and abominable…” — Daniel Webster", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Daniel Webster", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-webster/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A free government with an uncontrolled...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-webster/a-free-government-with-an-uncontrolled-power-of-military-conscription/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-webster/a-free-government-with-an-uncontrolled-power-of-military-conscription/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```