The U.S. Constitution Second Amendment Betrayed
A mandatory draft is preferable to voluntary conscription, which would only strengthen an army composed of individuals inclined toward militarism. The military can easily become an autonomous power that ignores all that old-fashioned judicial, legislative, and executive ‘garbage’.
Yet in Western countries, only voluntary military service is politically feasible. No government or party could gain the support needed to force all citizens to serve for a year or more in the military. Most of the youth still have more attractive opportunities. And that’s a good thing. Most citizens would oppose it, and it isn’t even in the interest of those advocating rearmament.
Voluntary military service can threaten democracy and peace. It’s often said that if a person only has a hammer, they’ll see every problem as a nail. And what tools does the military have?
They would certainly not think that, to avoid conflict, it would be better to form commercial and cultural agreements rather than create enemies. But without enemies, career or volunteer soldiers, not to mention generals, would face an identity crisis.
Mandatory conscription, on the other hand, would include people with a variety of opinions in the armed forces, representing the nation’s diverse views instead of just one. Conscripts might refuse to fight if it conflicts with their beliefs. Additionally, individuals willing to oppose dictatorships would be trained in weapon use. If WWII partisans had not done military service, they wouldn’t have had the training needed to combat fascism. Nor would fascism have existed if millions of people had not been sent to fight a pointless and bloody war.
The shift from supposedly defending the homeland to deploying armies to establish military dictatorships or wage wars on others is swift and likely. We are nearing this point, which responsible and democratic citizens must oppose with all their might.
Does rearmament truly aim at a preventive strike against Russia, or is it primarily for internal political reasons? Isn’t it likely that all the funds allocated to the military mainly serve the hegemonic ambitions of the generals and those who control the money?
Let us remember that a ‘people militia’ with solely defensive roles is a cornerstone of modern democracy. Conversely, mercenary armies and military castes are linked to dictatorship regimes. This principle is enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. Under the Second Amendment, some challenge the constitutional legitimacy of the overgrown American armed forces.
