48% of Britain's would refuse to fight for their country

[cakeorwine]

So a new headline today

Daily Telegraph
Half of Britons would refuse to fight for their country

Half of Britons say there are no circumstances in which they would go to war for their country, a poll has found.

While the pollster Ipsos found strong backing for increased defence spending, some 48 per cent said there was no situation in which they would take up arms.

One in two Britons would never fight for their country | Politics | News | Express.co.uk

It was not that easy to find the data set but I've linked it below and shown the data from the question

Original data here

Despite rising support for increasing defence spending, half of Britons say there are no circumstances under which they would take up arms for Britain | Ipsos

War-trends-final-weighted

Would be interested to hear your opinion on the survey results

As would Sir Humphrey

I agree but circumstances would be very different and I think it’s easy to say how you’d behave but reality is very different

ok
"would you go to war if your city was bombed?"

The vast majority of past European conflicts featured men who were either conscripted to fight (ie no choice in the matter) or were paid a decent enough wage to fight for some king or other to make the possibility of getting stabbed still appear sufficiently attractive (as life for the normal person was rough as shit anyway)

Without heaviliy factoring in those two scenarios, the question is vague to the point of being meaningless.

Why is it called a "nation on strangers"?

This.

I took a quick look nothing stood out as particularly egregious - and I'm on here for entertainment between boring tasks today rather an indepth analysis on topics.

Perhaps some people answered that they wouldn't be willing to take up arms because they physically can't, rather than because they wouldn't want to defend their country during a war. You might get a higher number willing to support if the question wasn't only about fighting (which is why I suggested including non-combat roles).

Were you born here?

I wouldn't be any use in the front line, but I would help on the home front.

Interesting question for Prime Ministers

At what point do you go to war

Salami tactics

I wouldn’t say it’s dead but many thankfully most people nowadays are educated enough to have a more nuanced understanding of the word.

My great grandfather was wounded in WW1 (I have his letters) and my grandfather joined the RAF after Dunkirk. But if there was a war tomorrow, I wouldn't lift the little toe on my right foot. I don't even feel British anymore.

All my life I have been told how disgusting and shameful our history is. The left have taught us to hate ourselves and reject our own culture (Radio 4 can't even mention Jane Austen without linking her to colonialism). I am often struck by the patriotism of other nationalities. I mean how secure they are in their identity, how they celebrate their history and culture.

On top of that, mass immigration has transformed Britain. At times, I feel like a hated outsider. Who is going to die for a country in which it's controversial even to flag your national flag?! You think I'm going to fight to protect smashed statues and 'de-colonised' libraries? The left have won. They've created a new Britain, and they can go and fight for it.

I’m not surprised. It’s clear to most that we’re not all ‘in this’ together, and the same sacrifices wouldn’t be demanded from everyone. People caught onto the fact a long time ago that some people are more likely to be considered cannon fodder than others. That said, if an invading army were marching down the street, I suspect most would defend their family, and if conscription was brought in for a fight further afield, I doubt 52% of the eligible population would choose prison and the attendant social opprobrium. I’m too old to be conscripted, and I would struggle to enthusiastically sign up to risk death, but if it came to it, I’d accept having to do it were conscription brought in (I’d be shit at it though - terrible hand-eye coordination and no capacity for blind obedience).

Yes

Not sure how that is relevant

I don’t think use is as much of a factor with drone warfare anyway. It’s just numbers and awful to see.

Haven't RTFT so somebody has surely mentioned this already but https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King_and_Country_debate

I would be up for controlling a drone - more fun than doom-scrolling.

My late father in law worked on the conscription plans during the Falklands war, which included ordinary British citizens.

I would think that almost 100% would find they have no choice. If they are called up it’s likely prison if they refuse (not that we have enough prison centres). Baring reserved occupations, illness and disability serving your country on a military basis may be compulsory.

Before any form of conscription was introduced there would need to be a massive programme of building barracks, training centres, etc. not to mention the procurement of thousands of weapons from rifles and machine guns to tanks, drones, aircraft and naval ships, not to mention ammunition, new uniforms, boots, NBC equipment, etc. before you could even let the first batch be called up.
Even if a government wanted to bring it in it would take years to roll it out.

Sadly not everyone is controlling they’re on the receiving end.

Yes I remember this.

You honestly would be up for that? Knowing what you just did killed people? This isn't goady, I just don't understand it.

I quite like a conversation, but what I don't really like is having to read through acres of information on a variety of links first. Unless the thread itself contains the pertinent details which are under discussion, then I really can't be arsed. Sorry.

I think this is linked to:

• a total lack of trust in and respect for politicians
• people who feel like they have no reason to fight because these days it is so hard to have a decent living, buy a house and afford to have a family so they don't really have anything they would want to protect
• capitalism is pushing a formula where individuality is praised and money is everything. That does not lead to community cohesion and people who want to support each other.

Why would young people especially want to potentially give their lives for the country in that context?

Do you believe it's good practice to look at at least the basics of a survey before responding to it with an opinion based on the reported media result?