If there was a war and conscription was mandatory would you go?

[visitingagain]

Do people think the government has the right to conscript people? Should people who won't comply get punished?

Would the UK government have the powers if it decided to pass the relevant instrument? Yes.

Would the moaning by the young adults and their parents put to shame all the complaints about COVID decisions 'stealing our children's future'? Absolutely.

Would social media be a picture to behold? Undoubtedly.

It's interesting because there are so many people on other threads arguing that they will never comply with mandatory vaccines @PearlclutchersInc that was the Austria thread. Mumsnet at its finest

MaskingForIt

I view conscription as a tax. No-one wants to do it/pay it, but we have to for the good of our country.

I doubt most of those conscripted during WW1&2 wanted to do it, but I am thankful to them that they did so we can live in a free and progressive country today.

I agree. I’m so deeply grateful to those who fought to give us the freedom we have. I can’t begin to imagine what life would be like had the Nazi’s prevailed. I’m anti-war and wouldn’t want me and my loved ones to fight but in a situation where there was a hostile invasion id feel a sense of duty. It’s so hard for those generations that have come after WW2 to even imagine it.

I would have done everything in my power to avoid supporting the Iraq war.

Hell no, have you seen some of the people out there?! They can't be trusted to do the most basic things, don't go giving them a fucking gun!

In my opinion it's just another way of mass control. Plus alot of the countries that do have conscription also are very patriotic. I honestly don't personally know one person (including myself) who's actually proud to be British. I wouldn't want to represent this country in anything, its a disgrace 😂

Nope. Why should young healthy people sacrifice themselves for everyone else.

@Funnylittlefloozie

If things had got to the stage where conscription was extended to fat 49 year old women... I'd probably join up out of sheer desperation.

I think you’d be very dangerous!

I hope that's a joke @stairway

I refuse to kill or terrorise others so I'd be a conscientious objector. And yes, I'm aware that I'd probably be jailed. My late Great-Aunt was a conscientious objector (she was one of Jehovah's witnesses, like me) during WWII and was jailed. I'm so proud of her.

If ever conscription is run in anger, expect it to be deployed with lots of deferments and exemptions for the wealthy and well-connected.

@RedCarsGoFaster

Well, I'm 40, medically disabled, fat and very unfit. Can't imagine I'd be useful in the front line....

However, in terms of National Service, I'm a believer that it should be an OPTION for everyone (not a requirement). A short term stint in the military / as a hospital porter / in a public service (public sector) field could be positive for lots of people, especially if they aren't particularly qualified or interested in anything in particular. A 2yr contract could be great for lots of people.

👷Hard hat on!

It's an option for anyone right now.

They probably wouldn't want me because of a physical disability, but no. I'd sooner go to jail than go to war (and I think jail would be awful, but here it's the lesser of two evils).

I walk with a stick so I doubt they would want me! 😂

Surely we'd all be nuked before it came to that?

Maybe if I was fighting Hitler, not so much the variety of foreign targets we've unsuccessfully fought in for the last thirty years. We have excellent armed forces but very poor politicians. I'd rather go to jail than fight for a single one of them.

Visitingagain it isn’t a joke. I’ve always wondered why it was considered ok to kill off so many young men in these wars when they have their whole lives ahead of them, particularly WW1 society forcing all those healthy young men to their deaths. If we have to kill and mame anyone to settle disputes it would be better to do it to people who have already lived their lives. In all honesty though I don’t agree with wars at all and humans need to find a better way.

@ThreeFeetTall

Surely we'd all be nuked before it came to that?

This is true. There'll never be another 'world war'. It'll just be whoever releases their nuclear missiles first. Everyone else is screwed.

I’m too old to be conscripted.
Hardly likely though, is it?

A better idea would be to conscript people into customer service jobs for a couple of years. Then they might learn not to be arseholes to shop workers, waiting staff, call centre people etc.

Ironically I noticed that the elderly weren't too happy about sacrificing themselves and putting their lives at risk in the national interest during the pandemic so that we could maintain our way of life. So bollocks to them if they think I'll do it to protect them!

And the rest of the population? Children? People with disabilities?

Gotta love MN ageism.

@iklboo

doing something willingly and being carried along by societal pressure and the consequences of not doing something are very different.

All of those young boys who signed up in 1914 had no idea what was in store for them. Do you really think 1000 upon 1000 of teenagers would have done so willingly if they had known about the reality of trench warfare?

@iklboo

I doubt most of those conscripted during WW1&2 wanted to do it,

On the contrary - most saw it as their duty. Lads lied about their age to join up, there were queues at the conscription centres. It was a huge stigma not to join up.

Especially with dreadful women giving anyone out of uniform white feathers in 1914-18.

Given the way wars are fought these days I think conscription would be more trouble than it's worth.

@ArblemarchTFruitbat

A better idea would be to conscript people into customer service jobs for a couple of years. Then they might learn not to be arseholes to shop workers, waiting staff, call centre people etc.

Or they might run towards the front line after only a few days shouting ‘Kill me now!’?