In America, conscription is unknown; men are enlisted for payment. Compulsory recruitment is so alien to the ideas and so foreign to the customs of the people of the United States that I doubt whether they would ever dare to introduce it into their law.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- The author notes that conscription is alien to America, where military service is paid and voluntary.
- In plain terms
- America prefers paid, voluntary enlistment.
- What can you take from it?
- Cultural norms shape military recruitment.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Why do societies choose different recruitment methods?
- What values underlie these choices?
Another view
The statement may overlook historical periods where conscription was considered.
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