
Ask HN: Mandatory National Service, would it make politics less polarizing? - unexaminedlife
Today&#x27;s politics in US is overwhelmingly polarized.  I&#x27;m not very familiar with pros&#x2F;cons of mandatory national service, but am wondering if that wouldn&#x27;t help people, as they enter adulthood, realize they&#x27;re PART of the government and that it&#x27;s not necessarily an adversary.<p>EDIT:  Just to clarify, by &quot;national service&quot; I don&#x27;t necessarily mean military.
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rman666
I’ve thought about this, too (and I spent 20+ years in the U.S. Army Reserve).
I think such a requirement would have a lot of benefits for the U.S. but I
also think it would take a generation for it to be accepted and not seen as a
political “stunt.” It would really have to be “sold” to the country as a long-
term positive, and considering out current divisions I don’t know that we can
agree on anything significant right now. Maybe it can be sold at the state
level easier.

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ljsocal
And a webinar featuring top figures in the national service movement:

[https://www.brookings.edu/events/webinar-inspired-to-
serve-t...](https://www.brookings.edu/events/webinar-inspired-to-serve-the-
future-of-public-service/)

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ljsocal
[https://www.brookings.edu/wp-
content/uploads/2019/10/Nationa...](https://www.brookings.edu/wp-
content/uploads/2019/10/National-Service_TEXT-3.pdf)

Excellent research on the topic

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ljsocal
If you are personally considering national service, Peace Corps is an amazing
experience and a shining example of what an excellent government program looks
like. www.peacecorps.gov

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mytailorisrich
This might have some benefits but it would certainly not make politics less
polarizing. See countries that have, or have had, a National Service.

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unexaminedlife
Are there studies that have proven that a citizen's psychological profile /
attitude toward government aren't impacted by mandatory national service?

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PaulHoule
There is always a population of military veterans who pose a threat to order.
When I mean always I mean Rome, I mean feudal Japan, or Hitler's first
stormtroopers. Closer to home we have had black nationalists, Tim McVeigh, and
other troops bring the war home with them. Now there are 'boogaloo boys' who
seem to hate both blacks and cops.

Most veterans are not like that and return to private life and public service
in ways adequate to admirable, but it does show that national service is not
universally civilizing.

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JSeymourATL
The Libertarian Case for National Military Service

> [https://www.cato-unbound.org/2013/09/09/pascal-emmanuel-
> gobr...](https://www.cato-unbound.org/2013/09/09/pascal-emmanuel-
> gobry/libertarian-case-national-military-service)

