Economic conscription
Economic conscription is the mechanisms for recruitment of personnel for the
Claim and counter-claim
The term is usually used in a pejorative sense, with critics claiming that the government could create conditions where joining the armed forces would not be seen as an attractive career choice, but choose not to in order to avoid resourcing problems for their armed forces. Governments in countries at which the charge of using this method is levelled counter that they are providing work for people who would otherwise not have any.[citation needed]
Example countries
Countries which have been described as practising economic conscription include the United States and the United Kingdom. In both cases the armed forces contain sections whose purpose is to recruit new personnel.[citation needed]
United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, these units often recruit through the use of "careers fairs" in areas of high unemployment. In Wales, it has been claimed by Plaid Cymru that "the army is targeting schools in some of the poorest areas of Wales to find new recruits".[1]
United States
In the US, teams of staff from these units visit poor neighbourhoods, particularly in southern states and other areas with a high
History of the term
The term was in use as early as 1915.[2]
References
- ^ "UK | Wales | Army 'targeting poorer schools'". BBC News. 2006-12-04. Retrieved 2012-03-25.
- ^ Economic Conscription I, James Connolly, www.marxists.org, retrieved 23 Jan 2010