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{{Short description|System of either compulsory or voluntary government service, usually military, of various countries}}
{{Short description|System of military or government service}}
{{Multiple issues|
{{refimprove|date=March 2018}}
{{refimprove|date=March 2018}}
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{{Conscription}}
{{Conscription}}


'''National service''' is the system of either compulsory or voluntary government service, usually [[military service]]. [[Conscription]] is mandatory national service. The term ''national service'' comes from the [[United Kingdom's]] [[National Service (Armed Forces) Act 1939]].<ref>{{cite web|title=National Service (Armed Forces) Act 1939|url=http://hansard.millbanksystems.com/acts/national-service-armed-forces-act-1939|publisher=hansard.millbanksystems.com|access-date=14 March 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Davenport-Hines|first1=Richard|title=National Service: Conscription in Britain 1945-1963 by Richard Vinen – review|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/aug/20/national-service-consctiption-britain-richard-vinen-review|access-date=15 March 2018|work=The Guardian|date=20 August 2014}}</ref>
'''National service''' is the system of compulsory or voluntary government service, usually [[military service]]. [[Conscription]] is mandatory national service. The term ''national service'' comes from the [[United Kingdom's]] [[National Service (Armed Forces) Act 1939]].<ref>{{cite web|title=National Service (Armed Forces) Act 1939|url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/acts/national-service-armed-forces-act-1939|work=[[Hansard|Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)]]|access-date=14 March 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Davenport-Hines|first1=Richard|title=National Service: Conscription in Britain 1945-1963 by Richard Vinen – review|url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2014/aug/20/national-service-consctiption-britain-richard-vinen-review|access-date=15 March 2018|work=The Guardian|date=20 August 2014}}</ref>


The length and nature of national service depends on the country in question. In some instances, national service is compulsory, and citizens living abroad can be called back to their country of origin to complete it. In other cases, national service is voluntary.
The length and nature of national service depends on the country in question. In some instances, national service is compulsory, and citizens living abroad can be called back to their country of origin to complete it. In other cases, national service is voluntary.


Many young people spend one or more years in such programmes. Compulsory military service typically requires all citizens to enroll for one or two years, usually at age 18 (later for university-level students). Most conscripting countries conscript only men, but [[Norway]], [[Sweden]],<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Persson |first1=Alma |last2=Sundevall |first2=Fia |date=2019-11-10 |title=Conscripting women: gender, soldiering, and military service in Sweden 1965–2018 |url=https://doi.org/10.1080/09612025.2019.1596542 |journal=Women's History Review |volume=28 |issue=7 |pages=1039–1056 |doi=10.1080/09612025.2019.1596542 |s2cid=151116495 |issn=0961-2025}}</ref> [[Israel]], [[Eritrea]], [[Morocco]] and [[North Korea]]<ref>{{cite book|last=Minnich|first=James M.|editor-last=Worden|editor-first=Robert L.|title=North Korea: A Country Study|location=Washington|publisher=Government Printing Office|isbn=978-0-16-088278-4|lccn=2008028547|pages=237–282|chapter=National Security|edition=Fifth|date=2008}} {{p.|265}}.</ref> conscript both men and women.
Many young people spend one or more years in such programmes. Compulsory military service typically requires all citizens to enroll for one or two years, usually at age 18 (later for university-level students). Most conscripting countries conscript only men, but [[Norway]], [[Sweden]],<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Persson |first1=Alma |last2=Sundevall |first2=Fia |date=2019-11-10 |title=Conscripting women: gender, soldiering, and military service in Sweden 1965–2018 |journal=Women's History Review |volume=28 |issue=7 |pages=1039–1056 |doi=10.1080/09612025.2019.1596542 |s2cid=151116495 |issn=0961-2025|doi-access=free }}</ref> [[Israel]], [[Eritrea]], [[Morocco]] and [[North Korea]]<ref>{{cite book|last=Minnich|first=James M.|editor-last=Worden|editor-first=Robert L.|title=North Korea: A Country Study|location=Washington|publisher=Government Printing Office|isbn=978-0-16-088278-4|lccn=2008028547|pages=237–282|chapter=National Security|edition=Fifth|date=2008}} {{p.|265}}.</ref> conscript both men and women.


Voluntary national service may require only three months of basic military training. The US equivalent is [[Selective Service]]. In the United States, voluntary enrollments at the [[Peace Corps]] and [[AmeriCorps]] are also known as national service.
Voluntary national service may require only three months of basic military training. The US equivalent is [[Selective Service]]. In the United States, voluntary enrollments at the [[Peace Corps]] and [[AmeriCorps]] are also known as national service.
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*[[Conscription in Australia|Australia]]
*[[Conscription in Australia|Australia]]
*[[National Service Programme|Brunei]]
*[[National Service Programme|Brunei]]
*[[Conscription in Canada (disambiguation)|Canada]]
*[[Conscription in Canada|Canada]]
*[[Conscription in Denmark|Denmark]]
*[[Conscription in Denmark|Denmark]]
*[[Estonian Defence Forces#Conscription|Estonia]]
*[[Estonian Defence Forces#Conscription|Estonia]]

Latest revision as of 07:46, 13 December 2023

Conscription
1780 caricature of a press gang
1780 caricature of a press gang
Related concepts
By historical country
By modern country
By geographical area

National service is the system of compulsory or voluntary government service, usually military service. Conscription is mandatory national service. The term national service comes from the United Kingdom's National Service (Armed Forces) Act 1939.[1][2]

The length and nature of national service depends on the country in question. In some instances, national service is compulsory, and citizens living abroad can be called back to their country of origin to complete it. In other cases, national service is voluntary.

Many young people spend one or more years in such programmes. Compulsory military service typically requires all citizens to enroll for one or two years, usually at age 18 (later for university-level students). Most conscripting countries conscript only men, but Norway, Sweden,[3] Israel, Eritrea, Morocco and North Korea[4] conscript both men and women.

Voluntary national service may require only three months of basic military training. The US equivalent is Selective Service. In the United States, voluntary enrollments at the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps are also known as national service.

Historical arguments

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Around 100 AD, Plutarch quoted an early case for national service made by a Roman general sometime around the 5th century BC:

With the politic design of preventing intestine broils by employment abroad, and in the hope that when rich as well as poor, plebeians and patricians, should be mingled again in the same army and in the same camp, and engage in one common service for the public, it would mutually dispose them to reconciliation and friendship.[5]

By country

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ "National Service (Armed Forces) Act 1939". Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Retrieved 14 March 2018.
  2. ^ Davenport-Hines, Richard (20 August 2014). "National Service: Conscription in Britain 1945-1963 by Richard Vinen – review". The Guardian. Retrieved 15 March 2018.
  3. ^ Persson, Alma; Sundevall, Fia (2019-11-10). "Conscripting women: gender, soldiering, and military service in Sweden 1965–2018". Women's History Review. 28 (7): 1039–1056. doi:10.1080/09612025.2019.1596542. ISSN 0961-2025. S2CID 151116495.
  4. ^ Minnich, James M. (2008). "National Security". In Worden, Robert L. (ed.). North Korea: A Country Study (Fifth ed.). Washington: Government Printing Office. pp. 237–282. ISBN 978-0-16-088278-4. LCCN 2008028547. p. 265.
  5. ^ Plutarch (1992). "Plutarch's Life of Coriolanus". Plutarch's Lives, Volume 1 (Dryden translation ed.). Random House. p. 299.
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