Conscription By Autumn Messina Definition The compulsory enlistment

Conscription By Autumn Messina

Definition • The compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service.

Origin/History • The United States Constitution does not mention the draft or the older word conscription. On September 16, 1940 the Selective Service and Selective Training bill was signed by president Franklin Roosevelt. This formed the countries first draft and established the agency.

Why is it controversial? • It is controversial because some people don’t want to go to war. I know, it seems surprising but some people don’t like war. However, some people like the draft. I think it is because with more people at war the feel safer.

China • China still has a conscription. There are so many people in China that they always have enough people willing to go to war. So, they don’t really need to use the conscription.

Pros and Cons • Pros: People should defend the country if they don’t want to so we do not get all bombed up. • They learn skills. • Cons: You make people go to war who sometimes don’t want to go to war. • It also makes those people who have no freedom. It basically takes away their freedom.

My Opinion • I think conscription can be good. If we don’t have enough volunteers for war then we would most likely lose. We would get taken over and have no freedom. I think it can also be bad though because you are basically taking peoples freedom away and if they don’t want to fight they will probably not to a very good job fighting. I think we should have it if we don’t have enough people at war yet.