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code_archeologist t1_j1vtjc5 wrote

Reply to comment by VegetableTechnology2 in Taiwan extends compulsory military service to 1 year amid China tensions - National | Globalnews.ca by NSDetector_Guy

What a cute straw man you have there...

But, the nations I listed are all democracies. If they no longer saw a need for compulsory military service then the people would vote to end it (the same way that Germany and US did). But the people of those nations see a societal good in it, for most of them it is because there is a belligerent nation just across their border (or in the case of Ukraine currently invading), and having a population that could be ready to take up arms in defense in a disciplined fashion is a good idea for them.

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SebastianForsenFors t1_j2084du wrote

Democracies are tyranny of the majority and most voters dont serve so this issue won’t be contentious enough to be voted on

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VegetableTechnology2 t1_j1vuq7z wrote

It's not remotely a strawman; you claim it's justified because other countries are doing it as well, I presented you another example of something another country does as well. So, no, claiming it's a strawman doesn't suddenly improve your poor argument.

I happen to live in one of the counties you mentioned that has compulsury military service, and as would be expected it's not as sunny and great as you describe. Democracies aren't that simple as you said "But the people of those nations see a societal good in it", that's just false. We don't directly vote whether we want compulsory military service. And if we did it's easy for it to pass when 50% of the population (women) don't have military service (so it's a sexist measure as well) and the majority of the population already has served. This isn't something new, you see this in other issues as well, it's inherent in democracy.

But also, this does not make it moral or good or not a violation of personal rights. In my country gay marriage is also illegal. We have a democracy. So it's okay according to you, since society doesn't want me to have the same rights as the majority does? Ridiculous.

Also debatable is the value this even provides to the defense of the country. Conscripts make terrible soldiers.

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code_archeologist t1_j1vvxk6 wrote

Well, that is not what I said.

And I am not feeling like debating the minutiae of Rousseau and the trade offs that are made of personal liberties for the benefits of communal society. First because that is not within the scope of what I was suggesting, and second because the nuance of the social contract I feel might be lost on your misguided moral absolutism.

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VegetableTechnology2 t1_j1vwwp8 wrote

Then enlighten me and explain what you said that I misunderstood/didn't answer.

I'm not a moral absolutist but there are limits to what society should expect from you. Arguing that having forced compulsury service for a year against the will of those forced, is not involuntary servitude is bizarre to me.

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