Ask HN: Mandatory National Service, would it make politics less polarizing? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Mandatory National Service, would it make politics less polarizing?

Today's politics in US is overwhelmingly polarized. I'm not very familiar with pros/cons of mandatory national service, but am wondering if that wouldn't help people, as they enter adulthood, realize they're PART of the government and that it's not necessarily an adversary.

EDIT: Just to clarify, by "national service" I don't necessarily mean military.

View on HN

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.

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/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Nationa...

Excellent research on the topic

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

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

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

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.

The Libertarian Case for National Military Service

> https://www.cato-unbound.org/2013/09/09/pascal-emmanuel-gobr...

Reply on news.ycombinator.com