Primer: Should the US adopt a mandatory civil service policy?

In our upcoming debate, the NU Political Union will discuss a potentially groundbreaking proposal: The United States adopting a policy of mandatory civil service. 

Those reading this primer may be more immediately familiar with mandatory military service. Various countries—including South Korea, Israel, and Finland—require citizens, most typically adult males, to serve militarily in some capacity. Mandatory civil service applies the same concept to civilian affairs, requiring that all citizens perform some non-military service. Proposals in the United States envision that young Americans could do projects such as teaching in low-income areas, working in healthcare, or maintaining infrastructure, among other ideas. 

Overall, in the United States, public opinion seems almost evenly split on mandatory civil service. According to a 2017 poll by Gallup, 49% of Americans support national service (A term encompassing civil and military work alike), while 45% oppose it. One can thus, to a significant extent, argue this issue compellingly either way. 

Proponents of mandatory civil service generally contend that it would accomplish valuable things at a low cost to the government while also bringing people together from diverse backgrounds. Opponents, however, tend to argue that mandatory civil service would be inefficient and ineffective compared with the currently booming volunteer system and would hinder freedom and maybe even violate the constitution. Join us on Monday, Oct. 24, to discuss which side is more convincing. In this primer, as always, we’ve compiled a short list of materials you may find helpful before attending the discussion. 

First, this short page from the Britannica website does a terrific job explaining the background fundamentals of the debate. 

Next, consider looking at this opinion piece in Politico, which argues for mandatory civil service, contending that, in American society, it would reduce polarization and protect democracy. 

Also, check out this article—produced by the Cato Institute—asserting that mandatory civil service constitutes a “dystopian vision for a free society.”  

Finally, this piece, issued by Brookings, which assesses whether the United States will adopt mandatory civil service (And comes out in favor of it), offers a sweeping overview of the issue. 

"Volunteer crews working on Public Lands Day in Yellowstone" by YellowstoneNPS is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0.