Arbeitspapier
The political economy of conscription
Though in decline recently, military conscription is still a widely used mode of staffing armies. Since not many valid economic, social or military arguments in favor of the draft can be put forward, the question emerges why societies choose to rely on it. In this survey we explain the political allure of military conscription by its specific intra- and intergenerational incidence as a tax. From a public choice perspective, there is always a vast majority of people in favor of the introduction and maintenance of military draft, as compared to a professional army. Empirical evidence for this conclusion appears to be mixed, however. Political preferences with respect to conscription involve concerns about its unfairness and questionable record on social accounts. Special interests may also matter.
- Language
-
Englisch
- Bibliographic citation
-
Series: IZA Discussion Papers ; No. 4429
- Classification
-
Wirtschaft
National Security and War
Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
- Subject
-
Military draft
public choice
taxation
dynamic costs
fairness
Wehrdienst
Verteidigungshaushalt
Public Choice
Excess Burden
Gerechtigkeit
- Event
-
Geistige Schöpfung
- (who)
-
Poutvaara, Panu
Wagener, Andreas
- Event
-
Veröffentlichung
- (who)
-
Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)
- (where)
-
Bonn
- (when)
-
2009
- Handle
- URN
-
urn:nbn:de:101:1-200910141090
- Last update
-
10.03.2025, 11:43 AM CET
Data provider
ZBW - Deutsche Zentralbibliothek für Wirtschaftswissenschaften - Leibniz-Informationszentrum Wirtschaft. If you have any questions about the object, please contact the data provider.
Object type
- Arbeitspapier
Associated
- Poutvaara, Panu
- Wagener, Andreas
- Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)
Time of origin
- 2009
Other Objects (12)
The political economy of conscription
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The political economy of conscription
To Draft or Not to Draft? Efficiency, Generational Incidence, and Political Economy of Military Conscription
To draft or not to draft? : Efficiency, generational incidence, and political economy of military conscription
On the Political Economy of Social Security and Public Education
On the Political Economy of Social Security and Public Education
Political parties and network formation
Political parties and network formation
Ending Military Conscription
Rent taxation in a small open economy: the effect on transitional generations
Rent taxation and its intertemporal welfare effects in a small open economy
Public education in an integrated Europe : studying to migrate and teaching to stay?
Pörssikurssien kehitys Suomessa 1896-1929: Uudet indeksisarjat ja niiden tulkinta
The political economy of conscription
To Draft or Not to Draft? Efficiency, Generational Incidence, and Political Economy of Military Conscription
To draft or not to draft? : Efficiency, generational incidence, and political economy of military conscription
On the Political Economy of Social Security and Public Education
On the Political Economy of Social Security and Public Education
Political parties and network formation
Political parties and network formation
Ending Military Conscription
Rent taxation in a small open economy: the effect on transitional generations
Rent taxation and its intertemporal welfare effects in a small open economy
Public education in an integrated Europe : studying to migrate and teaching to stay?