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Fifty years ago in 1973, the United States ended military conscription, also known as the draft. The United States drafted soldiers for every major war since the Revolutionary War, but before 1940 did not use conscription during peacetime.
Instituting a military draft was always a contentious issue. Daniel Webster protested against conscripting men for the War of 1812. He said the draft trampled down and destroyed personal liberty. On the other hand, the father of our country, George Washington, saw military service as an individual’s civic responsibility, saying, “Every Citizen who enjoys the protection of a free government, owes not only a proportion of his property, but even his personal services to the defense of it.” Interestingly, most soldiers in each conflict were volunteers, though many might have volunteered to avoid being conscripted.
Economists such as Milton Friedman and Alan Greenspan were at the forefront of making the case to end military conscription. They argued the draft was costly and inefficient. At first glance, this claim seems incorrect. A draft usually lowers how much the government pays for defense since the government can pay conscripts well below competitive wage rates.
But the economists pointed out that this ignores opportunity cost. The cost of military personnel is not what Uncle Sam pays them but the alternative goods and services they would produce outside military service. By requiring the military to bid for labor like other employers, the military is more likely to attract young people with the requisite skills and aptitude for military service than if military service is coerced.
The economists argued that paying soldiers competitive wages provides adequate incentives for enlistment and leads those best suited for military service to join the military ranks. Indeed, the volunteer military has become more professional as pay and benefits have improved.
However, the military is not representative of the country as a whole. Nearly 80% of soldiers now come from military families, and recruits are disproportionately from counties with military bases nearby and from rural and Southern areas. The Constitution’s framers feared large, permanent and professional armies. James Madison wrote, “Armies, and debts, and taxes are the known instruments for bringing the many under the domination of the few.”
In the 50 years since conscription ended, the U.S. military has been able to pursue the president’s and Congress’ military objectives. Barring some unforeseen event, the president and Congress will not likely reinstate conscription anytime soon.•
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Bohanon and Horowitz are professors of economics at Ball State University. Send comments to ibjedit@ibj.com.
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