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Why aren't the Germans debating the draft? path dependency and the persistence of conscription
Ist Teil von
German politics, 2003-08, Vol.12 (2), p.147-165
Ort / Verlag
Abingdon: Frank Cass
Erscheinungsjahr
2003
Link zum Volltext
Quelle
Worldwide Political Science Abstracts
Beschreibungen/Notizen
In the context of the widespread change that is seeing the winding down of compulsory military service in many former conscript states in Europe, the continuation of the practice in Germany is a peculiarity. As Germany's allies and partners adapt their armed forces to post-Cold War scenarios, creating fully professional 'allvolunteer forces', Berlin has sought to sustain a viable system of conscription within the Bundeswehr. Germany has justified this policy through a complex web of historical, strategic and political arguments, which, upon first inspection appear quite convincing. However, when scrutinised against the realities of Germany's current security environment, the state of civil-military relations and the types of expectations and demands NATO and EU partners have of Germany, such protestations on the part of Berlin are not credible. This article will posit that the endurance of conscription in Germany is a result of its 'path dependent' nature, which derived from the context of West Germany's rearmament and the various political, military and social functions the introduction of conscription in the 1950's played. The article will survey the current state of play and political debate in Germany on the future of the draft and will conclude that despite its inefficiencies conscription, in some form, is likely to remain.