THE DECLINE OF THE MASS ARMY IN THE WEST

In: Armed forces & society: official journal of the Inter-University Seminar on Armed Forces and Society : an interdisciplinary journal, Band 1, Heft 2, S. 147-157

Abstract

THE AGE OF THE MASS ARMY IS PAST; THE CURRENT DIPLOMATIC DETENTE BETWEEN NATO & WARSAW PACT NATIONS IS BUT ONE MANIFESTATION OF THIS FACT. OF GREATEST IMPORTANCE IS THE INCREASING PRESSURE ON THE SYSTEM OF MASS OR GENERAL CONSCRIPTION--THE BASIS OF THE MASS ARMY. WITH DECLINE IN THE LEGITIMACY OF THE MILITARY, A STRUCTURAL CHANGE IS OCCURRING IN THE PROCESS THAT BEGAN WITH THE FRENCH REVOLUTION. THE INTIMATE LINK BETWEEN THE NATIONAL ARMY & THE NATION IS DISSOLVING, & THE 'NATION-IN-ARMS' IS NO LONGER A VIABLE CONCEPT. ONCE THE ARMED FORCES BECAME AN INSTRUMENT OF DETERRENCE, THE BASIS OF THE SOCIAL-MILITARY RELATION WAS TRANSFORMED. ON EACH OF THE 3 MEANINGS OF THE TERM 'MASS ARMY', SIGNIFICANT CHANGES CAN BE DETECTED. A MASS ARMY IS ONE OF GREAT SIZE, OF HOMOGENEITY, & ONE WHICH STANDS FOR A MOBILIZED SOCIETY. WITH THE END OF THE DRAFT & MILITARY CUTBACKS IN MANY COUNTRIES, ARMED FORCES HAVE BECOME SMALLER, MORE TECHNICALLY ARTICULATED, & LESS ORIENTED TO SOCIAL PATRIOTISM. AMONG THE POSSIBLE CONSEQUENCES OF THIS SHIFT ARE THE ADVENT OF MERCENARY ARMED FORCES WITH LITTLE PUBLIC SUPPORT, A DECLINE IN SOCIAL REPRESENTATION, A CONSERVATIVE OUTLOOK IN THE MILITARY, & THE ASSUMPTION OF A LABOR MARKET ORIENTATION, INCLUDING UNIONIZATION. 1 TABLE. F. HYDOSKI.