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If slavery is defined as involuntary servitude, then I don't see how conscription isn't slavery. Condemning one's children to that may be necessary in some sit
by bm3719 14y ago
If slavery is defined as involuntary servitude, then I don't see how conscription isn't slavery. Condemning one's children to that may be necessary in some situations, but in my ethical framework, I certainly wouldn't exchange 2 years of slavery for some supposed cultural enlightenment. Even more so, I certainly wouldn't do it to my own children.
If my kids really wanted to join the Singaporean military when they grow up, that's fine, but locking them into that when it's completely unnecessary seems selfish in this situation. I'd certainly have that opinion of my parents had they done the same to me.
- pharrington 14y agoSlavery seems more defined by the master-slave relationship, the turning of a person into property. The point isn't what the master is specifically forcing the slave to do, but that the master literally owns the slave. So from this, I can't call forced conscription slavery. Everyone is forced to do things; the morality of being forced into very limited military service is a much more individual one.
- shurane 14y agoI imagine that 'education' that most kids are forced to have to be considered as 'involuntary servitude', then. Age withstanding, even if you don't see them fit to make their own decisions.