International | War and recruitment

Would you really die for your country?

Military conscription is on the agenda in the rich world

National Defense Academy of Japan cadets stand at attention prior to marching to class in Japan in 2014
Photograph: Getty Images
|Ermelo

BELLY DOWN in a muddy Dutch forest, Janine Verhoeven fires blanks from a Colt C7 assault rifle. The third-year medical student is taking part in the Dienjaar (service-year), a new programme that lets young Dutch sign up for a year-long trial in the armed forces rather than the regular four-year enlistment term. The programme is a success, drawing three applicants for each spot, and the government plans to scale it up from 625 to 1,000 trainees next year.

Chart: The Economist

This article appeared in the International section of the print edition under the headline "Raining on their parade"

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