Economics and the All-Volunteer Military Force

• Published in: Better Living through Economics p. 253
• Main Authors: Beth J. Asch, James C. Miller, John T. Warner
• Format: Book Chapter
• Language: English
• Published: Harvard University Press 05.03.2012
• Subjects: Armed forces; Cold wars; Conscription; Earth sciences; Economic policy; Economic research; Economics; Hydrology; Ice; International disputes; International politics; International relations; Military enlistment; Military life; Military personnel; Military recruitment; Military science; Military service; Physical sciences; Political science; Politics; Volunteer military; War economics; Water

An important case in the past half century where the “economic way of thinking” contributed to a major government policy change in the United States was the decision to terminate conscription as the means of staffing the bulk of the U.S. armed forces. After an acrimonious public debate that lasted f...