Tim Worstall

We Must Have National Service!

Via Daniel (pbuh) we get this. Compulsory National Service is necessary. Tosh of the most absurd and foul kind.

The trouble is that we have no definable British identity around which to unite.

Why is this a problem? Do we actually need a national identity? Is there some reason why the simple coincidence of living in these isles mean that we should all march in lock step?

British identity doesn’t reside in a limitless pluralism, making it at
once everything and nothing, but nor does it lie with traditional
Anglo-Saxon society.

We haven’t had an Anglo-Saxon society since 1066 so that worry might be just a tad old hat by now. Further, actually, one of the defining (and quite wonderful) things about British society has been and is its limitless pluralism. We ignore the oddities and enthusiasms of our neighbours in a way that is quite foreign (ho ho) to other societies. Try living in Germany and not sweeping your drive on the appointed day to see what is meant.

Instead, it is physical institutions that give individuals a common identity, binding them to the state.

Remind me why we want to bind individuals to the State please? Isn’t said State simply the thing that we hire to do those few things that must be done by compulsory collective action? You know, it is our servant, not our Master? It is a sadly necessary thing, not something we must be bound to or worship?

The fact is that there is no truly unifying British institutional experience.

And so we must create one.

Why?

It is for this reason that we must bring back national service.

Ah, the idea that everyone must work for a certain number of years as helots of the politicians.

Now that might have hurt, but after the initial prick…

I shall take you at your own estimation.

Firstly, let’s be clear, I am not talking about national military
service, but rather national social or community service, in whatever
form that might take – from working with the aged, the homeless and new
immigrants to working in hospitals, schools and public services. I am,
however, calling for a period of compulsory national service for all school-leavers.

Yes, everyone must sacrifice part of their lives at the altar of the new religion, the State.

It might sound utopian, perhaps even draconian now, but that just shows how individualistic we have become.

Oooooh! Icky! Individualism! Can’t have that now, can we, that would mean something like a free and liberal society, wouldn’t it? A free and liberal society being one that both permits and encourages the absolute maximum of individulism without finally breaking down into complete anarchy. But then that meaning of liberal got lost years ago.

One part of the British heritage is a little song which contains the line "Britons never never never shall be slaves".

Mr. Freedman Berthoud suggests that Britishness should now be defined and encouraged by making all slaves of the State.

Can you think of anything more un-British?

In

5 responses

  1. Martin Avatar
    Martin

    “Do we actually need a national identity? ”
    With the UK possibly breaking up, yes.
    “We haven’t had an Anglo-Saxon society since 1066 so that worry might be just a tad old hat by now”
    We? Anglo-Saxon society?
    What’s this ‘we’ business, paleface?
    “Further, actually, one of the defining (and quite wonderful) things about British society has been and is its limitless pluralism”
    A wonderful sentiment worth passing on the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland.
    “We ignore the oddities and enthusiasms of our neighbours in a way that is quite foreign (ho ho) to other societies””
    Pity the Tottenham Somalis and the Shadwell Massive don’t ignore ours.
    “h, the idea that everyone must work for a certain number of years as helots of the politicians”
    Better the helots of the politicians than the helots of the corporations.
    “Yes, everyone must sacrifice part of their lives at the altar of the new religion, the State.”
    If it might have prevented Tom ap Rhys Price being murdered for his Oyster card, it might not have been a bad idea.
    “Individualism! Can’t have that now, can we, that would mean something like a free and liberal society, wouldn’t it?”
    Individualism without collective social responsibility, which is what we do have, is as corrosive and unhealthy as totalitarianism.
    “A free and liberal society being one that both permits and encourages the absolute maximum of individulism without finally breaking down into complete anarchy. ”
    Well, we’re in anarchy already , so the point is moot.
    “”Britons never never never shall be slaves”.
    Worked in a call centre recently?
    “Can you think of anything more un-British?”
    Yes – leaving the English to define Britishness.
    Tim adds: “Worked in a call centre recently?” No, not recently, although a few years ago I used to own and run one. My buddy in that adventure currently owns and runs something like 1,500 seats and my nephew provides the software suites that a lot of call centres work on.
    Anything else I can tell you to get the rage going?

    Reply
  2. Blithering Bunny Avatar
    Blithering Bunny

    >>”Do we actually need a national identity?”
    >>
    >With the UK possibly breaking up, yes.
    And forcing people to work for the state will stop this?
    >>the idea that everyone must work for a certain number of years as helots of the politicians”
    >>
    >Better the helots of the politicians than the helots of the corporations.
    Nope. I’d rather work voluntarily for a shitty corporation than be forced to work for the Labour government.
    >”Yes, everyone must sacrifice part of their lives at the altar of the new religion, the State.”
    >
    >If it might have prevented Tom ap Rhys Price being murdered for his Oyster card, it might not have been a bad idea.
    Except it wouldn’t have. If anything, it’s the failure of the state to discharge one of its most basic responsiblity, that of punishing criminals, that has led to increased crime, so I’m hardly going to be confident that the state can be trusted to run more of our lives for us.
    >>”Individualism! Can’t have that now, can we, that would mean something like a free and liberal society, wouldn’t it?”
    >>
    >Individualism without collective social responsibility, which is what we do have, is as corrosive and unhealthy as totalitarianism.
    Collective social responsibility existed in Britain for centuries without idiotic government schemes like this. The best way for the government to foster it is to stop all this social engineering and concentrate on its basic resposibilities.
    >>””Britons never never never shall be slaves”.
    >>
    >Worked in a call centre recently?
    You don’t get put in jail if you quit the call-centre.

    Reply
  3. Kit Avatar
    Kit

    The “Britishness” which people want to return to was during the time of small government. So the solution is to reduce the size of the State. Then the Britishness will flourish.

    Reply
  4. Martin Avatar
    Martin

    Tim adds: “Worked in a call centre recently?” No, not recently, although a few years ago I used to own and run one. My buddy in that adventure currently owns and runs something like 1,500 seats and my nephew provides the software suites that a lot of call centres work on.
    Anything else I can tell you to get the rage going?”
    Yes; that you have a harem of Brazilian mistresses – AND KEEP THEM TO YOURSELF!
    You’ve just admitted running a call centre! You’re name’s on the list for when the revolution comes, Worstall, mark my words!
    Tim adds: Would it pacify you to know we went bust in 1992?

    Reply
  5. Martin Avatar
    Martin

    Weasel words, Tim, weasel words of self-denunciation.
    Save them for the show trial.
    The spirit of Viktor Komarovsky lives…

    Reply

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