Conscription Quote by William Lyon Mackenzie King
“Conscription if necessary, but not necessarily conscription.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Parliament, Canada, 1940
Conscription may be needed, but it should not be a default policy.
In simple terms: Draft only if truly necessary.
Key Takeaway
Consider alternatives before compulsory service.
Themes
military
policy
national duty
Mood
analytical
political
Type
policy
historical
When to use this quote
- wartime decisions
- national emergencies
- public debate
Key Concepts
conscription
civil liberties
Questions to Reflect On
- What criteria justify conscription?
- How can voluntary service be encouraged?
A Different Perspective
May conflict with individual freedoms.
![“Be ... suspicious ... of all those who employ the term 'we' or 'us' without your permission. This is [a] form of surreptitious conscription ... Always ask who this 'we' is; as often as not it's an attempt to smuggle tribalism through the customs.” quote by Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/cee/christopher-hitchens-117_conscription_be-suspicious-of-all-those-who-employ-th_781600.jpg)
