good idea/bad idea, necessary democratic reform or authoritarian imposition? are there better or worse ways to do it?

  • Pup Biru@aussie.zone
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    2 months ago

    australia has compulsory voting and id say that most people here would not describe it as “invasive” - it is, in fact, a source of national pride

    we have early voting, mail in ballots, etc too so people are enabled to vote however is easiest and you can not vote, but you have to submit a vote

    • chicken@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      2 months ago

      There are also countries with mandatory military service for all citizens where people there have a positive impression of the program and feel national pride about it, but I don’t think that necessarily means it is a good practice. I think anything the government is forcing people to do should meet a high bar of not being able to accomplish the same thing any other way, because freedom is important, whether or not people know to value it.

      • Pup Biru@aussie.zone
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        2 months ago

        why do you think mandatory military service isn’t a good idea?

        why are you judging peoples countries based on your view that governments shouldn’t force people to do things?

        in fact you’re judging peoples’ lived experience and opinions based entirely on your own narrow views of government

        mandatory military service might mean fewer wars if people understood better what that meant

        my government (australia) is, all in all, a good thing - them telling people in this country to do things is, again all in all, a good thing. we live in a society, and the world has different people with different opinions and different ways of viewing the world and doing things

        am i privileged to have a government that i can trust? sure! no denying that… but mistrust of the government is not a reason to write off the entire concept of societal mandates

        yknow what else is good? taxes, fire services, disaster response, and dare i say - public healthcare and ambulances… all things im mandated to pay for along with everyone around me in case we ever need them