Mandatory Military Service
A photo of the Oberaarsee and Oberaarhorn in Switzerland.
In Switzerland, they have mandatory military service. This has a positive impact on Swiss culture because it forces them to work together, regardless of their political differences. It also makes them take more responsibility for their political decisions, because if there is a conflict, they and their friends are personally going to fight. It creates a sense of “We’re all in this together.”
It also reduces crime. Would you want to break into a house in which the owner was likely to have an automatic rifle and was trained in the military?
The SIG SG 550 assault rifle is a Swiss-made 5.56mm assault rifle renowned for its exceptional build quality, reliability, and precision. It has served as the standard rifle for the Swiss military since 1990 and is used by various special forces globally.
Should the US Have Mandatory Military Service?
Should we have the same in the United States? Honestly, it’s scary. I don’t want to go to war, but for the same reason, I would be much more invested in making wise political decisions and learning to work with others. I would take greater pride in my nation.
What is Mandatory Military Service, and What is the Swiss Military Like?
I thought it would be interesting to have a nice explanation of how the Swiss military system works, and how it compares to the United States, and so I asked the Google AI to generate a summary. All credits to the Google AI.
Prompt: Can you summarize the Swiss military?
The Swiss military is a militia system with a small professional core and a large reserve of conscripts and volunteers, based on the principle of a citizen army. It focuses on defending Switzerland, supporting civil authorities during emergencies, and participating in international peacekeeping missions, while being neutral and not involved in foreign wars since the early 19th century.
Structure: The Swiss Armed Forces operate on a militia system, where regular soldiers are a small part of the force. The majority are conscripts (males aged 19–34) or volunteers (males and females aged 18–50).
Mission: Its primary purpose is to defend the country from military attack and support civilian authorities during natural disasters and other internal security threats. It also participates in international peacekeeping and humanitarian aid efforts.
Neutrality: Switzerland's long-standing policy of neutrality means its military has not been engaged in foreign wars since the early 19th century.
Training and Reserve: After initial training, soldiers remain in the armed forces for a number of years, completing refresher courses in the reserve. This system creates a large, trained reserve force that can be mobilized when needed.
Internal Support: The military assists civilian authorities in times of crisis, such as during natural disasters.
Modernization: The military faces modern challenges with increasing digitalization, but continues to leverage talent from the private sector and maintains a focus on its citizen-soldier roots.
Prompt: Can you compare the Swiss Military system with the United States on a per capita basis (relative to the size of each country)?
When viewed on a per capita basis, the differences between the U.S. and Swiss military systems present a more nuanced picture. While the U.S. maintains a massive lead in overall and per capita spending, Switzerland's militia system results in a significantly larger proportion of its population being part of the armed forces.
A per capita comparison reveals the differing national priorities and strategic doctrines of the United States' professional, global force and Switzerland's conscription-based, defense-oriented militia.
Personnel & Service: A Tale of Two Systems
While the U.S. has a larger professional force, Switzerland's mandatory service for men creates a much larger military relative to its total population.
A Nation in Arms: Switzerland has approximately 14.66 military personnel for every 1,000 people, nearly three times the U.S. rate of about 5.22 per 1,000 people. This is a direct result of Switzerland's conscription system, which requires all able-bodied male citizens to serve. The U.S. military is an all-volunteer force.
Ready for Mobilization: Swiss soldiers traditionally keep their personal equipment and service rifles at home, a practice designed for rapid mobilization that is not used in the U.S. military.
Manpower Pipeline: Annually, the U.S. has more men reaching military service age per thousand people (6.89) compared to Switzerland (5.82).
Spending & Economy: A Question of Scale
The United States outspends Switzerland dramatically, both in total and on a per-person basis, reflecting its role as a global military power.
Individual Contribution: The U.S. spends significantly more per citizen on defense. In 2024, U.S. military expenditure per capita was $2,748. This is a substantial difference from Switzerland's total budget of around $6.29 billion in 2023.
Economic Priority: Defense spending accounts for a much larger slice of the U.S. economy. The U.S. spends about 3.4% of its GDP on the military, whereas Switzerland's spending is around 0.7% of its GDP.
Equipment & Trade: Per Capita Surprises
While the U.S. leads in almost all absolute equipment metrics, the per capita numbers show some surprising similarities, particularly in the arms trade.
Arms Exports: On a per-person basis, the two countries are remarkably close in arms exports. The U.S. exports about $27.91 worth of arms per million people, with Switzerland not far behind at $26.26 per million people.
Personal Weapon Holdings: Reflecting its militia culture, Switzerland has significantly more weapon holdings per capita. There are an estimated 336.38 weapon holdings for every 1,000 people in Switzerland, more than double the U.S. rate of 135.24 per 1,000 people.
Heavy Armor Disparity: The massive difference in heavy equipment remains stark even when considering population. The U.S. operates over 8,700 main battle tanks, compared to Switzerland's 224. This highlights the U.S. focus on expeditionary warfare versus Switzerland's defensive posture.
