Work Hard

There are two ways to solve the free rider problem when it comes to military service. First, you can provide incentives for people to serve in the military — good salaries, excellent benefits, stable career paths, and a sense of pride and accomplishment. Tens of thousands of American men and women join the military because these incentives are appealing enough to them to hazard the chance that they will have to put their lives on the line to defend their country.

In times of peace, these incentives are sufficient to adequately staff the military. However, in times of war when more soldiers are needed to fight a formidable enemy, normal financial and career incentives will probably not attract enough people to military service. In such circumstances, the second solution to the free rider problem is invoked. When a political society recognizes there is a collective need, it can create “cooperation” through the legislative process, for example, passing laws requiring individuals to serve in the military (the draft). Just as every person that works is required to pay taxes so that government efforts can be funded, individuals of the appropriate age and physical capabilities can be required to serve in the military.

Today, young men between the ages of eighteen and twenty-five are required to register with the Selective Service System (http://www.sss.gov). Keeping an up-to-date listing of all those eligible to serve in the military allows the United States government to quickly and fairly implement a draft and increase the numbers of those serving in the military should the need arise.

Selective Service Website