"I think conscription in 2016 would be met with more resistance than it was 100 years ago," says Hardman Lea, "however, historically there was some resistance at the time of the First World War as well. He asked respondents a series of questions about how they would react if the legislation was reintroduced – and discovered that despite a surprising level of positivity, social changes have rendered conscription in the modern age practically impossible. And, although the last call-up now occurred over 55 years ago, 43 per cent of people still agree that compulsory enlistment would be a good idea in times of trouble.ĭuring research for his upcoming First World War novel, The Sins of Soldiers, author SJ Hardman Lea conducted a poll about modern attitudes to conscription. Today (27 January 2016) marks one hundred years since Herbert Asquith's government passed the 1916 Military Service Act and introduced conscription to the British Isles.
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