Military Service in the Face of Sociability and New Needs; A Conversation with Alireza Sharifi Yazdi/ Ali Kalaii
According to this sociologist, voluntary military service will eventually become mandatory in our country. He emphasizes that “we are behind in many areas” and has stated in the monthly magazine “Khat-e-Solh” that in Iran, there has always been a gap between what is in the best interest of society and what is happening. The topic of discussion in the magazine with Alireza Sharifi Yazdi, a sociologist and social psychologist, is the issue of compulsory military service. “Military service,” which was once called “compulsory,” still takes up two years of the lives of Iranian youth after a hundred years, according to Dr. Sharifi Yazdi, the golden age and best years of a person’s life.
In this conversation, the sociologist discussed issues related to the principle of compulsory military service and the acceptance of young people in society during this process. Dr. Sharifi Yazdi responded by saying, “Today, society has become so accepting of various and numerous effective resources that the issue of military service has practically been lost in it.”
Sharifi Yazdi emphasized the importance of discussing mandatory military service at the end of this interview and stated that if there is a conversation and expert work done on this matter, we will achieve the desired result.
You can read the transcript of the interview with Dr. Alireza Sharifi Yazdi, a sociologist and social psychologist, in the monthly magazine “Khat-e-Solh” below.
While many young men are willing to inflict serious harm on themselves to avoid compulsory military service (from physical injuries like pulling out all their teeth to symbolic divorce from their parents – which in some cases has resulted in permanent and real divorce – and falling into the role of homosexuality), why do you think there is such insistence on the existence of compulsory military service in our country?
If we look at the history of mandatory service, we can see that this practice originated from a time when we did not have a organized army. During that time, in order to bring order to the military forces, mandatory service was established. There are a few points to consider here. In Iran at that time, the issue of military force and army and the use of human resources was free and inexpensive. On the other hand, the majority of people in our country were illiterate, there were no social relations, and the country was fragmented. Military service was a good tool at that time to firstly socialize individuals and secondly to provide them with education, health and social etiquette. Military service also helped with social cohesion; sending someone from Khorasan to Azerbaijan or from Azerbaijan to Sistan would expose them to different cultures in the country. On the other hand, military service provided a security foundation for the country.
These were the benefits that mandatory military service had during the first Pahlavi era and it worked very well during its time. I want to say that this plan was very intelligent, appropriate, and practical for the country at the time. Of course, this plan was also an international plan and was implemented in various ways all over the world. However, over time, with the establishment of new schools and later universities and the organization of military forces, countries came to the conclusion that mandatory military service no longer serves its old purpose and does not contribute to security. It also takes people’s time and is a financial burden for the government. In addition, this issue affects the country’s production. For this reason, many countries have saved themselves from this dilemma and no longer have anything called mandatory service in their laws. If someone volunteers for military service – like someone who is employed – they receive appropriate salaries, insurance, and even some extra benefits.
But as to why there is still pressure on this issue in our country, we must say that unfortunately we are lagging behind in many areas. This is not just limited to mandatory military service. In areas such as economy, culture, politics, and others, we are always behind the rest of the world. There has always been a gap between what is in the best interest of society and what is actually happening, which is partly due to bureaucratic administration.
Part of the problem is also the fear that if we do not use this force for military service, where will the replacement force come from? While nowadays, with the advancement of technology, the issue of the number of people in the world’s armies is no longer a concern, and it is the technological capability that maintains a country’s security, in our military force, the mentality of individualism still prevails. In my opinion, institutions such as the Islamic Consultative Assembly, the Cabinet, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as well as commanders and leaders in the Revolutionary Guards and the Army who make decisions, should justify the benefits of voluntary military service and providing services to this force. If this happens, I believe the problem will be solved. Of course, now it has become clear and they have also become somewhat aware of this, and this [voluntary military service] will eventually become mandatory. Currently, we are among the few countries in the world that still have mandatory military service.
According to what you said, do you think mandatory military service in Iran does not have a positive role in integrating Iranian boys into society?
It’s the same. In the past, a large part of the society lived in villages. Life and cities expanded and schools and universities were established, and now with the emergence of media. In the current situation, social networks are the new resources for youth socialization. This means that nowadays, socialization has so many different and influential resources that the concept of military service has practically disappeared. If someone goes to military service today, it is only because of an obligation; either they want to get their passport or start a business. Today, mandatory military service in Iran has no effect on yesterday’s socialization.
According to you, mandatory military service had a logical justification from a historical perspective. But the question is, what is the benefit of it in a society where it has no role in the acceptance of individuals, and duty-bound soldiers usually carry out service and guard duties in a non-specialized and traditional manner?
The benefit is there. But the discussion is not just about the benefit. It’s about cost-benefit. The issue here is what cost we are paying to keep the conscription law and what profit we are gaining in return. In any case, when someone works for free or provides services, there is still a benefit. But if we consider the benefit for regular soldiers (meaning a small number of individuals who work in their specialized field as conscripts), it is definitely a cost of over eighty percent for the society. The reason is that instead of teaching a young person a skill or employing them in a suitable field, we take two years of their best time in life. In fact, in many cases, we waste their life. Perhaps if conscription is imposed, it could even help with using technology and utilizing it for security and military purposes, making tasks done faster.
هایی به جامعه وارد میکند
You mentioned the cost discussion. How much does it affect society from a sociological perspective that almost all boys have to spend two years of their prime in military service, and what damages does it cause to society?“من اینجا میآیم”
“I am coming from here.”
Hey to the community
Does he/she enter or make?
The golden time of life for every person is from around 18 years old to around 40 years old. The best period of this golden time is from around 18 years old to around 30 years old, which coincides with the military service of young people. This means that out of a person’s 70-year lifespan, we only take away two years, but those two years are from the best time of their life. When you consider the impact this has on society and the pressure it creates, you are essentially depriving society of the specialized use of young labor; especially nowadays when it is said that society is aging and the replacement workforce is decreasing due to declining birth rates and increasing migration. It is clear that society suffers a heavy loss from this issue. The consequences include, first, depriving young labor from participating in the economic, political, cultural, social, and health cycles. Secondly, when such an environment is created, motivation decreases and we know that many people, after
This means that the consequences of mandatory military service and spending two years of young people’s lives are extremely high; both on an individual level, where the psychological effects of the heavy pressure on the individual and their family are evident, and on the economic and social consequences for society.
Another issue is the proposal for selling military service. Some believe that this proposal is a very good idea because it removes the compulsory nature of military service – which goes against the freedom of choice for individuals. What is your opinion on this matter?
Military service is mandatory for everyone, except for those who can bribe their way out of it. Those who have enough financial means, either themselves or through their fathers, can pay for their military service and avoid going. However, the majority of society, due to their economic conditions, do not have the ability to do so. This opportunity is only available for a small minority and is simply a way to avoid military service. How many of this minority, who have such financial means, make up a few percent of the society? This is not a plan that can adjust mandatory military service.
Does this idea lead to the reproduction of discrimination?
Our society is a class-based society and this is visible everywhere. Whether we like to admit it or not, it is a different discussion. Isn’t our society also class-based in areas such as healthcare? There are hospitals that are more expensive than five-star hotels in the world. In some parts of the country, even basic healthcare facilities are not available. The same situation exists in the field of education. We have schools with tuition fees that are sky-high. In higher education, the same situation prevails. I want to say that the issue of class-based society in Iran is not a new or invisible issue that cannot be seen, and we cannot say that it only happens in the military. These policies only widen the class gap and increase the sense of distance between people, resulting in more psychological pressure on the poor segments of society. In addition, the affluent members of society, like in other societies, gain and maintain their upper hand. I have no doubt about the sociological impact of this
According to a report published by the Parliamentary Research Center about ten years ago, out of 197 countries studied in the world, 112 countries do not have mandatory military service and only 20 countries have mandatory military service for 18 months or more, along with deployment in military operations. What approach do developed countries have towards military service nowadays?
The basis of this discussion, which is related to human resources, is based on desire, will, and voluntariness. This means that even military service in many countries – such as the United States – which have extensive conscription and are colonial, is voluntary. Just as someone chooses to go and have a sandwich selling job, or go and become an employee of a company, someone also chooses to be recruited for a temporary or long-term period. Of course, this person also receives benefits and facilities such as high salary, leave, and insurance. In our country, when the army, the Revolutionary Guards, and the police advertise for employment, a large group of people volunteer and pass through filters and are recruited by these institutions, and military service is presented to them as a job (temporary or long-term). The same can be done for military service. That is, if someone among these young people is willing and interested, they can be employed for a short term, such as two or three
Do you think this approach and model that you mentioned for advanced countries could also be implemented in Iran?
“Good luck brings good luck. We must consider our economic, social, and cultural conditions, but we can also have a plan based on our social, economic, political, and cultural circumstances that will provide us with a good response.”
What groups and for what reasons insist on compulsory military service for survivors of a hundred years ago?
See! Many are looking for justification. I think we should open the door to discussion and allow it to be talked about. We are not supposed to make a decision right now. The issue is for the stakeholders to come and sit in meetings and have discussions about it. Also, during the discussions, research should be done. Comparative studies between us and countries that have taken a similar path and other studies should all be considered. If this happens, I believe we will ultimately reach a desirable point. That is, if we had continued these meetings since ten years ago when the research center of the parliament did that work, our media had entered, different dimensions of the issue had been examined, the advantages and disadvantages, the costs and benefits, everything had been studied, we could have reached a suitable document.
Thank you for the time you have given us in the monthly magazine of the Peace Line.
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