Question

TOPIC: MILTON FRIEDMAN

1. Which of the following statements about the history of conscription before World War II is most accurate? "The United States _________."
a. always had a draft in place, although during a few quite periods it didn't draft anyone.

b. always relied on volunteers, although the threat that Congress might create a draft meant that many volunteers were in fact "reluctant volunteers" trying to get in before the "good" jobs were taken.

c. used the draft in major wars, but relied on volunteers in peacetime and for "smaller wars," such as the Spanish-American war.

d. perversely, relied on draftees for smaller colonial wars such as the Philippine-American war, but relied on volunteers in the major wars, such as the Civil War, which were popular.

2. In the years leading up to the establishment of the all-volunteer army, opponents of an all-volunteer army argued that conscription (drafting soldiers) saved the United States billions of dollars. Economists such as Milton Friedman and Walter Oi countered by claiming that ___.
a. the savings from conscription were merely a transfer from soldiers to taxpayers
b. in fact taxpayers would pay less for an all volunteer army because it would be more efficient
c. although an all-volunteer army was costly it forced the soviets to cough up even more money and so kept us on a par with our enemies
d. although an all-volunteer army was costly, it was a worthwhile investment because it would buy off student radicals.

3. In the early 1970s advocates of the all-volunteer army argued that a draft by lottery would have a higher opportunity cost (economic costs) than an all-volunteer army because _____.
a. taxes would be higher with an all-volunteer army

b. taxes would be lower with an all-volunteer army

c. wages of soldiers would be higher with an all-volunteer army

d. highly skilled workers might be drafted

Answer 1

1. 'C' is correct answer because, before world war II in 1917 the administration of President Woodrow Wilson decided to rely primarily on conscription, rather than voluntary enlistment, to raise military manpower for World War I when only 73,000 volunteers enlisted out of the initial 1 million target in the first six weeks of the war.

2. 'B' is correct amswer because, bpth milton friedman and waltair oi argued that all voluntory army is good for the army becuase only those enthusiasts will join the army and will be more efficient than the draft.

3. 'C'is correct answer because, for example, the cost to a Professional baseball player and to an unemployed worker. Both might have the same attitudes toward the army and like—or dislike—a military career equally; but because the one has such better alternatives than the other, it would take a much higher sum to attract him. When he is forced to serve, we are in effect imposing on him a tax in kind equal in value to the difference between what it would take to attract him and the military pay he actually receives.