Mandatory military service for immigrants in Spain: solution or madness?
A proposal has reignited the debate: male immigrants aged 18 to 45 would have to serve in the Spanish Legion or leave the country. Deterrence or risk? An economic and security analysis.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Mandatory military service for immigrants: the proposal dividing Spain
What would happen if every male immigrant between 18 and 45 had to choose between three years of military service in the Legion or leaving Spain? The idea, floated a month and a half ago, has sparked a debate mixing economic scepticism, national security and historical cynicism.
The plan: three years of training and deployment abroad
The proposal involves six months of basic training with wooden rifles, another six with the Spanish Legion doing real training, and two years of service in overseas missions. In return, Spanish nationality. The core argument: military training "deconstructs the mind" and turns any recruit into a loyal soldier, however hostile his background. Supporters point to the work of drill sergeants, capable of forging patriots in weeks.
Economy and labour: soldiers or forced workers?
The economic backdrop is unavoidable. With youth unemployment hovering around 28%, the idea of recruiting immigrants for military tasks clashes with the need for real jobs. Some suggest it would be more useful to assign them to clearing woodland or maintaining infrastructure, while others warn of the risk of creating "underemployment" competing with existing jobs. The experience of the IMV (Spain's minimum income scheme) shows the dangers of subsidising without any quid pro quo.
The security dilemma: training the enemy?
The most common objection is obvious: giving military training and weapons to a population that, in some cases, comes from hostile cultures. The historical reference to the Roman Empire, which integrated barbarians into its legions in its final phase, is used as a warning. Against this, supporters argue that disciplined training erases prior loyalties, citing the transformative power of the army.
Geopolitics: Ukraine as destination and other fantasies
The debate drifts into geopolitics: some suggest sending these recruits to Kiev to "defend European values", while others joke about routes that would pass through the Vatican. The idea of using immigrants as cannon fodder in other people's conflicts is nothing new, but in the current context of the war in Ukraine it takes on a macabre tone.
In short, the proposal for mandatory military service for foreigners ends in a draw: there is no data supporting its economic viability, nor any guarantee that military indoctrination works on people with no roots in the country. Scepticism prevails. But, as the most cynical point out, throughout history declining empires always ended up arming their future conquerors.
Related discussions in the forum
What would happen if every male immigrant between 18 and 45 had to choose between three years of military service in the Legion or leaving Spain? The idea, floated a month and a half ago, has sparked a debate mixing economic scepticism, national security and historical cynicism.
The plan: three years of training and deployment abroad
The proposal involves six months of basic training with wooden rifles, another six with the Spanish Legion doing real training, and two years of service in overseas missions. In return, Spanish nationality. The core argument: military training "deconstructs the mind" and turns any recruit into a loyal soldier, however hostile his background. Supporters point to the work of drill sergeants, capable of forging patriots in weeks.
Economy and labour: soldiers or forced workers?
The economic backdrop is unavoidable. With youth unemployment hovering around 28%, the idea of recruiting immigrants for military tasks clashes with the need for real jobs. Some suggest it would be more useful to assign them to clearing woodland or maintaining infrastructure, while others warn of the risk of creating "underemployment" competing with existing jobs. The experience of the IMV (Spain's minimum income scheme) shows the dangers of subsidising without any quid pro quo.
The security dilemma: training the enemy?
The most common objection is obvious: giving military training and weapons to a population that, in some cases, comes from hostile cultures. The historical reference to the Roman Empire, which integrated barbarians into its legions in its final phase, is used as a warning. Against this, supporters argue that disciplined training erases prior loyalties, citing the transformative power of the army.
Geopolitics: Ukraine as destination and other fantasies
The debate drifts into geopolitics: some suggest sending these recruits to Kiev to "defend European values", while others joke about routes that would pass through the Vatican. The idea of using immigrants as cannon fodder in other people's conflicts is nothing new, but in the current context of the war in Ukraine it takes on a macabre tone.
In short, the proposal for mandatory military service for foreigners ends in a draw: there is no data supporting its economic viability, nor any guarantee that military indoctrination works on people with no roots in the country. Scepticism prevails. But, as the most cynical point out, throughout history declining empires always ended up arming their future conquerors.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (88 replies).
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