Forced to join the military or serve the government by law, or having been selected through mandatory military draft.
From Latin 'conscriptus,' past participle of 'conscribere' meaning to enlist or register, from 'con-' (together) and 'scribere' (to write). The term became prominent during the Napoleonic Wars.
Conscription is wildly controversial—some countries see it as patriotic duty while others view it as kidnapping citizens for war, and the history of draft dodging (Vietnam War, World Wars) shows how deeply people will fight against being conscripted, creating fascinating civil disobedience movements.
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