# An armed populace (NOT about USA)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-armed-populace-not-about-usa/576790>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [April 1, 2011, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-armed-populace-not-about-usa/576790 "2011-04-01T14:45:49Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\
**Post date:** [April 5, 2011, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-armed-populace-not-about-usa/576790/21 "2011-04-05T00:32:13Z")

</div>

> [@Ravenman](#):
>
> The problem with commenting on whether gun ownership and compulsory military training is good for all countries is that all countries are different.  
> …  
> The success of a country ultimately has to do with factors of how well it is governed, not how easy it is to start a civil war.

Yes, but _people_ are not so different ultimately.

All governments are susceptible to corruption, either by the venality of particular sets of rulers and/or by outside forces and events beyond human control.

No government is “good” forever.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![humanafterall](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/humanafterall/32/19654_2.png) [@humanafterall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/humanafterall)\
**Post date:** [April 5, 2011, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-armed-populace-not-about-usa/576790/22 "2011-04-05T02:48:41Z")

</div>

> [@E-Sabbath](#):
>
> Frankly, after seeing Egypt, I am now in favor of a mandatory civil and/or military service period. The often-repeated phrase was ‘the army and the people are one’, and I like that in an armed forces.

Service guarantees citizenship, eh **E-Sabbath**?

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-armed-populace-not-about-usa/576790.md?page=1)