A Fair and Equitable Method of Recruitment? Conscription by Ballot into the Australian Army during the Vietnam War

Simon Ville and Peter Siminski

Economics Working Papers from School of Economics, University of Wollongong, NSW, Australia

Abstract: Australia’s commitment to the Vietnam War drew on the selective conscription of additional manpower through 16 biannual ballots. 20-year-old men were liable to serve if their date of birth was drawn out. The random nature of the ballot was seen as an equitable method of selection for a system of labour coercion that was potentially life-threatening. We investigate the various stages of conscription of these ‘national servicemen’ to undertake service in Vietnam throughout the war and evaluate the extent to which the processes provided for fair and equitable selection. Comparisons are drawn with a similar process of Vietnam-War era conscription in the United States.

Keywords: Australia; conscription; ballot; Vietnam War (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: H56 J45 J47 N37 N47 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 36 pages
Date: 2011
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-his
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (10)

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Related works:
Journal Article: A FAIR AND EQUITABLE METHOD OF RECRUITMENT? CONSCRIPTION BY BALLOT INTO THE AUSTRALIAN ARMY DURING THE VIETNAM WAR (2011)
Working Paper: A Fair and Equitable Method of Recruitment? Conscription by Ballot into the Australian Army during the Vietnam War (2011)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:uow:depec1:wp11-16

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