1w ago

Only 16% of Italians would fight for their country, survey shows

www.reuters.com

reuters.com

The survey by the Centre for Social Investment Studies (CENSIS) showed 39% of Italians aged between 18 and 45 would declare themselves as pacifist conscientious objectors, 19% would try to evade conscription another way, and 26% would prefer Italy to hire foreign mercenaries.

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2w ago

Only 16% of Italians would fight for their country, survey shows

www.reuters.com /world/only-16-italians-would-fight-their-country-survey-shows-2025-07-18/

45 comments

To "fight for your country" has been coopted so many times for wars in far away lands, ideological wars, wars of aggression, that the phrasing alone will make people assume they are being lied to and that somebody is fishing for dumb people to be sent into the meat grinder.
- "fight for your country" has been coopted
  Maybe, but surveys like this have been held in several countries and most show a higher percentage of willingness..Seemingly, most respondents there didn't have this association.
  Idk about Italy specifically, or the difference in phrasing per study though.
  Add. another factor could be the disinformation landscape. statista
  
  China and Russia's absence makes this meaningless.
I'd rather migrate to another country than to risk my life and the ones I love for a pointless war driven by maniac idiots.
- Me too. But sometimes I am also wondering what then. Sooner or later the maniac idiots will come to the other country as well and maybe it's better to fight them before they get even stronger.
  
  Maybe. But for a foreseeable lifetime this wouldn't be my problem and not worth risking my life. Life is way too precious to throw it away so easily by becoming a cog in the war machine.
- Does that include your country being invaded? Does “a pointless war driven by maniac idiots” include defense from invasion?
  
  Yes.
I always thought Italy is full of nationalists
- You see, Italians hate their country, but at the same time think it's the best country (right until they need to do some bureaucracy, then it's the worst).
  So they nationalisticaly defend it with words against other countries, but they wouldn't actually put skin in the game.
  Source: you can see my instance ends with .it
  
  Why does working in IT give you insight into Italy?
  
  This would explain it, thanks for the insight
- Which age are they?
  Because a lot of people love war and nationalist bullshit, when it is other people doing the fighting for them
Well, then they's better send weapons to Ukraine
- Instance Name checks out.
  I wouldn't really call "trying to evade being oppressed by Russia" fighting for us interests.
What's that? You don't want to throw yourselves into a meatgrinder to protect the private property rights of your fellow rich nationals?
- In all likelyhood the adversary isn't taking my apartment. It's taking the factories I don't own. Maybe working conditions would be worse afterwards. Maybe they'd better. Gotta check who's invading.
  
  Gotta check who’s invading.
  a line to remember
  
  Most likely countries to invade are far right authoritarian. Though IDK where you live, if you're in like Russia or Iran there's merit to the idea that conditions might improve. If you're in any of the classic "western" countries, no way, though - even the USA has better working conditions than Russia.
- The article doesn't talk about any specific kind of war, does it?
  For example, if I look at Gaza or Ukraine, I can't see it as "damage to rich private property rights".
Only 16% of Italians would fight for their country, survey shows
does that include women?
Can we get that down to 0% world-wide? Pretty please?
As SOD says: "Why do they only send the poor?" Send politicians, high rank officials, billionaires and celebrities to the front for a change. I spent my time in the army. But I wouldn't fight for any country these days...
Actually send no one. War is a stupid game played by stupid people to make stupid money...
Quick! Let's annex Italy!
- My thoughts exactly, time for big germany to return. Although not in the previous way I guess
  
  What exactly do you think the EU is? 😱
- Yes please, make us a scandinavian protectorade🥵
Surely it will be more once the rubber hits the road.
Nobody will attack the EU anyway. Next one.

45 comments