William James shared an idea in which people are conscripted to national service. James’s idea of mandatory community service and the forced labor seen in communist regimes share a common thread: getting everyone to work together for the supposed good of society. James thought this would build strong character and a sense of community, but without the violence of war.
However, forcing people to work goes against basic human rights and freedom. People should have the choice to contribute willingly. Plus, when people are forced to do something, they often don’t do their best. This kind of system would likely lead to shoddy work, low productivity, and anger towards the government.
History shows us that similar ideas in communist countries caused more harm than good. It’s also too easy for those in power to abuse the system, turning “community service” into unpaid or poorly paid labor that only benefits the government.
In conclusion, I find William James’s ideas to be neither practical nor ethical. While Mr. McKnight references James in his essay “Can Real Men Live in a Society?”, I struggled to follow his argument due to its disjointed nature and abrupt shifts between historical periods.