Culture

Compulsory civic service? The debate continues

March 24, 2009
Civic service: does our country need it?
Civic service: does our country need it?

The Prospect postbag continues to groan under the weight of correspondence provoked by Frank Field and James Crabtree's essay calling for compulsory civic service for  young people in Britain.

Some of the most notable responses are now free to read in a web exclusive on the main Prospect site, including an interesting reply from communitarian theorist Amitai Etzioni, author of The Spirit of Community. Etzioni argues strongly that civic service can only succeed if a proper emphasis is placed on finding suitable work to occupy the scheme's participants.

Others who have weighed into the debate include John Lloyd, Victor Adebowale, chief executive of the social care enterprise Turning Point, Eamonn Butler, director of the Adam Smith Institute, Rod Aldridge, chairman of v, the youth volunteering organisation, and many more.

As always we'd love to hear your thoughts too.