Legitimacy and Commitment in the Military

(Hardback)

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This exploration of the issues of legitimacy and commitment in the military focuses on the contemporary military situation and critically analyzes current "fault lines" and future trends in this area. The editors contend that post-World War II wars are "different" from the two wars preceding them; that the non-traditional wars in Algeria, Vietnam, Pakistan, Lebanon, the Falkland Islands and Grenada, among others, can be characterized by issues of "national concensus" and "home support", political debates, moral argumentations and counter-argumentations, demonstrations and alienation, and conscientious objectors. In such wars, weapons systems, training and tactics become secondary to issues of legitimacy and commitment. Military organizations, too, are different in that they are now prepared not only for wars but also for peace and peace-keeping missions that consist of police-type or constabulary tasks. Also, the "volunteer army" has largely replaced the army composed mainly of conscripts, and these better-educated soldiers are different in that they will examine carefully the sources of military legitimation before furnishing the unconditional commitment that is the backbone of the military fighting spirit. The volume's 11 chapters were contributed by an international group of leading behavioural scientists who write from the perspectives of a wide scope of disciplines, including psychology, sociology, history, philosophy, anthropology and military studies. The work is divided into three main parts that focus on some of the theoretical puzzles inherent in the combination of military ethics and moral values, assess sources of legitimacy and commitment, and detail the manifestation and measurement of commitment and legitimacy in a variety of nations and organizations. The subjects of conscientious objection, educational benefits, the Army Reserve and the Vietnamese, US, Soviet and Israeli armies are a few of the topics scrutinized.

Reviews

Both the American Wyatt and the Israeli Gal served in the armed forces of their respective nations and are military scholars and advisors. The book is based on the premise that post- WW II wars are different in that legitimacy and commitment take precedence over the more conventional concerns of weapons, training, and tactics. Military organizations and the men and women in them are also different. The work is divided into three parts addressing theoretical issues, sources of legitimacy and commitment, and how legitimacy and commitment are manifested and measured in nations and military organizations today. The contributors to the 11 chapters represent a wide range of disciplines--psychology, sociology, history, philosophy, anthropology, and military studies. They also represent a variety of nations and perspectives. Legitimacy is approached from the perspective of the extent to which the individual shares the values and the legal authority of the organization. Commitment is presented as a more difficult concept, full of ideological and policy considerations. In the fall of 1990, as the world is on the verge of war in the Middle East, questions of legitimacy and commitment in the military are very urgent. Civilian and military leaders would be well advised to consider the thoughts presented in this work. Upper-division undergraduates and above.-Choice
"Both the American Wyatt and the Israeli Gal served in the armed forces of their respective nations and are military scholars and advisors. The book is based on the premise that post- WW II wars are different in that legitimacy and commitment take precedence over the more conventional concerns of weapons, training, and tactics. Military organizations and the men and women in them are also different. The work is divided into three parts addressing theoretical issues, sources of legitimacy and commitment, and how legitimacy and commitment are manifested and measured in nations and military organizations today. The contributors to the 11 chapters represent a wide range of disciplines--psychology, sociology, history, philosophy, anthropology, and military studies. They also represent a variety of nations and perspectives. Legitimacy is approached from the perspective of the extent to which the individual shares the values and the legal authority of the organization. Commitment is presented as a more difficult concept, full of ideological and policy considerations. In the fall of 1990, as the world is on the verge of war in the Middle East, questions of legitimacy and commitment in the military are very urgent. Civilian and military leaders would be well advised to consider the thoughts presented in this work. Upper-division undergraduates and above."-Choice

Author Bio

THOMAS C. WYATT is President of Decision Sciences, Inc., in Virginia and serves as Adjunct Professor at George Mason University. He is a recognized authority on Reserve Components of military forces of the United States and other nations. REUVEN GAL was previously Chief Psychologist of the Israeli Defence Force and has also served as a combat officer in an elite infantry unit of the IDF. He has taught at Haifa University in Israel and was also a Visiting Professor at Boston University. His book A Portrait of the Israeli Soldier was published by Greenwood Press in 1986.