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I'd be down with this being mandatory even (general public service). A lot of people, myself included, have gone through life with very little actual "service" to the community and the nation. We've gotten too used to the idea that inserting yourself into the machine of capitalism is serving your nation.
If you want a good thought experiment, read "Starship Troopers" by Robert Heinlein.
His fictional future was based on the idea that after WW3 disgruntled veterans came home to a society that was falling apart. The vets decided that they'd take over, and hundreds of years later only veterans are allowed to vote.
The length of service is four years [iirc] and is geared to each person's ability. Most people never do anything but dig holes and fill them up, just to get a taste of earning the franchise. If a blindman in a wheelchair comes in, they will find him some make-work that will push his limits.
Not my personal ideal, but it is an interesting idea.
And the premise of the movie being that they were running out of wars to fight so they setup a false flag attack that set off the bug wars to keep the military in control. I love the idea of a government work corp but not the idea of it being mandatory. Especially for representation/voting.
The movie and the book are two completely different things. Apparently the director didn't even read the entire book and just took a few scenes.
Hunter Thompson wrote one essay where he praised the draft because it forced all kinds of people to meet each other and work together. In the novel "Zombie Jamboree" a draftee says that the draft is a good idea because draftees aren't as likely to commit war crimes as lifers.
I don't know if government service should be mandatory, but I think that the country would be a lot better if more of these trust fund babies knew what it was like to put in a 40 hour week.
Ehhh, I really don't think our problem lies in too many people voting. I'll take the sarcastic and over the top movie version please.
If you'd read the book you'd know that in some parts of the Federation 90% of the adult population had earned the franchise. The solution isn't limiting the number of voters, it's making sure all the voters understand co-operation and team work.
I haven't read the book. It just seems like wishful thinking that such limits on voting won't be turned around to oppress the population in general and minorities in particular.
I'm glad it worked out in the book, but can you think of any other government systems that worked out on paper, but failed their live run? I don't want to be part of that mistake, I'm busy enough being part of this American one right now.
The author had some practical, hands on experience with running a political campaign in the real world.
He threw a lot of ideas into his books. "The Moon Is A Harsh Mistress" is a favorite of Libertarians, and it has one character who thinks that Luna should declare itself a monarchy.
"Double Star" has a quick reference to a system I really like. Instead of voting based on where you live, you get to choose your own constituency. Your representative would be a "gamer" or a "farmer" or a "mass transit user." You could change your constituency the same way you're allowed to move to another state.
Heinlein wrote the ultimate military novel [Starship Troopers] the ultimate Libertarian novel [The Moon/Mistress] and the ultimate hippie novel [Stanger In A Strange Land.] He also invented the waterbed and mechanical arms.
Wild. I've read starship troopers but didn't know all this about him.
The general online labeling of Heinlein as a kind of fascism idealizer (due to the popularity of that book) begins to fall apart when you view him as an author who experimented with different forms of governance in his world building.
The movie is called "Predestination" and the original story is "...All You Zombies." That's another shock for you.
One thing I really like about the movie is that it uses a 1960s version of the 1990s instead of the real world.
I appreciate what you've shared and probably should give a book or two of his a chance.
"...I Will Fear No Evil." A man's brain is transplanted into a woman's body. Then it gets weird.
Read the book.
It's in "Stranger In A Strange Land." Heinlein never patented the idea, but the original builder credited him.