Is conscription morally justified today?

European politicians have recently considered reintroducing conscription and have offered three main reasons for this, arguing that conscription is critical for (1) military readiness and deterrence, (2) respecting the social contract citizens have with their state, and (3) teaching civic values and patriotism. This article analyses these arguments and shows that they are false. While these arguments may have succeeded historically, warfare, conscription, and societies have changed, weakening these arguments.