Karteria wrote:This isn't a matter of how many people Berland decides to conscript or put on reserve. Even if most of the country is still on reserve – what if they go to war? What if they're invaded? Is the entire country going to take up arms? Who's going to supply that war, run the farms, work in the factories, etc?
Also, that remains a question even if they don't go to war. By 1945, the US had 15-16 million people enlist in WWII, which *only* accounted for 11% of the total population (140 million). You're suggesting that Berland can pull off having nearly 20% of their population be in the active military. That isn't normal for good reason, especially for their nation, which is presumably not as industrialized as other larger ones. Based on what I know of Berlandies history, it seems that the nation has gone to war quite often, which would require substantial economic development, production, and labor to support a modernized military.
Unless their military has pre-20th century tech or something like that, I really don't know how the means of production would be able to catch up.
(See Idiocarasia
OOC: I would let Tharein argue his own point, but I have to say, look at North Korea now. Plus, most of their planes are Supermarine Spitfires... seriously. That is definitely 20th century tech. When all new tech is imports from Electorate armaments , it is not like they need a ton of industrial workers. It's also not like everyone is always engaged in military activity.
