Intimate relationships can challenge the military’s monopoly on soldiers’ loyalty

Evidence

Over the centuries, militaries have attempted to solve their constant labor needs in a variety of ways. After providing troops with cash, food, and housing, plying them with easy access to commercial sex has been one of the most popular strategies. That troops generally have had to pay for this readily available sex has only benefited militaries further: as working-class men burn through their pay (and, not infrequently, go into debt), their dependence on a military salary helps keep them enlisted. — David Vine, Base Nation_ How U.S. Military Bases…, 545 (#expands, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Militaries use paid access to sex to deepen troops’ dependence on military salaries — David Vine, Base Nation_ How U.S. Military Bases…, 545; Human emotions protect civilians by restraining lethal military force — Grégoire Chamayou, A Theory of the Drone, 1135; Family support became a military retention strategy to prevent troop shortfalls (+2 more)

Related

• Militaries use paid access to sex to deepen troops’ dependence on military salaries (similarity 0.89)
• Providing paid commercial sex keeps troops financially dependent and enlisted (similarity 0.87)
• Military tolerance of prostitution is limited by its threat to troop loyalty (similarity 0.86)
• Military leaders feared sex because relationships could compete with their monopoly on troops’ loyalty (similarity 0.86)

Broader Connections

• Militaries use paid access to sex to deepen troops’ dependence on military salaries #expands (0.60) — David Vine, Base Nation_ How U.S. Military Bases…, 545
• Family support became a military retention strategy to prevent troop shortfalls #complicates (0.55)
• US military gifts to allied officers carry obligations of loyalty and access. #exemplifies (0.55)
• Human emotions protect civilians by restraining lethal military force #exemplifies (0.50) — Grégoire Chamayou, A Theory of the Drone, 1135