Confidence or Over-Confidence: Enduring Public Support for the Military

• In Event: Broadening Civil-Military Relations: The Politics of Military Service

Abstract

One of the sturdiest findings of American public opinion is how the public, in the aggregate, expresses a high level of confidence in the military as an institution. The military is held in high regard, the highest of any governmental institution, and this has remained true for several decades. Viewed in a longer historical perspective, however, this high regard is unusual; in previous periods, the military was viewed with more suspicion. Moreover, the foundations of this high regard are debatable. If it is based on competence, why has it survived infamous scandals and uncertain results in the wars the U.S. has waged in the past few decades? If based on affection for the institution, why has propensity to join the military declined while support has remained high? In this paper, we explore the determinants of public support for the military and assess the strength of competing and complementary explanations.

Authors

• Peter D. Feaver, Duke University

• Jim Golby, U.S. Mission to NATO