This important and timely book studies the non-military national service programs in nine countries: Canada, China, Costa Rica, Indonesia, Israel, Mexico, Nigeria, the United States, and West Germany. The efforts of five contributing authors and the support of many individuals and organizations all over the world have gone into this volume, providing a valuable reference in comparing national service programs. It also explores the multiple outcomes of national service programs on many levels—social, economic, and individual. Although countries far less affluent than the United States have found it worthwhile to invest in national service, the book shows that the functional success of such a program depends on the balance of benefit and cost. The book focuses on various forms of compensation to participating individuals, (e.g., wage, room and board, credit toward college education), as well as the possibility that such compensation conflicts with the idea of service and instead becomes a source of employment. Now, when the idea of national service is gaining support in the United States, these and other issues addressed in the book are especially critical.
Also included are chapters on policy and program characteristics and understanding non-military service in different nations. A final chapter examines the development of a national service policy in the United States. The lessons to be learned from this book are numerous in their applications to both the social sciences and public policy.