Historically, rulers liked censuses, because they enable them to conscript and tax their people.

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And I know it can seem that my desire for you to succeed me sounds like an attempt to conscript you into forced family service.

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Appearing Sunday on CBS's "Face the Nation" and Monday on CNN, Rangel said he intends to introduce legislation early next year that would require the government to conscript young American men for military service.

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Neither Britain's small, professional forces nor Germany's large, conscript forces were designed to fight an offensive land war against a medium-sized European power.

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Launched in a post-conscript age, it can be seen as a return to the historical condition that preceded total war.

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Compared with the immobile, conscript armies that many European states are still fielding, British forces can make a reasonable claim to be leaner, meaner and more modern.

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