History 102 with WhatifAltHist's Rudyard Lynch and Austin Padgett cover image

Explaining 17th Century Eastern Europe

History 102 with WhatifAltHist's Rudyard Lynch and Austin Padgett

00:00

Freedom Fuels Fighting Spirit

A historical analysis reveals that nations with a free rural population, such as Sweden and Turkey during a specific era, exhibited significantly higher fighting capabilities than those with enslaved populations. The example of Sweden illustrates that effective leadership can elevate a country to great power status, and that a free populace is more motivated and capable of military service. Over the course of 200 years, Sweden's unique situation enabled it to implement conscription successfully, which other nations struggled to achieve due to the lack of freedom among their people.

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