Why does'nt the British military have bigger numbers of people?

Violation Notification

Mainly it's due to our small population. Less citizens means less people to join our armed forces.

However just because it is low in numbers does not mean it is low in strength. As you said yourself we have an extremely well trained military, which is one of the best (if not the best) in the world. Our technology is also superior to most other countries. Another thing I would like to point out is nuclear weapons which the UK has many of. These also add to our military might.

Ray K

quality not quantity.

sourfacedsod

we don't need as many as the other countries. 1 british soldiers = 20 american soldiers plus we fight at ground level not at 20,000 feet

Bianca

The British military is about quality not quantity.
we dont have mandatory service
those nations all have far, far bigger populations

No name.

It's largely due to population of the countries:
China's population - 1,321,851,888
USA's population - 306,247,000
Russia's population - 142,008,838
UK's population - 60,975,000

JKL

Most of the answers you have recieved in here are utter rubbish young man.

I am Australian and joined the Royal Marines in 1990 because the UK forces offer the highest quality of training and self-develoment training. With the Marines I conducted P Coy and many many specialitst roles. I attempted British special forces selection but failed, not through injury or anything, I just failed; as did 95% of everyone else.

Working with many forces gloablly I have to say the only soldiers that commit troops to the quality of British trained soldiers are the Germans; another small military.

For intance, British Royal Engineers are WAY more than just engineers, they really perform higher than the average US Marine for instance. Guys from 59 ind. Sqn. are fantastic.

The UK have a small militay because as already stated, it's quality not quantity. It would not be economically viable for the US to commit such training to their soldiers because there are so many of them. Instead they rely on technology.

Many South Africans and Canadians, Austalians etc.. join the British forces because it is so highly regarded around the world. It was sometimes annoying being called colonials but you got used to it.

*Edit* I'd also like to draw attention to the fact that the UK now have roughly 1000 new Army Commandos. The 1st Battalion the Rifles was converted to a Commando unit, and all members had to go though the All Arms Commando Course. Which, as a former Marine, I can tell you is bloody tough as hell. Not fun.

R'- @\/_1

because of the fact that Russia,China and Americas populations are so big that more people will join the military and that some of it is mandatory, in america if you do a crime to a certain extent then you can choose between 6 months in jail, or 3 years in the US army.

as people have said before the British military is quality more than quantity and this is something that russia,china and US cant have within there own country because of the vast amount of people. i agree that the government should be advertising the military more but if the government dont care then what can we do.
also they dont fund properly and the NHS is absolute sh.ite, people think joining the army is all combat they dont realize that you can be in the REME or logistics, supplier. when people ask me what i want to do when im older and i say im going to join the Army , there are like why do you want to go and fight and die, but the army isnt like that, there is more of a chance being stabbed to death then there is in iraq or Afghanistan

edit: i agree with chindit, why should all the idiots and chavs be forced to join the Army, just because they dont give a sh!t about life then why make them, anyway we need people to work in factories and mcdonalds.

edit: intelligent american-WOW!!! and female too lol jk

Altair

Politics professors agree that UK is top 5 in military power.

I can attest to that because I was medically discharged from as a recruit in the Paras in week 17. Very tough professional guys indeed.

Leon, shelly and co have hit the nail on the head.

ian24

In the early 90's, Britain's military was a lot larger than it is now. Due to the wisdom of the Labour party reducing the numbers in the army and at the same time taking on more commitments, we are where we to day. I can't for the life of me see their logic in it. Iraq/Afghanistan, the army was stretched fighting on two fronts.

Although reduced to the minimum,the army is still one of the best, if not the best in the world (that's only my opinion). As already said "biggest does not mean best". Any serving soldier will tell you that they are against conscription, because volunteers keeps the army professional and they don't want to reduce the unemployment figures by having the dregs dumped on them.

Sali

cause military service is not complusary it is a volulantary job but they have enough security and special forces to protect the UK.

thisismyyahoo

because, as there's no need for conscription, the government cant MAKE people join the army.

it's a career choice.

Scouse

OK What do you want a powerful military and an even worse NHS pensions education etc.
Whilst I happen to think numbers are dangerously low we also need a decent career structure medical services and back up when they leave. IAt the moment everything is half **** and the forces manage in spite of the efforts of our caring wise prudent and loyal governmeent's efforts to frustrate them

cfc-forever

im joining when im old enough but i tell people that and first thing they say is your gunna die whats the point so i think people just think of the army as iraq and getting killed but theyre wrong but just cant get that through to em

matty2792

Well go and help them out, go and join!

Shelly

@The Faint Smile

What a load of crap you have just dispensed. As someone with degrees in Economics/Politics and International Relations I can tell you that the UK would NOT be on the security council if they were not a world power.
Militarily, the UK have a formidible force. The answers contained within are mere speculation and personal opinion, pathetic. It should also be noted that the UK, as of 2011 will have the most advanced Navy known to man! And people here say they're not a military power!
The UK have much longer training periods than the rest of the world, because they can afford to (small force) whereas other states such as Russia, China et al simply cannot afford to put the millions of soldiers they have through the same training.
Wow, this is why sites such as this dispensing crap is never a good idea.

EDIT: @the same guy...

At the end of the day, all I know is that you guys will soon have the most advanced naval power - surely that says something?

Secondly as for the security council, the UK are still on it because of their expertise in contempory as well as historical issues. Thus denoting them as a power of knowledge. A power of knowledge indicates the power to use knowledge. The power to use knowledge indicates the power to possess power and so on; for more information study the power in politics.
Regardless of what you say, the UK have a fantastic military force which is echoed throughout the world. This question is asking about military power, and it is very safe to suggest that the UK are in the top 4. Using wikipedia as a source in frowned upon in academic circles.
I'm not saying you are the most powerful, I'm saying that the UK are for sure in the top 6 world powers.
I'm guessing you've never had any military experience? Because you sound like an "armchair" writer. Get yourself some British forces experience and come back and say they're not one of the top...

MR JEDI FOX ESQ

For many reasons really. Though I think that the UK should definitely have more soldiers, perhaps another Ghukha regiment, and 2 more parachute regts and 2 more infantry regts. The British army is tiny and there is a problem recruiting and replacing people that are leaving, so it's widely known that we are badly undermanned. I would prefer to see the RAF have at least 2 more squadrons of fixed wing and another squadron of helis, the RN is desperately short of ships and needs those 2 new carriers very badly as well as more destroyers and frigates.

However, loads of jobs that were traditionally done by servicemen are now done by civilians, such as airfield maintenance, much training of servicemen are now done by civilian trainers. It's the same in the navy and much of the army. Much of the equipment is moved by civi contractors using civi aircraft, ships and haulage trucks. A great deal of maintenance that used to be done on the ships, aircraft and MT is now done mainly by civis. Civis even guard many of the air/navy/army base perimeters.....

I think the UK still packs quite a punch because of the hi tec equipment, the training and toughness of our troops, but it is very stretched.

The Faint Smile [Renegade]

The UK isn't the fourth most powerful nation in terms of Military or Economic stability, where the hell did you come up with that piece of information.

Do some research, the UK is just within the top 10 military powers, and in terms of its economy it ranks 14th. I am British, and just because we seem to make a huge Military raucous and follow America around, doesn't make us a significant military power. We may have been the 4th military power in the world 20 years ago, but certainly not now.

Here is the current Military strength rankings:

You can find a ranking table at the site Globalfirepower.

India is the 4th Military power, followed by Germany.

Forget fourth in the world, we are fourth in Europe, after Germany, France and Turkey would you believe.

Fact is Britain will never again be a military power, this isn't due to a lack of training, it's just that our Economic situation namely minimal manufacturing and exports, stunts growth, therefore the rising players in terms of Economy, namely India and Brazil will keep increasing in strength while diminish. India already has a larger Nuclear arsenal than Britain, as does Germany.

We should focus on our economy first, then maybe we can support a larger, more powerful military force, without letting other public services falter.

The fact that you still think England is within the top five most powerful nations is a joke and shows your level of ignorance, just because you state and try to believe England is still a world power doesn't make it reality, get with the times and take some economics lessons, patriotism doesn't make you right. Do even five minutes of research, and you will discover this yourself, this false idea sense of power and security that has emanated from our Empire and imperialistic roots is a laugh, we act so high and mighty even though our economy and nation as a whole is in decline against the major players in the world, stop holding on to a false dream and face reality.

Quotes from 'Wikipedia' to prove this:

The United Kingdom currently ranks 16th on the Human Development Index.

Its GDP PPP per capita in 2007 was the 22nd highest in the world

It was the second largest economy in Europe after Germany's in the same year, but has since fallen behind France on a nominal basis due to the fall of the pound against the euro.

@ Shelly, then you would know that the UN security council was originally made up and founded by the Allies who victored in WW2, so naturally Britain would be on the security council, and I did not say that Britain was not powerful, It is behind Germany and France economically and it is behind many nations Militarily, this is mainly due to the lack of Nuclear war heads and a lack of soldiers. I was merely contesting the view that Britain is the 'fourth most powerful nation in the world' which it isnt both Economically or Militarily, can you prove it is the fourth?

Look at the UN Security council:
China
France
Russian Federation
United Kingdom
United States

All are allies apart from the recent addition China, it is all politics, why aren't Germany on this list, they rank as a higher military and economic power than the UK and France, and they beat Russia certainly Economically, it is all politics, just because the UK are on the council doesn't mean we are the fourth military power. Geramny are not on the list, because they are still 'categorized as the enemy', they have applied to join many times and have been turned down, its all politics, the UN Security council does not validate anything.

So your point goes out of the window.

If you have a degree in Economics, you should also know that 70% of our Economic output was through financial services, we do little manufacturing and the only good we really export is oil form the North Sea, we are no longer the power house we were. Our NHS suffers, our workforce is being made redundant, morale is low, we barely have enough to fund the olympics, yet we have enough to have the most advanced Navy in the world.

Well if that is true, then I have lost all faith in this Country, we might as well be America's poodle.

Though am I wrong in saying Britain is not the fourth power in the world?

You are welcome to prove the original statement right.

We have also seen the level of intelligence and greed you Americans possess, through you inability to deal with securites and the sub prime crises.

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