Indiscriminately calling the soldiers and especially the war dead heroes is quite rational, as it facilitates the country’s task of maintaining an enlisted military force, as opposed to a mercenary force.
Enlisted soliders get paid already. Plus they get to wear uniform and the associated status perks. Simple economics applies even without introducing ‘mercenary forces’.
Presumably without the ribbons they’d have to be paid more. And the status perks seem tied to the same thing that causes people to call war dead “heroes.”
Enlisted soliders get paid already. Plus they get to wear uniform and the associated status perks. Simple economics applies even without introducing ‘mercenary forces’.
Presumably without the ribbons they’d have to be paid more. And the status perks seem tied to the same thing that causes people to call war dead “heroes.”