“Becoming or Getting by”: Youths’ Inclination to Join a Military Career in Times of Crisis in Brazil

Abstract

Using novel data from a survey with 2,055 Brazilians (aged 16–26 years old), this article explores youth motives to voluntarily join military careers. Our results found that non-White men were more likely to enter the military. Economic affluence negatively influenced prospects for police careers while showing a non-significant positive effect on the armed forces. We also found that individuals with more conservative views and values are more likely to pursue roles in the military police or the armed forces. Interviewees with strong convictions about the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the job market also showed a higher likelihood of joining military careers. We interpret these findings in a context of extreme job insecurity and progressive militarization of Brazilian bureaucracy during Bolsonaro’s administration (2018–2022). This study offers new evidence of youths’ inclination to pursue a military career.