Is Europe Too Soft to Fight?

European populations are readier to fight than their leaders often believe, and this elite pessimism risks becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. Policies designed around a lack of trust in society, such as using conscription for discipline rather than building a trained mass, suppress the public's potential to mobilize. Leaders often misinterpret societal traits like individualism, which can actually strengthen the motivation to defend democratic freedoms and one's way of life. Instead of assuming weakness, governments should cultivate this potential by creating the right conditions and trusting their citizens. This requires balancing investment in advanced technology with a focus on building human mass, avoiding the trap of being technological optimists but societal pessimists.