Why does the UK not have any militias?

Now we all know the US has more militias then trees right, (Joke) but the UK has none.

But why is this? Whilst guns in the UK are restricted rifles and shotguns are available including some quite sophisticated snipers etc and its not impossible really at all to get guns add £500 to the price of a gun for a licence, case, club membership etc and you can legally own one so theoretically the only thing stopping people from getting guns are there financial situation (whether they can afford one or not and to some extent criminal convictions, mental state etc). At the same time there are numerous gun clubs and shooting teams within the UK. Now this would suggest that there are enough guns and potential shooters to make up militias within the UK, yet there are none.

Any one knows why this is?

Under UK law only John Murray, 11th Duke of Atholl may legally raise a private army and there are restrictions yet surely someone could get round this if they so wished.

So why does the UK have no militias?

Is it:
Due to a cultural revulsion to guns?
Restrictive laws?
Lack of funding?
Or some sort of conspiracy?

Any thoughts?

Why on earth would we want them? What would they do?

We already have the Territorial Army and various Reservists who can be called up should the need arise.

We don't have them because we don't live in a state of seemingly paranoid fear that someday, someone, might come along and try and usurp us.

When we are threatened, we tend to move as one. The armed forces and police are loyal to queen and country - and damn proud to serve - and we trust them to protect us. We perceive no threats internally, so no other actions are needed.

You appear to be trying to project the USA onto the UK and ask "why aren't they the same". The answer is actually that the USA is the USA and the UK is totally different.

We speak the same language but we have fairly different cultures and historical background.

I don't want to sound crass but we''ve seen a damn site more of the world as a nation both in terms of our empire in the past and being directly on the sharp end of wars than most other countries and its shaped something culturally that a lack of similar experience can't recreate.

We don't have any militias because we don't need them, militias are a bunch of people with guns who think they are above the law.

The police and the army are here to police, not us civilians.

You could ask the same of where I live, New Zealand where handguns are only owned by strictly licensed collectors. Rifles and shot guns may be owned for hunting by licensed gun owners, but the controls are tough.

In New Zealand you do not roll up to a gun shop and get a 24 hour stand down for Police clearance.

Every applicant for a firearms license is vetted for their character months before they can go near a gun shop.

We have a territorial army too. Our troops and police owe alliegance to the Queen. Not to the city mayor. Not to the ruling Political party either. Not to the Prime Minister. Our Police and Armed forces like in the UK are sworn to protect the crown against both the people and the politicians. The people have faith in the crown because the constitutional system means that the crown is impartial.

In USA, the President is not impartial. Police forces owe loyalty to municipal or state authorities. The Armed forces take orders from the President.

I also agree with Nefermore that from the outside looking in, Americans have a paranoia which we outside USA can neither understand nor identify with.

We believe in civil society where you sort out problems by the ballot box or the court system. Not with guns.



[edit on 1-5-2007 by sy.gunson]

IMO it's all about the guns. There are so many fire arms in the US. guns guns and more guns. I know that everyone has the right to bear arms, but really! surely this is just another gang thing under another name.

Everyone needs protection. The police are all on the take. Superman ain't real. Who ya gunna call?

I live in an international finance city in Asia. The Americans here are really distrusting and standoffish. It's quite worrying really. I don't remember it being this way when I was a kid.

Where's the love people

One of the many reasons to have an militia is to protect you from your Government. If there was a military coup in the USA it would be the the local militias that would act as a line of defence. One could even argue that it is a civil responsability to form a militia.

Reason #1 for them in the U.S. is to defend against a corrupt government or to supply the means for revolution if necessary.

Since you guys across the way have loyalty to you Queen and country I guess you'll never need to defend yourselves against tyranny.

America was founded by fleeing perceived tyranny. All throughout the rise of the nation their have been tyrants and people who would shoot them down in short order. Jefferson said we should have a revolution regularly to ensure no dynasties and no corruption. Well, now we have dynasties and widespread corruption where political families rule and all in Washington are being bought by lobbyists and special interests. Elections arent about how many votes a candidate can get but are about how many dollars a candidate can raise.

Ironically, as the U.S. government solidifies into one entity and sheds its inherint checks and balances in exchange for greater control and restrictions there seem to be fewer and fewer groups ready or willing to strike the tyrants down.
I suppose thats a major side effect of a solidified government body moving against its people. Mass control=mass fear

But you guys have loyalty to the Queen. Good for you. I hope youre always as satisfied as you are right now and never feel the need to 'reset' your government.

The armed forces and police are loyal to queen and country - and damn proud to serve - and we trust them to protect us.

And there's the rub.... The Queen has no say in the deployment or use of the Armed Forces or the Police, the government does.
All the talk about serving Queen and Country is a complete load of cobblers as you are serving the government and their handlers in big business.

In a way we do have them look up the firm, combat 18, national front,bnp, they have guns and wepons and what not. Also hells angles biker gang and so forth they could rise up and stand ground if they wanted just dpends how you look at things.

Originally posted by kaos1911
Now we all know the US has more militias then trees right, (Joke) but the UK has none...

We have plenty of militias here in the UK...Millwall, Leeds, Manchester, Everton, Liverpool, Glasgow, to name but a few...I've seen what some of these animals do to opposing-team supporters, or any fool daft enough to invade their local boozer, let alone the country.