34. “All citizens should be required to perform a specified¹ amount of public service. Such service would benefit not only the country as a whole but also the individual participants.”
Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the opinion stated above. Support your views with reasons and/or examples from your own experience, observations, or reading.

The potential benefits of mandatory² public service must be weighed against administrative³ problems and concerns about individual liberty. On balance (adv. 总而言之), the costs to a nation and to the participants would probably exceed the benefits.
Admittedly, a colorable (adj.似是而非的) argument can be made for mandatory public service. It would help alleviate⁴ “free-rider” problems, where those who do not contribute benefit from the efforts of those who do. It would mitigate⁵ pressing social problems—with education, public health and safety, and the environment. It might instill in participants a sense of civic⁶ duty, community, and individual responsibility. Finally, it has worked on a smaller scale, particularly in urban areas, where renewal⁷ projects succeed in making communities safer, healthier, and more prosperous.
Far more compelling, however, are the arguments against mandatory public service. First, who would make assignments and decide what projects are worthwhile, and how would compliance⁸ be assured? Resolving enforcement issues would require government control, in turn requiring increased taxes and/or cuts in other social programs, thereby⁹ nullifying the benefits of mandatory public service. Second, a mandatory system would open the floodgates to incompetence¹⁰ and inexperience. Finally, the whole notion seems tantamount to Communism insofar as each citizen must contribute, according to his or her ability, to a strong state. Modern history informs us that such systems do not work. One could argue that mandatory public service is simply a tax in the form of labor¹¹ rather than dollars. However, compulsory¹² labor smacks¹³ (v. 带有..风味) of involuntary servitude, whereas financial taxes do not.
In conclusion, logistical and philosophical¹⁴ barriers to mandating¹⁵ public service outweigh¹⁶ its potential benefits for the nation as well as for participants.