It’s about ensuring that the children of the wealthy and powerful would die alongside the children of the poor in any conflict.

Bullcrap. The children of the wealthy and powerful always get to have have convenient loopholes to get out of conscription - just look at Elon Musk and Donald Trump.

like building projects and disaster preparedness and relief.

Or, you know… have groups of trained civilians around to repress anything that threatens the precious status quo.