Do any other countries have a "pledge?"

[prodigal_green]

For a variety of reasons, I stopped saying the pledge when I was in fifth grade. I stood silently instead.

Anyway, I was wondering if any other country (particularly free, democratic countries) requires a pledge or similar oath of its students.

[7th_Sephiroth]

1. the pledge of alegiance is just

an old brainwashing scheme, i wish they would just do away with it

[Warpy]

5. Any country requiring a daily loyalty oath from its children

...is a totalitarian country. It's beyond creepy.

I just made up alternative words in grammar school.

[Cat Atomic]

2. Hey, I did the same thing, prodigal_green.

The daily promise to obey started to seem creepy to me right around 5th grade, and I stopped saying it, too. Funny.

Anywya, I'm afraid I don't know the answer to your question, but I wanted to offer that anyway.

[Kellanved]

3. no pledge here

Germany that is.

Not in school anywa, but when one enters the Armed Forces (there is still a draft here) he gets sworn in.


The American pledge caused quite some waves in my brother's high school last year: a few former exchange students claimed (and were, judging from what I was told, quite convincing) that they were forced to say the pledge. My understanding is that they were forced by group-pressure, but apparantly there was no honorable way out - not even for foreign exchange students. :crazy:.

[prodigal_green]

7. I could understand an oath going into the military

One would hope that with access to weapons, one would use them for protection of one's country.

I'm not really sure other than brainwashing, what the pledge does for American children.

Maybe it is so they can charge us with perjury if we protest government action later in life.

[Minstrel Boy]

4. nope, not here.

Well, we do have this. Helps keep Canada nice and shiny:

[Bill McBlueState]

6. that must be why I like Canada so much...

thanks for keeping it shiny! Astronomers like shiny things.

[BattyDem]

8. Oh yes, Canada ...

the country America was supposed to be.

[Nadienne]

9. The Original Pledge

According to this site the Original Pledge of Allegiance is:

'I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.'

For what it's worth...