Debate motions from 2015

THR the decline of tightly integrated families

1

THBT environmental movements should support climate engineering that fundamentally alters the environment in an attempt to combat global warming

2

THBT in areas of socio-economic deprivation, schools should train students in vocational skills to the exclusion of the liberal arts

3

THW prohibit the media from reporting on the mental illness of those accused of crimes

4

THBT the international community should cut off internet access in Syria

5

THBT developing countries should adopt economic development policies that heavily disincentivise urbanisation

6

THW ban the research and production of moral enhancement drugs

7

THBT the US and EU should seek to promote peace by heavily subsidising Israeli businesses who invest in the Palestinian territories

8

TH, as a medical professional employed by the US military or security sevices, would, and would encourage others, to refuse orders to provide medical treatment to individuals undergoing 'enhanced interrogation techniques'

9

THW ban its citizens from visiting illiberal states whose economies depend on tourism

EFL_Semis

THBT progressive politicians in conservative societies should pander to bigots, racists, hardline conservatives and others with regressive views in attempting to win elections

EFL_Final

THBT the African-American community should actively oppose 'broken windows policies'

ESL_Quarters

THW strictly limit the replacement of workers with technology by companies

ESL_Semis

THBT liberal democracies that overthrow the governments of other states should impose power-sharing, even when this severely overrides or delays democratic representation

ESL_Finals

TH regrets the rise of art that celebrates gaining material wealth

Masters_1

THBT judges should deliberately misinterpret constitutions to protect important liberties

Masters_2

THW allow corporations to use hackers to retaliate against cyberattacks where the state seems unwilling or unable to do so

Open_Partials

THBT disadvantaged groups should emphasise their conformity with, rather than distinctiveness from, dominant culture, as a strategy for improving their social position

Open_Octos

TH regrets the decline of secular pan-Arab nationalism

Open_Quarters

THBT all states should create special economic zones in cities, where all economic activities (except the purchase of goods and services) are carried out by women

Open_Semis

THBT humanitarian organisations should, and should be allowed to, give funding, resources or services to illegal armed groups when this is made a condition for access to vulnerable civilians

Open_Final

This House would pay all elected politicians the median wage in their country.

1

This House believes that when multi-national corporations conduct any business in Western states, these nations should enforce their environmental standards at all stages of production.

2

This House believes that Western states should not use private military contractors in combat.

3

This House would ban any treatment, service or ritual from claiming a physical healing effect until it is tested and proven more effective than a placebo by a national regulator.

4

This House believes that the European Union should lift its arms embargo on China.

5

This House would only allow the media and campagning organisations to depict or publish information about the deceased in a tragedy with the explicit permission of the family.

6

TH believes that the West should stop all attempts to gather information or intelligence by deception and/or coercion of foreign citizens

7

TH believes that it is legitimate for individuals to punish people they deem to have committed online harassment by revealing their identity online.

8

THW introduce a 100% inheritance tax

9

TH would legalise surrogacy for profit in Western Liberal Democracies

ESL_Quarters

TH would introduce a mandatory term of at least 1 year of non-military national service for 18year olds

ESL_Semis

TH would allow EU citizens to donate to political parties in any EU state

ESL_Semis_Aborted

TH believes that parents of a musical child genius have a moral obligation to push that child to maximise their musical potential.

ESL_Final

TH would prohibit businesses from taking a public position on social issues

Open_Quarters

TH would require all defendants in criminal cases to be represented only by state-employed lawyers.

Open_Semis

TH would treat the deaths of soldiers as regrettable losses of lives rather than examples of heroism.

Open_Final

This House Would Ban Religious Primary and Secondary Schools

1

This house believes US immigration policy should only prioritise merit-based standards of acceptance over the reunification of families.

2

This house would end penalty enhancements for hate crimes.

3

This House believes that Western Liberal Democracies should boycott the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia.

4

This house would allow opponents of abortion to sign legally-binding contracts with pregnant women, in which they pay those pregnant women not to have an abortion.

5

THW accept 'I was only following orders' as a defence in war crimes trials

ESL_Semi

THR the institutions of marriage and civil partnership

ESL_Final

THW create and enforce filial responsibility laws (mandating that people take care of their parents)" - or words to that effect

Novice_Final

THR the rise of mega-cities

Open_Quarters

THBT after 50 years of ownership the state should have the right to repossess all works of painting or sculpture for the purpose of public display

Open_Semis

A new planet has been discovered identical to Earth. 1 of 2 systems can be implemented on this planet (or words to that effect). THW implement communism over capitalism.

Open_Final

This House Would ban the use of zero-hour contracts

Round 1 (prepared)

This House Supports academic tracking in primary and secondary education

Round 3 (prepared)

This House Would not consume art created by people who have committed deeply immoral acts

Round 4 (impromptu)

This House Believes That cities with significant immigrant populations should actively break up ethnic enclaves

Round 5 (prepared)

This House Supports a right to die

Round 7 (impromptu)

This House Would forgive Greece's debt

Round 8 (impromptu)

This House Would require members of the clergy to report all crimes to authorities including those made in confession.

Octofinals (impromptu)

This House Believes That affirmative action policies are counterproductive in reducing inequalities

Quarterfinals (impromptu)

This House Believes That the military struggle against ISIS should be conducted solely by Middle East nations

Semifinals (impromptu)

This House Regrets the media focus on the personal lives of politicians

Semifinals (impromptu)

This House Believes That governments should provide a guaranteed Universal Basic Income

Grand Final (prepared)

THBT the EU should openly fund secular, pro-democracy and pro-human rights political parties and civil society groups in countries with oppressive regimes

1

THBT the NAACP should publicly condemn white artists who appropriate black culture

2

THW require companies that produce pornography to be run by a co-operative of their female performers

3

THW transfer complete strategic control of the NHS to a body of experts, appointed by experienced medical practitioners and not accountable to Parliament (with info slide)

4

THBT Gov'ts should not publicly discuss anti-terror laws and state security in the wake of terrorist attacks

5

THBT even if human life could be extended indefinitely, society should choose to end their lives at 100 years

ESL_Final

THBT that states should not commemorate the veterans of conflicts that are now considered to be unjustified

ProAm_Final

TH, as an up and coming female artist, would publically decline a leading role in a Roman Polanski film (with info slide)

Open_Quarters

THW criminalise the use and creation of unauthorised anonymous communication providers and network browsers (with info slide)

Open_Semis

TH welcomes the rise of the far left in continental Europe (e.g. Syriza in Greece & Podemos in Spain)

Open_Final

THW ban religious K-12 schools

1

THBT voters should be able to override the votes of their elected representatives on individual bills by two-thirds or greater referendum.

2

THBT developed nations should pay reparations to developing nations that have experienced significant adverse consequences from climate change

3

TH rejects the media's intentional humanization of those responsible for heinous acts or crimes.

4

THBT the US should join the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank

5

Given the existence of a drug that dramatically increases mental capacity, THBT universities should ban and test for student use of the drug.

6

THBT American feminists have an obligation to vote for a female presidential candidate.

Novice_Finals

THW not vote for protest candidates in primary elections.

Open_Quarters

THW legalize graffiti in public spaces

Open_Semis

THBT the EU should offer Greece full debt relief in exchange for its housing at least 200,000 Syrian refugees.

Open_Finals

This house believes that medical staff should be able to opt out of providing treatments on religious or ethical grounds

1

This house regrets the eastward expansion of the European Union during and since 2004

2

This house would prefer a world without religious beliefs

3

This house believes that Israel should have continued the occupation of Gaza

4

This house believes that educational institutions should never attempt to restrict the freedom of expression of students or staff (except when mandated by law)

5

This House Regrets the perception that soldiers are heroes

ESL_Semi

THBT Saudi Arabia should limit participation in the Hajj to the citizens of countries that are committed to taking direct action against IS

ESL_Final

THR the partition of India

Open_Quarters

TH Opposes the Sharing Economy

Open_Semi

THBT the international community should pay countries near to conflict zones to process, settle and restrict the further movement of refugees

Open_Final

Disinviting college and university speakers does more good than harm.

1

Low-level offenders shopuld have their fates determined by neighbors rather than traditional courts.

2

There should be no space missions without United Nations scientific approval.

3

The sharing economy does more harm than good.

4

Government should create public space on the Internet for social protest and political free speech.

5

This House would establish a universal passport.

6

The US federal government should bail out states and cities.

7

This House supports a permanent seat with veto power on the UN Security Council for Africa.

8

Colonial powers should pay reparations for the Atlantic slave trade

Open_Semis

The US federal government should rewrite its constitution every 25 years

Open_Final

THBT men's and women's prisons that are close to each other should have co-ed activity time including sex rooms.

1

THBT the Palestinian movement should abandon its claim for the right to return in exchange for significant financial reparations

2

TH regrets the alliance of liberal political parties with large businesses and financial interests

3

THBT minority artists should create street art and other art in public spaces rather than art intended for display in galleries and traditional artistic venues.

4

THBT on balance, the influence of the internet on journalism has been harmful to society

5

THS the rise of Syriza.

6

THBT the norm of having stay-at-home dads is better for the women's rights movement than that of both parents working

Open_Octos

THBT, on balance, the rapid fall of oil prices has been beneficial to the West

Open_Semis

THBT on balance, the international human rights regime has done more harm than good

Open_Finals

THB existing welfare programs should be replaced by unconditional cash transfers.

1

THB political polling and major election analytics do more harm than good.

2

THW not let cities use public funds to construct stadiums for professional sports teams.

3

THB the U.S. should impose substantial tarriffs on Chinese goods until China ceases all currency manipulation.

4

THR the success of white artists who co-opt minority dominated music subcultures (e.g. Rap, jazz, hip-hop, etc.)

5

THW hold govrenment officials criminally responsible for severe harm to citizens resulting from grossly negligent public policy.

6

THR the rise of Choice Feminism.

Open_Quarters

THB the EU should revoke membership status of any state that withdraws from the Schengen Agreement.

Open_Semis

THR "True Crime" entertainment. (e.g. Making a Murderer, American Crime Story: The People vs. OJ Simpson, Serial, etc.)

Open_Finals

In an ideal feminist world, this house prefers a societal norm of having stay at home dads to a societal norm of having both parents working

1

This house supports a heavy-handed military response to xenophobic violence

2

TH regrets the rise of the certified artist (as certified through official art schools, degrees, or programmes

3

As a black middle-class South African, this house would vote ANC

4

Assuming that technology existed that would allow one to transfer years of their natural life (the time one would live, if not cut down unnaturally by disease or accident

5

This house would not use images of gratuitous violence as means for political mobilisation

6

This house believes that foreign mercenaries, employed by the West, should unionise

7

THBT nearby mens and womens prisons should set up regularly scheduled inter-prison activities, including the provision of private rooms for sexual intercourse.

8

THW grant independence to [OG picks]

9

THW Create Special School for LGBT+ Youths

1

THBT democracies should give migrant workers a vote in national elections

2

Assuming the owners of Ashley Madison refuse to shut down the website, TH as the Impact Team would release the user data

0

THBT leaders of minority religions within Europe should strongly encourage their congregations to refrain from overt public displays of their faith (assuming theologically possible

3

THW grant artists a percentage of the resale value of their artwork (the amount the art is sold on for if and when the initial inquirer decides to sell it on

4

THBT the NAACP should have encouraged Rachel Dolezal to stay on as the Spokane chapter President

5

TH Regrets that South Africa did not turn Omar Al-Bashir over to the International Criminal Court

6

THBT the International Monetary Fund should require collateral for national bailouts.

Open_Semis

THBT South Africa should ban apartheid symbols and flags, along with those of other oppressive regimes.

Open_Final

THW allow the trophy hunting of endangered animals

1

THW programme self-driving cars to prioritise the number of lives saved when faced with unavoidable collisions as opposed to prioritising the safety of the driver.

2

THW ban the Orange Walk

3

THBT LGBTQ+ campaigns should criticise the nuclear family

4

THBT African Union states should withdraw from the International Criminal Court and set up an African alternative

5

THBT when faced with the choice between spending discretionary income on non-essentials or giving to charity, individuals should always choose to give to charity

Novice_Final

THW allow mental health charities to sue media outlets for the defamation of the mentally ill

Open_Quarters

THBT the Parliamentary Labour Party should immediately depose Jeremy Corbyn by a vote of no confidence

Open_Semis

THBT the USA should publicly apologise for the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki

Open_Final

THR the Narrative of the American Dream.

1

THB The State Should Not Attach any Legal or Fiscal Privileges to the Family Unit (e.g tax breaks, spousal exemptions etc)

2

THR The Fall of the Galactic Empire.

3

THW Introduce an Excise Tax on Tabloids to Finance a Subsidy of Broadsheet.

4

THW exclude Turkey from NATO if it Continues Bombing Kurdish Troops in Syria and Iraq.

5

THR the Negative Connotations Surrounding Creating Art for the Primary Purpose of Profit.

Open_Partial_Quarters

THW Ban Mens' Rights Activist Groups.

Open_Semis

THR the Narrative of Having one Great Calling or Purpose in Life.

Novice_Final

TH as the Republican National Committee Would Literally Kick Donald Trump out of the Republican Party.

Open_Final

THW legalise squatting

1

THBT FIFA should comply with the demand that they suspend Israel's membership of FIFA until Israel allows Palestine to freely compete in international football

2

THBT the Turkish government should actively encourage Turkish migrants living in Europe to return to Turkey

3

THBT the State should pay for the education of all students at all levels

4

THW remove all legal barriers on the selection of embryo's (including but not limited to selecting on gender, physical or mental disability, etc.)

5

THBT newlyweds should take a Rumspringa after one year of marriage

6

THW renationalise essential services that were previously privatised (such as water, electricity and gas)

Open_Semis

THW produce a telenovella about Ataturk's life that seeks to glorify Kemalism

Open_Final

THW ban companies from using fear as a tactic in advertising.

1

THBT the police should work with hacktivists

2

THO the notion that marriage is meant to be long-lasting

3

Assuming Russia agrees to help fight ISIS, TH, as the US, would cease funding to Syrian rebel groups

4

THO films/TV shows that depict a minority narrative through a white heteronormative lense

5

THR the rise of the sharing economy

Open_Quarters

THBT treasure hunters should have possession of any artefacts they find

Open_Semis

THBT individuals should not share their political views on social media platforms

Open_Finals

THW aggressively prioritize women for military leadership positions

1

THW provide a universal basic income

2

THS the Animal Liberation Front

3

THW regularly publish the proposed content of international trade deals throughout the entire negotiation process

4

THW remove tax-exempt status from religious institutions.

5

Assuming a low probability of detection, THS scientists who falsify data in order to exagerrate the harms of climate change.

Novice_Finals

TH, as Taiwan, would cease efforts to develop deeper economic, cultural, and diplomatic ties with mainland China.

Open_Semis

THW enforce Ulysses contracts

Open_Finals

THW abolish all rent control laws.

1

THBT no media should ever be allowed to endorse any candidates in democratic elections.

2

THW ban religious proselytization in prisons.

3

THBT all self-driven cars must use the same government-mandated algorithm to solve the "trolley problem."

4

THW prefer the creation of class-based affirmative action programs over race-based affirmative action programs at higher education institutions.

5

This house prefers direct intervention of Western nations over backing of non-state actors in armed conflicts.

6

THW abolish all publicly accessible sex offender registries

Novice_Final

THS a single-payer healthcare system.

Open_Final

THS the rise of homeschooling among minority communities

1

THBT environmental refugees should be granted citizenship in countries that have contributed most heavily to global pollution

2

THBT minority groups seeking public support for equal rights should emphasize distinct cultures over similarity to the mainstream.

3

THW financially assist inner-city neighbourhoods in order to prevent gentrification, for instance by subsidizing mixed-income housing over public housing projects.

4

THBT all democracies should ban relatives of past office holders from running for election

5

THS genderless parenting

Novice_Finals

THBT the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) should have its own regional peacekeeping force.

Open_Semis

THBT private education institutions should facilitate student demands for spaces of protest to be kept free of media

Open_Finals

THW ban plea bargaining

1

THS the use of coercive economic and diplomatic measures against states in which serious environmental damange to natural resources of share global importance is occurring

2

THW ban surgical genital alteration procedures for minors that are not strictly medically necessary for bodily or sexual function

3

TH welcomes the rise of for-profit education in developing countries

4

THW ban the use of religious rhetoric and symbols in political campaigns

5

TH supports a three-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflcit

6

THB abortions that are based on the fetus showing signs of non-fatal physical and developmental disabilities

Open_Semis