Debate motions from 2016

THW allow states to use mercenary forces in combat roles in active military operations

1

THW prohibit private ownership of art deemed to be culturally or historically significant

2

THBT all states should collectively aggregate and evenly distribute all revenue from mineral wealth globally on a per capita basis

3

THBT governments with racially diverse populations should never record the ethnic or racial background of their residents

4

THBT the US should withdraw from East Asia and cede regional hegemony to China.

5

THBT states should adopt sunset clauses that legally force them to review and either re-authorize or revise their constitutions every generation

6

TH supports stronger collective bargaining rights and protections rather than legislated labor market regulations (e.g., wage levels and working conditions)

7

THBT the creation of feminist icons and their cults of personality are good for the feminist movement

8

THBT criminal punishments should be based only on the offenders' culpability rather than the damages caused by the criminal act or other outcomes derived from the punishment

9

TH would retrospectively criminalise excessively risky management practises for economically significant corporations and prosecute the executives responsible for them.

EFL_Semis

THBT campaigners for refugee protection should not use pictures displaying the graphic suffering of refugees as part of their advocacy.

EFL_Final

THW prefer a world in which extremely wealthy people in Western liberal states donate excess money to their governments rather than to charities

ESL_Quarters

THB the West should prioritize stability over exporting democracy in foreign policy

ESL_Semis

TH supports the decline of the nations-state's power in an increasingly globalized world.

ESL_Finals

Assuming the technology to do so easily and safely exists, THW force everyone in society to undergo periodic sex changes.

Masters_1

THW kill baby Hitler

Masters_2

TH regrets mainstream, commercial films that depict historical subjugation and/or crimes against humanity.

Open_Partials

TH would nationalize all systemically important financial institutions, such as banks and insurance companies.

Open_Octos

TH supports the establishment of a Black secessionary state within the territory of the United States, the founding of which is supported by the American government.

Open_Quarters

THBT non-western countries who were once colonized, when fabricating the material culture of national identity (anthems, street names, holidays, flag, etc.) should privilege pre colonial history and notions of indigeneity over themes of anti colonial resistance.

Open_Semis

THBT the world's poor would be justified in pursuing complete Marxist revolution.

Open_Final

That we should tax and redistribute wealth contained in university endowment funds

1.1

That universities should make use of quotas for ideological groups (e.g. conservatives) for teaching and research staff

1.2

That the state should employ more non university graduates and use tax penalties to encourage other employers to do the same

1.3

That the EU should require member states to set common rules and rates for corporate taxation

2.1

That investors should divest from fossil fuel companies

2.2

That the US should have aggressively pushed for the inclusion of China in the TPP

2.3

That as the Catholic church we should deny communion to politicians who vote contrary to its teachings

3.1

That we should have a truth and reconciliation commission for Catholic church abuse

3.2

That the West should seek to fund moderate Islamic religious groups in the Middle East

3.3

That Pacific Rim countries should make Australian participation in future trade agreements contingent on the abandonment of their asylum seeker detention policy

4.1

That Australia should automatically trigger an election when the governing party replaces the prime minister

4.2

That despite the opposition of the Myanmar government the international community should set up a safe haven for the Rohingyas in Myanmar

4.3

That we should apply the same criminal sanctions to late term abortions and infanticide

5.1

That we should replace the institution of the family with well run state child raising facilities

5.2

That we should allow individuals to enter contracts specifying conditions on their relationship e.g. salary level, weight limits, frequency of sex

5.3

That we regret the possibility of jury nullification

Open_Semis_1

That we should implement Good Samaritan laws (legally obliging bystanders to assist those in danger, unless doing so would place them at serious risk)

Open_Semis_2

That illegally gathered evidence should be admissible in court

Open_Semis_3

That state level affiliates of the Democratic Party in conservative states should disaffiliate and establish a new party

Open_Finals_1

That US presidential primaries in all states should be run on the same date

Open_Finals_2

That the West should select and train local activists to oppose 'third termist' leaders (those trying to subvert or remove term limits) in Sub-Saharan Africa

Open_Finals_3

This house believes that European media outlets should refrain from reporting on crimes committed by refugees - Round 1

1

This house would compel media to declare a political bias - Round 1

1

THS former colonial states involvement in propping up autocratic, but stable, regimes in Africa - Round 2

2

Sam Childers, the "Machine Gun Preacher" is an American citizen who travelled to Sudan in order to take up arms against the Lords Resistance Army (a terrorist organsation). Childers has set up a local resistance network that does not co-ordinate with the Sudanese state and employs violent methods to resist the LRA. THS Sam Childers - Round 2

2

THS protesters who protest at political gatherings with the aim of causing them to be cancelled - Round 3

3

This house would set term limits for MPs in Parliament. - Round 3

3

You are a research scientist working for a large pharmaceutical corporation. You accidentally discover a drug which indefinitely delays the aging process for as long as it is taken (and produces gold). No-one else is aware of what you have done. THW destroy all evidence of your discovery - Round 4

4

TH, as an embattled ruler (in Westeros), would arm religious fanatics in order to bolster your rule - Round 4

4

In 49BC, the general Julius Caesar attempted to return from a successful campaign in Gaul to Rome. The Roman Senate, fearing Caesar's popularity with his army and the people, issued an ultimatum that Caesar was to not cross the border marked by the River Rubicon, else he would be named a traitor and spark a civil war. TH, as Caesar, would cross the Rubicon - Round 5

5

Following the total defeat of the French army in 1940, the British Government received an offer of peace from Nazi Germany. Any terms would have left Hitler in control of continental Europe, but would have prevented (at least in the short-term) an attack on Britain. The Cabinet of new Prime Minister Winston Churchill was divided over whether to enter into negotiations. TH, as Winston Churchill, would argue against peace - Round 5

5

THB that South Korea should develop nuclear weapons - Round 6

6

The South China Sea is the cause of several territorial and resource-based disputes between several surrounding nations. China has been a particularly aggressive claimant of rights to resources and territory within the area. The United States publicly disagrees with China's claims and has deployed military vessels into the area to "by monitor the situation". THB the United States should end all involvement in the dispute - Round 6

6

THW give conscientious objectors equal status to veterans in government memorialisation of war - Round 7

7

THS white progressives criticising illiberal practices in non-Western and/or minority cultures - Round 7

7

This house, as the GOP establishment, would prevent Donald Trump from receiving the nomination in a contested convention even if he receives the largest share of delegates - Round 8

8

This house, as the GOP senate leadership, would support Merrick Garland's nomination for the Supreme Court - Round 8

8

THB progressives should refrain from criticising Caitlyn Jenner's endorsement of Ted Cruz - Semi Final 1

Open_Semis

THR the reliance on land settlements as reparation for colonial injustices - Semi Final 2

Open_Semis

THR that cultural identities and practices are primarily bound to racial heritage- Semi Final 2

Open_Semis

Cecil Rhodes was the creator of the Rhodes scholarship for Oxford. He was also a British imperialist known for beginning enforced racial segregation in South Africa and for his belief in the superiority of the Anglo-Saxon race. He is commemorated in a number of ways at Oxford University, including through a prominent statute. A student movement called "Rhodes must fall" is campaigning for the university to remove all references to him from the campus. THBT Rhodes must fall - Grand Final

Open_Final

TH, as a police officer in the United States who witnesses a minor non-violent crime being committed by an African American individual, would refrain from arresting that individual - Grand Final

Open_Final

TH regrets the rise of social media as a primary source of news distribution

1

TH supports Barack Obama's statements that emphasise African- Americans taking individual responsibility for improving their own position in life

2

THW create state-run centres where individuals can purchase and consume psychedelic* drugs *drugs whose primary effect is to alter cognition and perception e.g. LSD and Magic Mushrooms

3

TH supports strong government intervention to prevent gentrification* *process when significant numbers of wealthier people move to a poor area

4

THBT the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra should regularly play the works of Richard Wagner

5

TH regrets the mass commercialisation of football

6

TH supports Sanctuary Cities in the United States

7

THBT Latin American states should provide extensive material support for a military coup against the Venezualan government

8

THBT the European Union should fund satirical* publications in its member states that target far-right political parties * the use of humour and exaggeration to criticize

9

THBT Western States should fund the spread of atheism in Iraq through provision of education, health care and welfare

ESL_Quarters

TH regrets the safe space movement's attempts to significantly limit speech on university campuses

ESL_Semis

THBT western nations should support breakaway states in former Soviet Union (e.g. East Ukraine or South Ossetia) after free and fair referendum.

ESL_Final

TH supports BRICS* countries creating alternatives to the current international economic institutions (i.e. the IMF, the World Bank, and the World Trade Organisation) * Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa

Open_Partial_Octos

THW require the economic policies of political parties to be approved by an independent panel of experts before being used in campaigns

Open_Quarters

TH supports Iran's extension of the Sharia principle of "an eye for an eye" to the victims of acid attacks

Open_Semis

THW nationalize and provide public access to the Metadata being gathered by online multinational companies.

Open_Final

THW require that companies with >15 employees give 50% of their voting rights to employees

1

THS Chris Rock's continued commitment to host the Oscars

2

THR the Arab Spring

3

THW ban eminent domain rights

4

THW prefer a world without pornography

5

THBT developing nations should enshrine legally actionable socioeconomic rights

6

THBT unconditional cash transfer charities are preferable to project based charities

Novice_Semis

Given the technological capability to disable their nuclear weapons, THW invade North Korea.

Novice_Final

THW break up the eurozone

Open_Octos

THW ban savior siblings

Open_Quarters

TH regrets campaigns by feminists to shut down female empowerment events exclusively for cis women, like Michfest.

Open_Semis

You have invented a pill that would compel the user to tell the truth. THW destroy it.

Open_Final

This House Believes That, after meeting their basic needs, individuals have a moral responsibility to donate their wealth towards poverty alleviation

Round 1 (prepared)

This House Believes That major film and television awards shows should abolish awards categories separated by gender

Round 2 (impromptu)

This House Would require democratic states to hold a national referendum to ratify free trade agreements

Round 3 (prepared)

This House Believes That technology companies with significant market shares should not be eligible for patent protection

Round 5 (prepared)

This House Believes That it should be a criminal offence to make comments which could promote hatred against people of particular races, religions, disabilities, sexualities or gender identities

Round 6 (impromptu)

This House Believes That Obama's administration has done more harm than good

Round 7 (prepared)

This House Would require individuals to pass a political general knowledge test in order to vote

Round 8 (impromptu)

This House Would abolish religious primary and secondary schools

Partial Double Octofinals (impromptu)

This House Believes That large tech companies should refuse to provide data on their customers to governments, even if it involves refusing to comply with a law which compels them to do so

Octofinals (impromptu)

This House Believes That governments should ban their citizens from joining overseas groups fighting against terrorism which are not official military forces

Quarterfinals (impromptu)

This House Believes That versions of history taught by states through the education system should not be designed to promote national pride

Semifinals (impromptu)

This House Believes That states should be allowed to pay other states to relocate and settle refugees

Grand Final (impromptu)

THW abolish all occupational licensing.

1

THBT western nations fighting the Islamic state should commit to the creation of an independent Kurdish state.

2

This house believes that religious officials (e.g. priests, imams, rabbis) should not make statements in support of political policies, parties, or candidates.

3

TH supports the continued remilitarization of Japan.

4

THB that all museums, galleries, and cultural institutions should offer to return exhibits to their countries/communities of origin.

5

THW nationalize credit rating agencies.

6

THBT identity-based social movements should prioritize the majority population's acceptance of that identity over preservation of a distinct culture.

Novice_Semis

TH fears the development of independent artificial intelligence.

Novice_Finals

THBT a rise in global oil prices is in the interest of the West.

Open_Quarters

THS supreme court rulings based on natural rights not enumerated in constitutions.

Open_Semis

TH believes in God.

Open_Final

THBT liberals should refrain from using terms such as bigot, racist, sexist etc to describe people or positions they disagree with

1

THW transition to a cashless society

2

THW greatly reduce economic prosperity, progress and growth in favour of increasing individual's leisure time

3

THW not prosecute former child soldiers for offences committed as adults

5

THW require all companies over a certain size to be fully publicly listed

Open_Semis

This house believes that environmental NGOs should promote genetic engineering

Open_Final

THBT liberals should not use pejorative labels such as racist, bigot, sexist etc to describe people whose beliefs they disagree with.

1

THW significantly increase people's leisure time at the expense of greater prosperity, progress and growth.

3

THW not allow "intersex" female athletes (such as Caster Semenya) to compete in female sporting competitions unless they take hormone suppressants.

4

THW not prosecute former child soldiers for crimes committed as adults.

5

THW force large companies above a certain size to be fully publicly listed.

Open_Semi

THW allocate scholarships and financial aid exclusively on the basis of financial need

1

THS the continued consumption of old novels and films that endorse- even tacitly- the beliefs that today would be considered bigoted

2

THW ban funding by third parties of tortious lltigiation

3

THW sanction the intelligence, military, and political leaders of Pakistan.

4

THBT the feminist movement should campaign for the equal sexualization of men in the media as opposed to campaigning against the sexualization of women

5

THR the automation of jobs previously performed by humans (eg self driving cars, self checkouts)

6

THBT the European Union should impose punitive measures on the UK in the Brexit negotiations.

Open_Quarters

THR the inculcation of national identity through shared rituals (eg national ceremonies, anthems, pledges of allegiance, etc)

Open_Semis

THR the new politics of the campus left

Open_Final

THW factor public horror into the punishment of a crime

Novice_Final

THW significantly reduce funding for schools that perpetuate inaccuracies in their teachings of indigenous history

1

THBT social movements should abandon the tactic of publicly shaming individuals in order to accomplish change

2

THP a tech industry characterized by multiple smaller firms rather than one dominated by a few large players (e.g. Google Amazon Facebook in status quo)

3

TH, as the US, would re-impose sanctions on Myanmar until the Rohingyas receive political representation

4

THW require news websites and publications to provide opposing points of view on all politically contested issues

5

THBT governments should provide significant financial incentives for urban citizens to move to rural areas

6

THR South Africa's withdrawal from the ICC

Open_Quarters

THS unfettered free trade

Novice_Final

THBT minority comedians should not play up stereotypes based upon their own identity within performances

Open_Semis

THW delicense corporations that do not engage in social responsibility proportional to their profit margins (e.g. campaigns to end hunger in a community, giving away portion of profit to charity, implementing more environmentally friendly business operations etc.)

Open_Final

This House Would Ban All Lobbying Activity

1

THW Allow Deaf Parents to Refuse Treatment for Deafness On Behalf of their Children

2

THBT strong dictatorships in the Middle East are better than weak democracies

3

This House as the LGBTQIA Community Would Oppose Pornography

4

This House Opposes Laicité

5

THB in the use of fear to instill values in children

Novice_Final

TH Supports Hacking as a Form of Protest

Open_Quarters

There exists a drug that increases empathy in individuals. TH, as the state, would lace their country's water supply with that drug.

Open_Semis

THW Welcome the End of American Intervention

Open_Final

TH Supports the proliferation of free schools

1

THIS HOUSE WOULD require all government ministers to have majority approval from the professional bodies their department has legislative responsibility for. (For example, the UK Minister for Health would need majority approval from the British Medical Association)

2

Assuming there are actors who fit the criteria: THIS HOUSE BELIEVES That film directors have a moral obligation to cast actors who share key lived experiences with the characters they play.

3

THIS HOUSE BELIEVES That western liberal democracies should cease all direct military action in Iraq, Syria, Libya and Yemen.

4

THIS HOUSE WOULD Make corporation tax proportional to company wage ratios

5

THW Introduce a system of tradable quotas for asylum seekers in the European Union

ESL Semifinal

THW Prefer to live in A Brave New World

ESL Final

THBT The USA should adopt a parliamentary democracy rather than a presidential one.

Open Semifinal

THW Allow individuals to sign contracts which cede future rights of theirs to other individuals (for example, to sell themselves into slavery)

Final

THBT the governments of Europe should censor media from publishing articles, videos or cartoons which promote racist views or stereotypes.

1

This house believes that parliamentary electoral systems should include constituency links.

2

THB that MGM Studios should cast a male as the sexual interest of the next Bond film.

3

TH would begin writing only in your first language.

4

THB that Western states should engage in covert cyber-attacks against infrastructure designed to limit freedom of speech* in authoritarian states. *e.g., the Great Firewall of China

5

TH supports climate change activists engaging in acts, regardless of legality, which cause mass disruption to carbon-intensive infrastructure networks.

ProAm_Final

THW only allow the media to publish or broadcast government produced releases on suspected terrorist attacks.

Open_Quarters

THBT the Brazillian government should encourage and facilitate the integration of uncontacted peoples into wider society.

Open_Semis

THW create and fund schools that exclusively admit children from ethnic minorities.

Open_Final

THW ban private political donations, and fund all political parties and campaigns from general taxation.

1

THW not allow workers to renounce their employment rights (e.g. holiday pay, defined working hours, sick pay, minimum wage) in return for work experience or financial benefit.

2

THBT Oskar Gröning should not have been prosecuted.

3

THBT European Leaders should not have agreed to renegotiate the terms of Britain's EU membership.

4

THBT it is legitimate to release the unpublished personal memoirs of deceased public figures, even when this is against the express wishes of the individual or their family.

5

Oskar Gröning chose to join the SS during the 1940s, and was positioned at Auschwitz concentration camp as a financial clerk. After the end of the war, he remained silent about his experiences for forty years. In response to Holocaust denial by a number of authoritative and well-known individuals, he spoke about his experiences and actions, highlighting the horrors that occurred. This contributed to a decision of the German government to prosecute him as an accessory to murder in 300,000 cases. THBT Oskar Gröning should not have been prosecuted.

3

This House supports the French government's decision to dismantle the "Calais jungle."

Open_Quarters

THBT Barack Obama should nominate an individual considered to be a moderate conservative by US citizens to the Supreme Court.

Open_Semis

THW ban all further research into artificial intelligence that can independently learn and develop.

Open_Finals

This House believes that Western States should irrevocably remove citizenship of citizens who join the so-called Islamic State

1

This House would weight shareholder votes in line with the length of time their shares have been held.

2

This House believes that voters should always vote on policy and principles regardless of electability in all elections (general, local, or party leadership).

3

This House believes that film studios should seek to select racially diverse casts when converting books into films even if it differs from the author's original character description.

4

This House believes that welfare and pensions policy should be determined by a panel of experts selected by their peers, not accountable to government.

5

This House, as a feminist, would adopt traditionally masculine traits and behaviours

ESL_Final

This House believes that the US-led coalition should no longer insist on Assad stepping down as part of their negotiations with Russia over Syria.

Open_Quarters

This House would prefer a world without sexual attraction

Open_Semis

In a minimal state, a government's role is exclusively to protect property rights and people's physical security. Beyond this, such a state would not intervene in people's lives, or provide any public services. THBT a minimal state is justified.

Open_Finals

THW require all public and private schools to teach Darwin's theory of evolution as a scientific consensus. [Round 1]

1

THW cede control of all national parks to indigenous tribes. [Round 2]

2

THW impose prohibition on alcohol consumption for all college students. [Round 3]

3

Sit back in your seats for a second, close your eyes. Imagine, if you will, that we have developed a virus with the capacity to infect 100% of society, rendering a random 30% of people infertile. This virus passes on inter-generationally, continuing this cycle of randomized 30% infertility for the foreseeable future. For the sake of simplicity, let's name it the inferno virus. Assuming we have reached a point where the human population on Earth is unsustainable, this house would release the virus. [Round 4]

4

THW require all Olympic sponsors to donate equal amounts of money to the Paralympics. [Round 5]

5

THS a military coalition between the US and the Syrian government in the fight against ISIS. [Round 6]

6

THBT niantic should provide user location from Pokemon Go to the police [Quarters]

Open_Quarters

THB the place for athletes' protests is off the field not on it [Semi's/Novice Finals]

Open_Semis

THBT the UK should not leave the EU regardless of the referendum [Finals]

Open_Final

THP a unified state-dominated public policy research landscape to one dominated by ideologically defined think tanks

1