Debate Topics

Need to write an argumentative essay? Preparing for an upcoming debate? ProCon.org has over 100 topics complete with pro and con arguments, quotes and statistics from experts, historical information, and other pertinent research.

Abortion – Should abortion be legal?

Alternative Energy – Can alternative energy effectively replace fossil fuels?

American Socialism – Should the U.S. become socialist?

Animal Dissection – Should K-12 students dissect animals in science classrooms?

Animal Testing – Should animals be used for scientific or commercial testing?

Artificial Intelligence – Is artificial intelligence good for society?

Banned Books – Should parents or other adults be able to ban books from schools and libraries?

Binge-Watching – Is binge-watching good for you?

Bottled Water Ban – Should bottled water be banned?

Cancel Culture – Is cancel culture (or callout culture) good for society?

CBD for Pets – Is CBD good for pets?

Cell Phone Radiation – Is cell phone radiation safe?

Cheerleading – Is cheerleading a sport?

Churches & Taxes – Should churches (including mosques, synagogues, etc.) remain tax-exempt?

College Education – Is a college education worth it?

Congressional Term Limits  – Should term limits be imposed on U.S. Senators and Representatives?

Constitutional Carry of Handguns – Should permitless, “constitutional carry” of guns be legal?

Corporal Punishment – Should corporal punishment be used in K-12 schools?

Corporate Tax Rate – Should the federal corporate income tax rate be raised?

Cuba Embargo – Should the United States maintain its embargo against Cuba?

DACA & Dreamers – Are DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and the DREAM Act good for America?

Daylight Saving Time – Should the United States keep daylight saving time?

DC AND Puerto Rico Statehood – Should Washington, DC, and Puerto Rico be granted U.S. statehood?

Death Penalty – Should the death penalty be legal?

Defund the Police – Should police departments be defunded, if not abolished?

Dress Codes – Should dress codes be implemented and enforced?

Drinking Age – Should the drinking age be lowered from 21 to a younger age?

Drone Strikes – Should the United States continue its use of drone strikes abroad?

Drug Use in Sports – Should performance-enhancing drugs be accepted in sports?

Election Day National Holiday – Should the election day be made a national holiday?

Electoral College – Should the United States use the electoral college in presidential elections?

Employer Vaccine Mandates – Should employers be able to mandate vaccinations?

Felon Voting – Should people who have completed felony sentences be allowed to vote?

Fighting in Hockey – Should fighting be allowed in hockey?

Filibuster – Should the U.S. Senate keep the filibuster?

Fracking – Should the United States continue fracking

Free College – Should public college be tuition-free?

Fur Clothing Bans – Should fur clothing be banned?

GMOS – Should genetically modified organisms (GMOs) be grown?

Gold Standard – Should the United States return to a gold standard?

Golf – Is golf a sport and are golfers athletes?

Gun Control – Should more gun control laws be enacted?

Historic Statue Removal – Should historic statues be taken down?

Homework – Is homework beneficial?

Illegal Immigration – Should the U.S. government provide a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants?

Internet – Is the internet “making us stupid?”

Kneeling during the National Anthem – Is kneeling during the national anthem an appropriate form of protest?

Mandatory National Service – Should the United States have mandatory national service?

Medical Aid in Dying (MAID) – Should medical aid in dying be legal?

Medical Marijuana – Should medical marijuana be legal?

Milk – Should humans consume dairy milk?

Minimum Wage – Should the federal minimum wage be increased?

Net Neutrality – Should the U.S. have net neutrality laws?

Obesity – Is obesity a disease?

Olympics – Are the Olympic games an overall benefit for their host countries and cities?

OTC Birth Control Pills – Should birth control pills be available over-the-counter (OTC)?

Penny – Should the penny stay in circulation?

Pit Bull Bans – Should breed-specific legislation (“pit bull bans”) be enacted?

Pokémon – Is Pokémon Go good for our society?

Police Body Cameras – Should police officers wear body cameras?

Prescription Drug Costs – Should the U.S. federal government regulate prescription drug prices?

Presidential Election, 2024 – 2024 Presidential Election Site

Private Prisons – Should prisons be privatized?

Recreational Marijuana – Should recreational marijuana be legal?

Reparations for Slavery – Should the federal government pay reparations to the descendants of slaves?

Right to Healthcare – Should all Americans have the right (be entitled) to health care?

Sanctuary Cities – Should sanctuary cities receive federal funding?

Santa Claus – Is there really a Santa Claus?

Saturday Halloween – Should Halloween be moved permanently to Saturday?

School Uniforms – Should students have to wear school uniforms?

Social Media & Digital Addiction – Does social media spur digital addiction and other social ills?

Social Security Privatization – Should social security be privatized?

Space Colonization – Should humans colonize space?

Standardized Tests – Do standardized tests improve education in America?

Student Loan Debt – Should student loan debt be eliminated via forgiveness or bankruptcy?

TikTok Bans – Should TikTok be banned?

Uber & Lyft – Are ride-sharing companies a benefit to society?

Universal Basic Income (UBI) – Should the United States implement a universal basic income?

U.S. Supreme Court Packing – Should packing the U.S. Supreme Court ever be considered?

Vaccines for Kids – Should states be allowed to mandate vaccines for school attendance??

Vaping E-Cigarettes – Is vaping e-cigarettes safe?

Vegetarianism – Should people become vegetarian?

Video Games & Violence – Do violent video games contribute to youth violence?

Voting Age – Should the voting age be lowered to 16?

Voting Machines – Are electronic voting machines the best method for voting?

Zoos – Should zoos exist?

Archived Topics

Please note that ProCon no longer updates these debates.

ACLU – Is the ACLU good for America?

Big Three Bailout – Should the big three car manufacturers be bailed out by the U.S. government?

Born Gay – Is sexual orientation determined at birth?

Climate Change – Is human activity primarily responsible for global climate change?

College Football Playoffs – Should college football replace the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) with a playoff system?

Dakota Access Pipeline – Should the Dakota Access Pipeline be completed?

D.A.R.E. – Is the D.A.R.E. program good for America’s kids (K-12)?

Gay Marriage – Should gay marriage be legal?

Congressional Insider Trading – Should insider trading by Congress be allowed?

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict – What are the solutions to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict?

Obamacare – Is the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) good for America?

Paying College Athletes – Should colleges and universities pay college athletes?

President Bill Clinton – Was Bill Clinton a good president?

President Ronald Reagan – Was Ronald Reagan a good president?

Presidential Election, 2008 – Which candidate would make the best U.S. president?

Presidential Election, 2012 – Which candidate should be U.S. president in 2012?

Presidential Election, 2016 – The candidates and where they stand on the issues

Presidential Election, 2020 – 2020 Presidential Election Site

Prostitution – Should prostitution be legal?

School Vouchers – Should states have school voucher programs?

Tablets v. Textbooks -Should tablets replace textbooks in K-12 schools?

Teacher Tenure – Should teachers get tenure?

Under God in the Pledge – Should the words “under god” be in the U.S. Pledge of Allegiance?

U.S. Drone Shot down by Iran – Was the U.S. drone shot down by Iran over international waters?

U.S.-Iraq War – Should the U.S. have attacked Iraq?

WTC Muslim Center – Is it appropriate to build a muslim community center (aka the ”ground zero mosque”) near the World Trade Center site?

ProCon/Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. 325 N. LaSalle Street, Suite 200 Chicago, Illinois 60654 USA

Natalie Leppard Managing Editor [email protected]

© 2023 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc. All rights reserved

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160 Good Argumentative Essay Topics for Students in 2024

April 3, 2024

The skill of writing an excellent argumentative essay is a crucial one for every high school or college student to master. In sum, argumentative essays teach students how to organize their thoughts logically and present them in a convincing way. This skill is helpful not only for those pursuing degrees in law , international relations , or public policy , but for any student who wishes to develop their critical thinking faculties. In this article, we’ll cover what makes a good argument essay and offer several argumentative essay topics for high school and college students. Let’s begin!

What is an Argumentative Essay?

An argumentative essay is an essay that uses research to present a reasoned argument on a particular subject . As with the persuasive essay , the purpose of an argumentative essay is to sway the reader to the writer’s position. However, a strong persuasive essay makes its point through diligent research and emotion while a strong argumentative essay should be based solely on facts, not feelings.

Moreover, each fact should be supported by clear evidence from credible sources . Furthermore, a good argumentative essay will have an easy-to-follow structure. When organizing your argumentative essay, use this format as a guide:

  • Introduction
  • Supporting body paragraphs
  • Paragraph(s) addressing common counterarguments

Argumentative Essay Format

In the introduction , the writer presents their position and thesis statement —a sentence that summarizes the paper’s main points. The body paragraphs then draw upon supporting evidence to back up this initial statement, with each paragraph focusing on its own point. The length of your paper will determine the amount of examples you need. In general, you’ll likely need at least two to three. Additionally, your examples should be as detailed as possible, citing specific research, case studies, statistics, or anecdotes.

In the counterargument paragraph , the writer acknowledges and refutes opposing viewpoints. Finally, in the conclusion , the writer restates the main argument made in the thesis statement and summarizes the points of the essay. Additionally, the conclusion may offer a final proposal to persuade the reader of the essay’s position.

How to Write an Effective Argumentative Essay, Step by Step

  • Choose your topic. Use the list below to help you pick a topic. Ideally, a good argumentative essay topic will be meaningful to you—writing is always stronger when you are interested in the subject matter. In addition, the topic should be complex with plenty of “pro” and “con” arguments. Avoid choosing a topic that is either widely accepted as fact or too narrow. For example, “Is the earth round?” would not be a solid choice.
  • Research. Use the library, the web, and any other resources to gather information about your argumentative essay topic. Research widely but smartly. As you go, take organized notes, marking the source of every quote and where it may fit in the scheme of your larger essay. Moreover, remember to look for (and research) possible counterarguments.
  • Outline . Using the argument essay format above, create an outline for your essay. Then, brainstorm a thesis statement covering your argument’s main points, and begin to put your examples in order, focusing on logical flow. It’s often best to place your strongest example last.
  • Write . Draw on your research and outline to create a first draft. Remember, your first draft doesn’t need to be perfect. (As Voltaire says, “Perfect is the enemy of good.”) Accordingly, just focus on getting the words down on paper.
  • Does my thesis statement need to be adjusted?
  • Which examples feel strongest? Weakest?
  • Do the transitions flow smoothly?
  • Do I have a strong opening paragraph?
  • Does the conclusion reinforce my argument?

Tips for Revising an Argument Essay

Evaluating your own work can be difficult, so you might consider the following strategies:

  • Read your work aloud to yourself.
  • Record yourself reading your paper, and listen to the recording.
  • Reverse outline your paper. Firstly, next to each paragraph, write a short summary of that paragraph’s main points/idea. Then, read through your reverse outline. Does it have a logical flow? If not, where should you adjust?
  • Print out your paper and cut it into paragraphs. What happens when you rearrange the paragraphs?

Good Argumentative Essay Topics for Middle School, High School, and College Students

Family argumentative essay topics.

  • Should the government provide financial incentives for families to have children to address the declining birth rate?
  • Should we require parents to provide their children with a certain level of nutrition and physical activity to prevent childhood obesity?
  • Should parents implement limits on how much time their children spend playing video games?
  • Should cell phones be banned from family/holiday gatherings?
  • Should we hold parents legally responsible for their children’s actions?
  • Should children have the right to sue their parents for neglect?
  • Should parents have the right to choose their child’s religion?
  • Are spanking and other forms of physical punishment an effective method of discipline?
  • Should courts allow children to choose where they live in cases of divorce?
  • Should parents have the right to monitor teens’ activity on social media?
  • Should parents control their child’s medical treatment, even if it goes against the child’s wishes?
  • Should parents be allowed to post pictures of their children on social media without their consent?
  • Should fathers have a legal say in whether their partners do or do not receive an abortion?
  • Can television have positive developmental benefits on children?
  • Should the driving age be raised to prevent teen car accidents?
  • Should adult children be legally required to care for their aging parents?

Education Argument Essay Topics

  • Should schools ban the use of technology like ChatGPT?
  • Are zoos unethical, or necessary for conservation and education?
  • To what degree should we hold parents responsible in the event of a school shooting?
  • Should schools offer students a set number of mental health days?
  • Should school science curriculums offer a course on combating climate change?
  • Should public libraries be allowed to ban certain books? If so, what types?
  • What role, if any, should prayer play in public schools?
  • Should schools push to abolish homework?
  • Are gifted and talented programs in schools more harmful than beneficial due to their exclusionary nature?
  • Should universities do away with Greek life?
  • Should schools remove artwork, such as murals, that some perceive as offensive?
  • Should the government grant parents the right to choose alternative education options for their children and use taxpayer funds to support these options?
  • Is homeschooling better than traditional schooling for children’s academic and social development?
  • Should we require schools to teach sex education to reduce teen pregnancy rates?
  • Should we require schools to provide sex education that includes information about both homosexual and heterosexual relationships?
  • Should colleges use affirmative action and other race-conscious policies to address diversity on campus?
  • Should public schools remove the line “under God” from the Pledge of Allegiance?
  • Should college admissions officers be allowed to look at students’ social media accounts?
  • Should schools abolish their dress codes, many of which unfairly target girls, LGBTQ students, and students of color?
  • Should schools be required to stock free period products in bathrooms?
  • Should legacy students receive preferential treatment during the college admissions process?
  • Are school “voluntourism” trips ethical?

Government Argumentative Essay Topics

  • Should the U.S. decriminalize prostitution?
  • Should the U.S. issue migration visas to all eligible applicants?
  • Should the federal government cancel all student loan debt?
  • Should we lower the minimum voting age? If so, to what?
  • Should the federal government abolish all laws penalizing drug production and use?
  • Should the U.S. use its military power to deter a Chinese invasion of Taiwan?
  • Should the U.S. supply Ukraine with further military intelligence and supplies?
  • Should the North and South of the U.S. split up into two regions?
  • Should Americans hold up nationalism as a critical value?
  • Should we permit Supreme Court justices to hold their positions indefinitely?
  • Should Supreme Court justices be democratically elected?
  • Is the Electoral College still a productive approach to electing the U.S. president?
  • Should the U.S. implement a national firearm registry?
  • Is it ethical for countries like China and Israel to mandate compulsory military service for all citizens?
  • Should the U.S. government implement a ranked-choice voting system?
  • Should institutions that benefited from slavery be required to provide reparations?
  • Based on the 1619 project, should history classes change how they teach about the founding of the U.S.?
  • Should term limits be imposed on Senators and Representatives? If so, how long?
  • Should women be allowed into special forces units?
  • Should the federal government implement stronger, universal firearm licensing laws?
  • Do public sex offender registries help prevent future sex crimes?
  • Should the government be allowed to regulate family size?
  • Should all adults legally be considered mandated reporters?
  • Should the government fund public universities to make higher education more accessible to low-income students?
  • Should the government fund universal preschool to improve children’s readiness for kindergarten?

Health/Bioethics Argumentative Essay Topics

  • Should the U.S. government offer its own healthcare plan?
  • In the case of highly infectious pandemics, should we focus on individual freedoms or public safety when implementing policies to control the spread?
  • Should we legally require parents to vaccinate their children to protect public health?
  • Is it ethical for parents to use genetic engineering to create “designer babies” with specific physical and intellectual traits?
  • Should the government fund research on embryonic stem cells for medical treatments?
  • Should the government legalize assisted suicide for terminally ill patients?
  • Should organ donation be mandatory?
  • Is cloning animals ethical?
  • Should cancer screenings start earlier? If so, what age?
  • Is surrogacy ethical?
  • Should birth control require a prescription?
  • Should minors have access to emergency contraception?
  • Should hospitals be for-profit or nonprofit institutions?

Good Argumentative Essay Topics — Continued

Social media argumentative essay topics.

  • Should the federal government increase its efforts to minimize the negative impact of social media?
  • Do social media and smartphones strengthen one’s relationships?
  • Should antitrust regulators take action to limit the size of big tech companies?
  • Should social media platforms ban political advertisements?
  • Should the federal government hold social media companies accountable for instances of hate speech discovered on their platforms?
  • Do apps such as TikTok and Instagram ultimately worsen the mental well-being of teenagers?
  • Should governments oversee how social media platforms manage their users’ data?
  • Should social media platforms like Facebook enforce a minimum age requirement for users?
  • Should social media companies be held responsible for cases of cyberbullying?
  • Should the United States ban TikTok?
  • Is social media harmful to children?
  • Should employers screen applicants’ social media accounts during the hiring process?

Religion Argument Essay Topics

  • Should religious institutions be tax-exempt?
  • Should religious symbols such as the hijab or crucifix be allowed in public spaces?
  • Should religious freedoms be protected, even when they conflict with secular laws?
  • Should the government regulate religious practices?
  • Should we allow churches to engage in political activities?
  • Religion: a force for good or evil in the world?
  • Should the government provide funding for religious schools?
  • Is it ethical for healthcare providers to deny abortions based on religious beliefs?
  • Should religious organizations be allowed to discriminate in their hiring practices?
  • Should we allow people to opt out of medical treatments based on their religious beliefs?
  • Should the U.S. government hold religious organizations accountable for cases of sexual abuse within their community?
  • Should religious beliefs be exempt from anti-discrimination laws?
  • Should religious individuals be allowed to refuse services to others based on their beliefs or lifestyles? (As in this famous case .)
  • Should the US ban religion-based federal holidays?
  • Should public schools be allowed to teach children about religious holidays?

Science Argument Essay Topics

  • Would the world be safer if we eliminated nuclear weapons?
  • Should scientists bring back extinct animals? If so, which ones?
  • Should we hold companies fiscally responsible for their carbon footprint?
  • Should we ban pesticides in favor of organic farming methods?
  • Should the federal government ban all fossil fuels, despite the potential economic impact on specific industries and communities?
  • What renewable energy source should the U.S. invest more money in?
  • Should the FDA outlaw GMOs?
  • Should we worry about artificial intelligence surpassing human intelligence?
  • Should the alternative medicine industry be more stringently regulated?
  • Is colonizing Mars a viable option?
  • Is the animal testing worth the potential to save human lives?

Sports Argument Essay Topics

  • Should colleges compensate student-athletes?
  • How should sports teams and leagues address the gender pay gap?
  • Should youth sports teams do away with scorekeeping?
  • Should we ban aggressive contact sports like boxing and MMA?
  • Should professional sports associations mandate that athletes stand during the national anthem?
  • Should high schools require their student-athletes to maintain a certain GPA?
  • Should transgender athletes compete in sports according to their gender identity?
  • Should schools ban football due to the inherent danger it poses to players?
  • Should performance-enhancing drugs be allowed in sports?
  • Do participation trophies foster entitlement and unrealistic expectations?
  • Should sports teams be divided by gender?
  • Should professional athletes be allowed to compete in the Olympics?
  • Should women be allowed on NFL teams?

Technology Argumentative Essay Topics

  • Should sites like DALL-E compensate the artists whose work it was trained on?
  • Should the federal government make human exploration of space a more significant priority?
  • Is it ethical for the government to use surveillance technology to monitor citizens?
  • Should websites require proof of age from their users? If so, what age?
  • Should we consider A.I.-generated images and text pieces of art?
  • Does the use of facial recognition technology violate individuals’ privacy?
  • Is online learning as effective as in-person learning?
  • Does computing harm the environment?
  • Should buying, sharing, and selling collected personal data be illegal?
  • Are electric cars really better for the environment?
  • Should car companies be held responsible for self-driving car accidents?
  • Should private jets be banned?
  • Do violent video games contribute to real-life violence?

Business Argument Essay Topics

  • Should the U.S. government phase out the use of paper money in favor of a fully digital currency system?
  • Should the federal government abolish its patent and copyright laws?
  • Should we replace the Federal Reserve with free-market institutions?
  • Is free-market ideology responsible for the U.S. economy’s poor performance over the past decade?
  • Will cryptocurrencies overtake natural resources like gold and silver?
  • Is capitalism the best economic system? What system would be better?
  • Should the U.S. government enact a universal basic income?
  • Should we require companies to provide paid parental leave to their employees?
  • Should the government raise the minimum wage? If so, to what?
  • Should antitrust regulators break up large companies to promote competition?
  • Is it ethical for companies to prioritize profits over social responsibility?
  • Should gig-economy workers like Uber and Lyft drivers be considered employees or independent contractors?
  • Should the federal government regulate the gig economy to ensure fair treatment of workers?
  • Should the government require companies to disclose the environmental impact of their products?
  • Should companies be allowed to fire employees based on political views or activities?
  • Should tipping practices be phased out?
  • Should employees who choose not to have children be given the same amount of paid leave as parents?
  • Should MLMs (multi-level marketing companies) be illegal?
  • Should employers be allowed to factor tattoos and personal appearance into hiring decisions?

In Conclusion – Argument Essay Topics

Using the tips above, you can effectively structure and pen a compelling argumentative essay that will wow your instructor and classmates. Remember to craft a thesis statement that offers readers a roadmap through your essay, draw on your sources wisely to back up any claims, and read through your paper several times before it’s due to catch any last-minute proofreading errors. With time, diligence, and patience, your essay will be the most outstanding assignment you’ve ever turned in…until the next one rolls around.

Looking for more fresh and engaging topics for use in the classroom? You might consider checking out the following:

  • 125 Good Debate Topics for High School Students
  • 150 Good Persuasive Speech Topics
  • 7 Best Places to Study
  • Guide to the IB Extended Essay
  • How to Write the AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essay
  • AP Lit Reading List
  • How to Write the AP Lang Synthesis Essay
  • 49 Most Interesting Biology Research Topics
  • High School Success

Lauren Green

With a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from Columbia University and an MFA in Fiction from the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas at Austin, Lauren has been a professional writer for over a decade. She is the author of the chapbook  A Great Dark House  (Poetry Society of America, 2023) and a forthcoming novel (Viking/Penguin).

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The Study Blog :

100+ interesting essay topics and ideas on politics.

By Evans Jan 07 2021

When writing a political essay, students find themselves between a hard place and a rock. If the facilitator provides the essay topic , you might feel unsatisfied and find the topic boring or complicated. On the other hand, when given the freedom to choose your topic , you could get more frustrated. Politics is a diverse and vast subject with numerous essay topics on politics to choose from, making it challenging to select the right topic to tackle.

Are tight deadlines, clashing assignments, and unclear tasks giving you sleepless nights?

Do not panic, hire a professional essay writer today.

Politics is the science of governing an administration or nation, and it includes activities that the government engages in. In politics, individuals exercise control over internal and external affairs affecting the country. Moreover, politics refers to the manipulative manner of handling people and how politicians persuade citizens on issues affecting them. Politics have intrigued and been the centre of most philosophers.

If you've been assigned an essay in politics, look no further—this article will help you ace your paper. Here, you will find a list of unique essay topics on politics to write about.

100+ Greatest essay topics on politics

To write an interesting political essay, you should have good knowledge about  political science, history, military strategy, economics, psychology, and public relations. You also need to understand how society operates.

Although you are limited by the number of pages and time, you should bite what you can chew. Choose a given occurrence and research about it thoroughly. When studying how to write a political essay, it is essential to understand that while facts remain the same, their interpretation changes with the society's development and time. Finally, don't trust your attitude because there is a possibility of replaced or reconsidered by political essay topics.

You can use the list below to write your political essay or inspire you to develop your ideas.

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argument essay about politics

1.       Shouldthe government increase firearm control restrictions?

2.       How media affects politics

3.       The relationship between religion and politics

4.       What are the benefits and disadvantages of democracy?

5.       Is terrorism a political instrument?

6.       Pros and cons of totalitarianism

7.       The most influential political figure of 21st century

8.       Philosophy of politics

9.       Is civil war a failure of politicians?

10.   Ways to combat corruption in your country

11.   How gender inequality affects your county's politics

12.   Should abortion be legalized

13.   How should government regulate internet safety and privacy?

14.   Which political party in your county do you support and why?

15.   Is criminal pardon acceptable?

16.   American and European federal crime comparison

17.   Understanding how armed conflicts differ from political conflicts

18.   Is religion a social power?

19.   Implementing changes in the legislation process

20.   The interdependence of modern leaders

21.   Federalism traces in the unitary governance models

22.   Post-war social movements

23.   What are the causes of rebellion in the Central African Republic?

24.   Protest movements and social networks

25.   Civil war causes and its consequences

26.   Mexico and immigrants crisis

27.   Civil war negotiation methods

28.   Civil law court Vs. mediation policies

29.   Causes of global poverty

30.   Human rights

31.   Analysis of global security networks

32.   Apartheid phenomenon

33.   Soviet Union Ideology

34.   Political parties comparison

35.   Vietnam wat interests aggregation

36.   Should the government regulate or ban indecency on TV?

37.   Should citizens be required to prove identification before voting?

38.   Should race be a determinant in university admissions?

39.   Should government limit the amount of money spent on political campaigns?

40.   Should the government finance political campaigns?

41.   Should the government raise the minimum wage per hour?

42.   Should the U.S. grant asylum to refugees?

43.   Should the government ban or allow the death penalty?

44.   Should the voting age be lowered?

45.   Benefits and side effects of legalizing drugs

46.   History of international relations

47.   What are the traits of a leader?

48.   Does a revolution cause harm or good?

49.   Should nations build fortified border walls?

50.   Imagine establishing your political party. What would it be like?

51.   The role of social media in promoting politics

52.   How has the 9/11 occurrence impacted modern-day politics?

53.   Should prisons be allowed to vote?

54.   Should the government be held responsible for increasing the national debt?

55.   The effects of globalization on the economy

56.   Should the poor pay a lower percentage of taxes?

57.   Should a county interfere with the military conflicts of other countries?

58.   The role of media in national security

59.   Laws that prohibit hate speech

60.   Should your country change the healthcare policy?

61.   Should marijuana be legalized?

62.   Should TV commercials for alcohol be banned?

63.   The government should regulate the cost of pharmaceutical products

64.   Should your government regulate school fees

65.   Should fracking be made illegal?

66.   Effects of war on drugs

67.   Why you should join a political party

68.   Should the United States seek tighter bonds with China?

69.   Communism Vs. capitalism

70.   Different arms of the government and their roles

71.   What caused healthcare to be expensive?

72.   What causes people to lose trust in their government?

73.   What is the role of the United Nations?

74.   Three waves of democratization

75.   Discuss how NGOs are influential

76.   Why does your nation suffer from terrorism more than the neighboring nations?

77.   How do countries reconcile after a war?

78.   The importance and purpose of global health

79.   The influence of feminism on global relations

80.   Discuss how the International Monetary Fund works

81.   Causes of interdependence between countries

82.   Structural consequences of uneven distribution of resources

83.   Gender bias in politics

84.   Should the European Union be dissolved?

85.   Achievements of the Pan-African movement

86.   What is tyranny?

87.   Pros and cons of the concept of nationhood

88.   Is fear a practical instrument of control?

89.   How does poverty drive the popularity of Boko Haram in Nigeria?

90.   The role of women in government

91.   Discuss the ideological relationship between feminism and liberalism

92.   Ethical issues about globalization

93.   Is there a basis where war is morally acceptable?

94.   Discuss how democracy is the rule of the people

95.   What motivates a person to be politically active?

96.   Define the term "politics."

97.   The politics of millennials Vs. baby boomers

98.   Characteristics of totalitarian regimes

99.   Current trends in democratization

100.                       Discuss how representative democracy differs from participatory democracy?

101.                       Economic effects of taxation

102.                       What are the functions of the World Trade Organization?

103.                       The importance of competition in politics

104.                       What is political about our diet

105.                       Political strategies on environmental conservation

106.                       Election ethics

107.                       Governmental effects coordination

108.                       Post-conflict justice inequality

109.                       War crime legacy

110.                       Iran oil conflict

111.                       Volunteering and social movements

112.                       Elections agenda analysis

113.                       What the pros and cos of two-party system

114.                       Why U.S. immigration caps are essential

115.                       Is communism the best system for your country?

116.                       What is Wilsonianism?

117.                       Explore the constitutional rights of inmates

118.                       Can a monarchy be democratic?

A political essay aims at answering questions about a given political event or process. It can also predict future developments or analyze previous occurrences.  Choosing the right topic requires excellent analytical skills and extensive knowledge in international relations and world history. It would help if you began from an understanding that politics goes beyond interaction and human action. It also involves beliefs, principles, and rational planning. Thus, research is a fundamental element.

If you don't want to take the stress of writing a political essay, you can seek help from our pool of skilled pro essay writers . We help with assignments from native-speaking writers experienced in relevant disciplines such as political science. Providing assignments with topic selection and finding sources, we take pride in delivering plagiarism-free content at a reasonable cost.

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TOP 65 Greatest Political Essay Topics

Benjamin Oaks

Table of Contents

Being a student requires writing a lot of research papers, projects, essays, and assignments, right? If you’ve been asked to write a political essay and you don’t know where to start, here is the right place to seek for top-notch creative ideas.

So, a political essay itself is an ordinary essay on any kind of topic concerning political context. It means that you can write not only about politics strictly , but also choose a topic related to it.

How about covering issues, like international relations, different kinds of political influence on various population groups, a wide range of social and political connections or your own unique topic concerning politics, its effects, or consequences?

The choice is huge!

However, you should keep in mind that writing about any political issue demands accuracy and a lot of research work. A successful political essay requires complete awareness of what you are writing about.

What is more, you may need to search for political essay examples to examine specific features of this paper.

Another crucial thing is the topic. Here you may find some helpful political essay topics to choose from or to help you come up with an exceptional idea.

Great Political Essay Topics with Explanations

Political essay topics

Here are some basic topics for your political essay. Loads of students go for writing a political ideology essay.

Broader topics, on the other hand, cover connections between politics and other institutions like the church, religion, history, philosophy, etc.

  • When and how did the politics originate?
  • The connection between politics and religion.
  • Comparison of electoral systems in the world.
  • The most influential political figure of the XX century.
  • The political decision that has changed your country at most.
  • What is better for the world, globalization or nationalism?
  • Democracy: pros and cons.
  • Correlation between morality and power.
  • Terrorism as a political instrument.
  • Totalitarianism: pros and cons.
  • The environmental question in the politics of your country.
  • The impact of international relations on your country in the last ten years.
  • Change in politics at wartime.
  • The philosophy of politics.
  • Pros and cons of the political system in your country.

Political socialization essay

Usually, socialization topics cover various aspects of society and life. These topics can be connected with peoples or particular groups of people regarding the political context.

You may try writing a political cartoon essay, too. If you’re a fan.

  • Psychology of politics.
  • Are civil wars a failure of national politicians?
  • Which ways of reducing corruption in your country do you know?
  • What makes lots of people around the whole world think politics is immoral?
  • Does gender discrimination affect politics in your country?
  • How do you see the ideal political system?
  • How do cultural norms influence politics in different countries?
  • Should social movements have an impact on politics?
  • Connections between politics and the media.
  • Political scandals: pros and cons.
  • Are strikes and protests an efficient method of influencing the work of government?
  • How should government regulate privacy and internet safety?
  • Your position towards the death penalty.
  • Do people in your country have enough civil rights?
  • Advantages and disadvantages of legalizing drugs.

Political science essay topics

As those topics below are scientific, they most surely would demand reading a decent amount of literature about political history and its development.

Here students usually go for political systems thematic essays, yet we’ll try to offer something more interesting.

It can be a daunting assignment, but if you enjoy studying history and being super accurate that’s exactly what you’re looking for!

  • Description of democratization processes.
  • Development of politics in your country.
  • Analysis of civil wars phenomenon.
  • Nature of political conflicts.
  • The system of political parties in your country.
  • History of international relations.
  • Influence of non-state actors on the international arena.
  • Analysis of modern international relations.
  • The concept of power balance.
  • Modern conflict science.
  • Collisions in international law.
  • Ancient / Asian / Islamic / Christian political thought.
  • State and local government in your country.
  • The founding of the political system in your country.
  • The foreign policy of your country.

Political argumentative essay topics

Argumentative topics are fascinating, right? If you pick one, you’ll inevitably begin a fierce discussion about it.

Usually, there are two options available: for or against, yes or no, one side or the other.

If you have strong beliefs about any political topic, you should give it a try. That’s for sure. A political corruption essay would be a good start, but there is no reason to avoid searching for other options…

  • Do you think a war is always a political decision?
  • Should a politician be cruel or merciful?
  • Is your country headed in the right direction?
  • What do you regard as a more important thing: people’s privacy or national security?
  • Presidential republics or parliamentary republics?
  • What is more effective nowadays, war or diplomacy?
  • Can we completely overcome corruption?
  • Do revolutions cause more good or harm?
  • Are nuclear weapons a crucial need for countries in the XXI century?
  • Should America build the wall?

Political persuasive essay topics

Do you consider yourself to be a creative person? Do you enjoy dreaming and breaking the existing frames society lives in? If yes, then the persuasive topic is what you need.

There can be no right or wrong point of view in such questions. Diverse opinions, that’s what it would be called more likely. The most popular type among students is a political party essay.

Have your own special vision on it? Cool! Write it down.

Want something else? Try these out!

  • Do you believe in your country’s democracy?
  • If you had the opportunity, which law would you add to your country’s legislation?
  • Tell about the most controversial political figure of your state and your attitude towards him/her.
  • Suggest ways of coping with corruption.
  • How do you see the future of politics?
  • Which political party in your country do you support and why?
  • Which political change or situation stroke you most during the last year?
  • Imagine creating your political party. What will it be like?
  • What is the most winning international rapport your country maintains?
  • Tell me how would you build your own state.

On balance…

I hope you’re full of fresh thoughts even if you didn’t choose any of the topics above.

Actually, politics is so multifaceted and diverse that you will definitely find something acceptable.

Finally, yet importantly, if you would consider the issue attractive, try writing an essay on political correctness. Why not?..

Do politics seem to be way too boring? We have trained professionals here, who strive to write a top-notch essay for you! Order it now and enjoy your free time…

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50 Argumentative Essay Topics for Students

50 Argumentative Essay Topics for Students

4-minute read

  • 11th June 2022

The goal of an argumentative essay is to persuade the reader to understand and support your position on an issue by presenting your reasoning along with supporting evidence. It’s important to find the right balance between giving your opinions and presenting established research.

These essays discuss issues around a range of topics, including science, technology, politics, and healthcare. Whether you’re a teacher looking for essay topics for your students or a student tasked with developing an idea of your own, we’ve compiled a list of 50 argumentative essay topics to help you get started!

●  Does texting hinder interpersonal communication skills?

●  Should there be laws against using devices while driving?

●  Do violent video games teach or encourage people to behave violently?

●  Should social media sites be allowed to collect users’ data?

●  Should parents limit how long their children spend in front of screens?

●  Is AI helping or hurting society?

●  Should cyber-bullying carry legal consequences?

●  Should Supreme Court justices be elected?

●  Is war always a political decision?

●  Should people join a political party?

●  Is capitalism ethical?

●  Is the electoral college an effective system?

●  Should prisoners be allowed to vote?

●  Should the death penalty be legal?

●  Are governments around the world doing enough to combat global warming?

●  Is healthcare a fundamental human right?

●  Should vaccinations be mandated for children?

●  Are there any circumstances under which physician-assisted suicides should be legal?

●  Should parents be able to choose specific genetic modifications of their future children?

●  Should abortion be legal?

●  Is it ethical to perform medical experiments on animals?

●  Should patients who lead unhealthy lifestyles be denied organ transplants?

●  Should doctors be able to provide medical care to children against their parents’ wishes?

Mental Healthcare

●  What causes the stigma around mental health?

●  Discuss the link between insufficient access to mental health services and the high suicide rates among veterans.

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●  Should cannabis be used as a treatment for patients with mental disorders?

●  Is there a link between social media use and mental disorders?

●  Discuss the effect of physical activity on mental health.

●  Should sports be segregated by gender?

●  Should male and female athletes be given the same pay and opportunities?

●  Are professional athletes overpaid?

●  Should college athletes be paid?

●  Should sports betting be legal?

●  Should online access to art such as music be free?

●  Should graffiti be considered art or vandalism?

●  Are there any circumstances under which books should be banned?

●  Should schools be required to offer art courses?

●  Is art necessary to society?

●  Should schools require uniforms?

●  Should reciting the Pledge of Allegiance be required in schools?

●  Do standardized tests effectively measure intelligence?

●  Should high school students take a gap year before pursuing higher education?

●  Should higher education be free?

●  Is there too much pressure on high school students to attend college?

●  Are children better off in two-parent households?

●  Should LGBTQ+ partners be allowed to adopt?

●  Should single people be able to adopt children as easily as couples?

●  Is it okay for parents to physically discipline their children?

●  Does helicopter parenting help or hurt children?

●  Should parents monitor their children’s Internet use?

Proofreading & Editing

An argument could also be made for the importance of proofreading your essay ! The reader can focus more on your message when your writing is clear, concise, and error-free, and they won’t question whether you’re knowledgeable on the issues you’re presenting. Once you have a draft ready, you can submit a free trial document to start working with our expert editors!

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50 Argumentative Essay Topics

Illustration by Catherine Song. ThoughtCo. 

  • M.Ed., Education Administration, University of Georgia
  • B.A., History, Armstrong State University

An argumentative essay requires you to decide on a topic and argue for or against it. You'll need to back up your viewpoint with well-researched facts and information as well. One of the hardest parts is deciding which topic to write about, but there are plenty of ideas available to get you started. Then you need to take a position, do some research, and present your viewpoint convincingly.

Choosing a Great Argumentative Essay Topic

Students often find that most of their work on these essays is done before they even start writing. This means that it's best if you have a general interest in your subject. Otherwise, you might get bored or frustrated while trying to gather information. You don't need to know everything, though; part of what makes this experience rewarding is learning something new.

It's best if you have a general interest in your subject, but the argument you choose doesn't have to be one that you agree with.

The subject you choose may not necessarily be one you are in full agreement with, either. You may even be asked to write a paper from the opposing point of view. Researching a different viewpoint helps students broaden their perspectives. 

Ideas for Argument Essays

Sometimes, the best ideas are sparked by looking at many different options. Explore this list of possible topics and see if a few pique your interest. Write those down as you come across them, then think about each for a few minutes.

Which would you enjoy researching? Do you have a firm position on a particular subject? Is there a point you would like to make sure you get across? Did the topic give you something new to think about? Can you see why someone else may feel differently?

List of 50 Possible Argumentative Essay Topics

A number of these topics are rather controversial—that's the point. In an argumentative essay , opinions matter, and controversy is based on opinions. Just make sure your opinions are backed up by facts in the essay.   If these topics are a little too controversial or you don't find the right one for you, try browsing through persuasive essay and speech topics  as well.

  • Is global climate change  caused by humans?
  • Is the death penalty effective?
  • Is the U.S. election process fair?
  • Is torture ever acceptable?
  • Should men get paternity leave from work?
  • Are school uniforms beneficial?
  • Does the U.S. have a fair tax system?
  • Do curfews keep teens out of trouble?
  • Is cheating out of control?
  • Are we too dependent on computers?
  • Should animals be used for research?
  • Should cigarette smoking be banned?
  • Are cell phones dangerous?
  • Are law enforcement cameras an invasion of privacy?
  • Do we have a throwaway society ?
  • Is child behavior better or worse than it was years ago?
  • Should companies market to children?
  • Should the government have a say in our diets?
  • Does access to condoms prevent teen pregnancy?
  • Should members of Congress have term limits?
  • Are actors and professional athletes paid too much?
  • Are CEOs paid too much?
  • Should athletes be held to high moral standards?
  • Do violent video games cause behavior problems?
  • Should creationism be taught in public schools?
  • Are beauty pageants exploitative ?
  • Should English be the official language of the United States?
  • Should the racing industry be forced to use biofuels?
  • Should the alcohol-drinking age be increased or decreased?
  • Should everyone be required to recycle?
  • Is it okay for prisoners to vote (as they are in some states)?
  • Should same-sex marriage be legalized in more countries?
  • Are there benefits to attending a single-sex school ?
  • Does boredom lead to trouble?
  • Should schools be in session year-round ?
  • Does religion cause war?
  • Should the government provide health care?
  • Should abortion be illegal?
  • Should more companies expand their reproductive health benefits for employees?
  • Is homework harmful or helpful?
  • Is the cost of college too high?
  • Is college admission too competitive?
  • Should euthanasia be illegal?
  • Should the federal government legalize marijuana use nationally ?
  • Should rich people be required to pay more taxes?
  • Should schools require foreign language or physical education?
  • Is affirmative action fair?
  • Is public prayer okay in schools?
  • Are schools and teachers responsible for low test scores?
  • Is greater gun control a good idea?

How to Craft a Persuasive Argument

After you've decided on your essay topic, gather evidence to make your argument as strong as possible. Your research could even help shape the position your essay ultimately takes. As you craft your essay, remember to utilize persuasive writing techniques , such as invoking emotional language or citing facts from authoritative figures. 

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101 Argument Essay Prompts for High School

101 Argumentative Essay Topics

Teaching argument writing can be very exciting, especially if you have great argument essay prompts for your students to choose from. It provides students with an opportunity to explore interesting topics. I give my students choices when I am teaching argument writing in my classroom. Students who select their argument essay prompts are more engaged with and connected to their writing.

When assigning a hot topic or controversial issue argumentative essay, I always let students select a topic. That way, they are more passionate about their writing. However, I also make it clear that their topic cannot be discriminatory or hateful in any way and that they must fund valid and credible evidence to back up their claims. When I do this in the classroom, I also like to make sure that only one student per class has the same topic.

If you are planning an argument or controversial issue essay assignment, here is a list of potential topics you can include in your classroom. If you need teaching materials, this argument writing teaching unit will help you walk your students through the process.

Here are 101 Argument Essay Prompts:

Argument essay topics teens love.

  • Should teenagers be allowed to vote in elections?
  • Is social media a positive or negative influence on teenagers’ mental health and well-being?
  • Should schools have a dress code that is gender-neutral?
  • Should teenage drivers be subject to stricter regulations, such as curfews and passenger limits, to reduce accidents and fatalities?
  • Is it ethical for teenagers to participate in protests and other forms of civil disobedience?
  • Should teenagers have access to birth control and sexual health services?
  • Should schools provide more opportunities for creative expression and the arts, or is the focus on STEM subjects more important for future success?
  • Should teenagers have their own credit card to establish credit history?
  • Should teenagers be allowed to work part-time jobs while in school?
  • How important is academic honesty for future success?

Argument Essay  Prompts About Technology

  • Should social media platforms be held accountable for the spread of fake news?
  • Are video games a harmful or beneficial form of entertainment for young people?
  • Should schools replace textbooks with tablets and laptops?
  • Is technology making us more or less productive in the workplace?
  • Should there be stricter regulations on the collection and use of personal data by tech companies?
  • Is artificial intelligence a threat to human jobs and job security?
  • Should there be limitations on using facial recognition technology by law enforcement agencies?
  • Has the internet made us more connected or more isolated from each other?
  • Should governments invest more in renewable energy technologies?
  • Is technology creating a more unequal society by widening the gap between the rich and the poor?

Argument Essay  Topics about the Environment

  • Should governments impose stricter regulations on corporations to reduce their carbon footprint?
  • Should government agencies regulate residential thermostats?
  • Should plastic bags be banned to reduce pollution and protect wildlife?
  • Is fracking a viable method of energy production, or does it pose significant risks to the environment and public health?
  • Should individuals be encouraged to adopt a plant-based diet to reduce the carbon emissions caused by the meat industry?
  • Should the use of pesticides be restricted to protect pollinators and other wildlife?
  • Is nuclear energy a viable solution to the world’s energy needs, or does it pose too significant an environmental risk?
  • Should governments invest more in renewable energy technologies such as wind and solar power?
  • Should individuals and companies be required to pay a carbon tax to encourage them to reduce their carbon emissions?
  • Is deforestation a significant contributor to climate change?

Argument Essay  Prompts about Entrepreneurship

  • Is entrepreneurship a viable path to economic success for individuals and communities?
  • Should governments provide more support and incentives for small businesses and startups?
  • Is social entrepreneurship a more effective way to address social and environmental challenges than traditional methods?
  • Should entrepreneurs be required to consider the environmental impact of their business operations?
  • Is it better for entrepreneurs to focus on creating a new product or service, or to improve upon an existing one?
  • Should entrepreneurs be required to have a certain level of education or experience before starting a business?
  • Is it ethical for entrepreneurs to use investor funding to support a luxurious lifestyle instead of reinvesting in their business?
  • Should entrepreneurs be held accountable for the social and environmental impacts of their products or services?
  • Should entrepreneurs be allowed to patent ideas and concepts, or should all innovations be open for public use?
  • Is the current system of venture capital funding fair and equitable for all entrepreneurs?

Teaching Argument Essay: Instructional Unit

Argument Essay Teaching Unit

Help your students master the art of argumentative writing with this argument writing teaching unit!

I created this argumentative essay writing teaching unit with secondary ELA students in mind, and it includes step-by-step and engaging writing instructional materials. This argument essay writing unit includes everything you need for a complete argumentative writing instructional unit, including the print & digital materials.

This essay writing instructional unit includes an editable instructional presentation for direct instruction and student resources to help you and your students work through an argument essay.

With a focus on argument writing and informational text, this unit fuses together key ELA standards as it covers the differences between persuasive and argumentative writing. Thus unit also teaches purpose, audience, tone, diction, and the rhetorical triangle.

Argument Essay  Topics about Animals

  • Should animals be used for scientific research, or are there alternative methods that can be used?
  • Should exotic animals be kept as pets?
  • Is hunting a legitimate way to control animal populations and manage ecosystems?
  • Should animal agriculture be banned or significantly reduced to address concerns about animal welfare, environmental impact, and public health?
  • Should circuses and other entertainment venues that feature animal acts be banned to prevent animal abuse and exploitation?
  • Is it ethical to use animals for entertainment purposes such as horse racing, dog shows, or bullfighting?
  • Should animals have legal rights and be granted personhood, or is that concept reserved only for humans?
  • Should zoos and aquariums be banned or improved to better serve the welfare and conservation of the animals they hold?
  • Should invasive species be removed from ecosystems?
  • Is animal testing justified in developing cosmetic and personal care products?

Argument Essay  Prompts about Sports

  • Should college athletes be paid for their participation in sports?
  • Should high school athletes be excused from certain class assignments?
  • Should high school sports be required to prioritize safety over competition, especially in contact sports like football and hockey?
  • Is esports a legitimate form of competition?
  • Should performance-enhancing drugs be legalized in professional sports?
  • Should women’s sports receive the same funding and support as men’s sports?
  • Should athletes be allowed to protest social and political issues during games, or should sports be kept separate from politics?
  • Should athletes be held to higher standards of conduct and behavior, given their public profile and influence on young people?
  • Is it ethical for cities to use taxpayer money to fund sports stadiums and arenas?
  • Should high schools drop athletics and solely focus on academics?

Argument Essay Topics about School

  • Should schools require students to wear uniforms?
  • Is standardized testing an effective way to measure student achievement?
  • Should schools offer more vocational training programs to prepare students for the workforce?
  • Should schools ban cell phones and other electronic devices?
  • Should schools offer more extracurricular activities and sports programs?
  • Is it essential for schools to provide sex education to students?
  • Should schools be required to offer courses on financial literacy and personal finance management?
  • Should schools offer more mental health resources and support to students?
  • Should schools offer more diversity and inclusion training for staff and students?
  • Should private schools receive tax-payer funding?

Argument Essay  Prompts about Teens and Politics

  • Should the voting age be lowered to 16 to allow teenagers to have a say in political decisions?
  • Is it important for teenagers to be politically engaged and active?
  • Should schools offer more civic education and government classes to prepare teenagers for their roles as future voters and leaders?
  • Should teenagers be allowed to run for political office?
  • Should political parties and candidates specifically target and appeal to teenage voters?
  • Should teenagers be allowed to participate in political protests and rallies?
  • Is it essential for teenagers to be knowledgeable about political issues and current events?
  • Should teenagers be allowed to donate to political campaigns?
  • Should schools be required to remain politically neutral and avoid any bias or preference towards certain parties or candidates?
  • Should teenagers be encouraged to pursue careers in politics and public service?

Argument Essay  Topics about Vehicles

  • Should governments promote and subsidize electric cars to reduce carbon emissions and promote sustainability?
  • Should autonomous cars be allowed on public roads?
  • Should car manufacturers be held responsible for the environmental impact of their products?
  • Should speed limits be increased on highways and freeways?
  • Should car ownership be discouraged in favor of public transportation and ride-sharing services?
  • Should car insurance be mandatory for all drivers?
  • Should older cars be banned from the road due to higher emissions and safety risks?
  • Should governments invest more in developing and promoting alternative fuels and energy sources for cars?
  • Should car manufacturers be required to disclose all safety and performance data about their products?
  • Should car-sharing services like Zipcar and Car2Go be encouraged and subsidized by governments?

Argument Essay  Prompts about Space and Space Exploration

  • Is space exploration worth the cost?
  • Should governments fund space exploration and research?
  • Is it ethical to mine resources and exploit the commercial potential of other planets?
  • Should humans establish permanent settlements on other planets?
  • Should space agencies prioritize manned missions to Mars?
  • Is space exploration a necessary pursuit for scientific advancement and discovery?
  • Should international cooperation be a priority in space exploration?
  • Should space tourism be encouraged and expanded?
  • Should space debris and junk be regulated and monitored more closely?
  • Is space exploration an inherently human endeavor, or should we prioritize the development of AI and robotics to take on the challenges of space exploration and colonization

And lastly, here is my all-time favorite argument essay topic that I use to teach argument writing. I use this topic for all of my instruction, for all of my examples, and for modeling the process to students: who makes the best fast-food cheeseburger?

Need argument essay instructional materials?

My argument writing teaching unit has everything you need to teach your students all about argument writing! You can pair this unit with any of the argument essay prompts on this page, and you will be teaching argument writing in no time!

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  • 150 Political Essay Topics

Whether it’s for a political science class, government class, or history class, you will eventually have to write a political essay. A political essay explores the various explanations for particular events that have transpired in the past and the different effects of those events on society and politics.

Political essays can be pretty challenging for students because the depth and scope of the subject matter can be quite vast. Additionally, a lack of knowledge about the workings of government and the political process can make writing a political essay quite difficult.

Fortunately, we’ve created a handy guide detailing essential components of political essay writing. Additionally, we’ve included 150 political essay topics students can use to get started.

The Basic Components of a Political Essay

Regardless of the topic’s complexity, political essays all have the same essential components – an introduction, a thesis, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Students can create an assertive and well-crafted political essay by understanding how these components work together.

The Introduction

The introduction of a political essay should grab the reader’s attention and give them an overview of the main points covered in the essay. An excellent way to do this is by starting with a provocative statement or posing a thought-provoking question. A great example of a political essay introduction could sound something like:

“In a world where the powerful seem to always get their way, is there any hope for democracy?”

The Thesis Statement

The thesis statement is the most critical component of a political essay. It is the main argument or points that the essay will be making. Everything else in the essay should support the thesis statement. A thesis statement is probably the most challenging part of writing a political essay for many students because it can be challenging to distill the essay’s main argument into one or two sentences.

Some tips for writing a strong thesis statement include:

  • Make sure that the thesis statement is arguable. In other words, it should be something that someone could reasonably disagree with.
  • Be as specific as possible. A thesis statement that is too vague will make it difficult to write a strong essay.
  • Keep it short and to the point. A thesis statement should be no more than one or two sentences.

Great examples of a political essay thesis statement include:

“The current state of democracy is in danger due to the rise of populist leaders who exploit the fears of the people.”

“The government should do more to combat the rising inequality in society by implementing policies that help the working class.”

The Body Paragraphs

The body paragraphs of a political essay are where the essay’s main argument will be fleshed out in detail. Each body paragraph should focus on one specific point that supports the thesis statement. When writing body paragraphs, it is essential to:

  • Start with a topic sentence that introduces the main point
  • Support the topic sentence with evidence from credible sources.
  • Connect the evidence back to the thesis statement.
  • Repeat for each body paragraph.

The Conclusion

The conclusion of a political essay should sum up the main points of the essay and leave the reader with a solid and clear understanding of the argument being made. A great conclusion should:

  • Restate the thesis statement in different words.
  • Summarize the main points of the essay.
  • Leave the reader with something to think about.

Some examples of final thoughts to end a political essay could be:

“It is clear that democracy is under threat from populist leaders. However, there is still hope as long as people remain engaged and fight for their rights.”

“The current state of democracy may be troubling, but it is nothing new. Throughout history, there have always been those who seek to undermine it. The key is to remain vigilant and to stand up for what we believe in.”

The Do’s and Don’ts of Political Essay Writing

While the tips above will help you write a solid political essay, there are also some things to avoid if you want your essay to be successful. Here are some dos and don’ts of writing a political essay:

Do research your topic inside and out.

A well-informed essay is always more persuasive than one that simply regurgitates the opinions of others. When researching, always use reliable sources and take good notes so you can easily refer back to them later.

Don’t forget to proofread and edit your work.

No matter how well-written and informative an essay is, if it is full of typos and grammatical errors, it will likely not make a good impression on the reader. Before submitting, proofread your work and fix any errors you may have missed.

Do be sure to stay objective.

A political essay is not the place for you to share your personal opinions. Instead, it should be a well-reasoned and unbiased exploration of the topic at hand.

Don’t forget to cite your sources.

If you use any information from outside sources in your essay, be sure to properly cite them according to the required citation style. Not only is failing to do so plagiarism, but it also makes your argument look weaker if you cannot back up your claims with evidence.

Do try to be concise.

A political essay is not the place to ramble on and on. Instead, get to the point and make your argument in as few words as possible. This will keep the reader engaged and prevent them from getting lost in your essay.

With the advice above, you should be well on your way to writing a successful political essay. However, if you need some additional inspiration, here are 150 more essay topics to get you started.

Political Essay Topics About History

  • Compare and contrast the policies of two different presidents.
  • How did the Cold War shape American foreign policy?
  • What was the most significant event of the 20th century?
  • How did the American Revolution change the political landscape?
  • What were the causes of World War I?
  • How did Napoleon Bonaparte rise to power?
  • What were the significant effects of the French Revolution?
  • Compare and contrast the American and French Revolutions.
  • What caused the fall of the Roman Empire?
  • How did Ancient Greece contribute to modern democracy?
  • What were the major political parties of the 19th century?
  • How did the Industrial Revolution change the political landscape?
  • What were the major triggers of World War II?
  • What was the Holocaust, and how did it impact politics?
  • How did the Cold War end?
  • What are the legacies of Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher?
  • How has the European Union changed over time?
  • What are the major political parties in power today?
  • Compare and contrast the administrations of Barack Obama and Donald Trump.
  • How has social media changed the way we engage in politics?

Political Essay Topics About Ideologies

  • What is the difference between socialism and communism?
  • What is capitalism, and how has it changed over time?
  • What is Marxism, and what are its significant tenets?
  • What is fascism, and how did it come to power?
  • How do different political parties view taxation?
  • What is the role of the government in a capitalist society?
  • How does socialism differ from fascism?
  • What is the difference between conservatism and liberalism?
  • What is the difference between nationalism and patriotism?
  • How do different political parties view welfare?
  • What is the role of the government in a socialist society?
  • How does communism differ from socialism?
  • What is the difference between democracy and dictatorship?
  • What is the role of the government in a communist society?
  • How do different political parties view education?
  • What is the difference between environmentalism and climate change activism?
  • What is the role of the government in protecting the environment?
  • How do different political parties view gun control?
  • What is the role of the government in ensuring public safety?
  • How do different political parties view healthcare?

Political Essay Topics About International Relations

  • Compare and contrast the foreign policies of two different countries.
  • How has globalization changed the international political landscape?
  • What are the major causes of war?
  • How does terrorism impact international relations?
  • What is the role of the United Nations in international politics?
  • What are the significant issues facing the European Union today?
  • What is the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and what is its role in international politics?
  • What are the major issues facing NATO today?
  • What is the difference between developed and developing countries?
  • How do developed and developing countries view each other?
  • What is the role of the International Monetary Fund in international politics?
  • What are the significant issues facing the International Monetary Fund today?
  • What is the World Trade Organization, and what is its role in international politics?
  • What are the major issues facing the World Trade Organization today?

Political Essay Topics About Social Issues

  • How has the abortion debate changed over time?
  • Discuss the political influences that make someone pro-choice or pro-life?
  • How has the gay rights movement changed over time?
  • Has the government been effective in stymieing the rise of racism?
  • What is the difference between sexism and misogyny, and is one political party more prone to it than another?
  • How has the Me Too movement changed the conversation about sexual assault and harassment?
  • What is the relationship between poverty and crime, and does politics have anything to do with it?
  • What is the relationship between education and income inequality?
  • Has the government been effective in tackling income inequality?
  • How do different political parties view reproductive rights?
  • How does religion influence politics?
  • What is the relationship between immigration and crime?

Political Essay Topics About Economic Issues

  • Should political affiliation have any bearing on economic policy?
  • What is the difference between a free market and a command economy?
  • How has globalization changed the world economy?
  • What are the major issues facing today’s world economy, and are politics to blame?
  • Should voters or Congress be responsible for economic policy?
  • What is the role of the government in an economy?
  • What is the difference between Keynesian economics and supply-side economics?
  • What is the difference between laissez-faire capitalism and crony capitalism?
  • How have politics funded the rise of inequality in the United States?
  • Should the rising cost of healthcare be considered a political issue or a social issue?
  • How do different political parties view deregulation?

Political Essay Topics About Politicians

  • Compare and contrast the political careers of two different politicians.
  • Analyze the effectiveness of a politician’s political campaigns.
  • Discuss the role that charisma plays in politics.
  • How much does a politician’s personal life influence their political career?
  • What is the difference between a successful and unsuccessful politician?
  • How do special interest groups influence politics?
  • What is the difference between a lobbyist and a politician?
  • What is the difference between a career politician and a term politician?
  • Compare and contrast the political ideologies of two different politicians.
  • Are career politicians more effective than term politicians?
  • How do campaign finance laws influence politicians’ decision-making processes?

Political Essay Topics About Elections

  • Should the Electoral College be reformed or abolished?
  • What is the difference between primary and general elections?
  • Discuss the role that voter turnout plays in elections.
  • How does gerrymandering influence elections?
  • How do campaign finance laws influence elections?
  • What is the difference between open and closed elections?
  • Should there be term limits for politicians?
  • Should people be allowed to vote by mail or early voting?
  • How did democratic elections come to be?
  • Should voting be mandatory?
  • How can we make sure that every vote is counted?
  • What is the difference between a hung parliament and a coalition government?
  • Should countries have more than two political parties?
  • What is the difference between a first-past-the-post system and a proportional representation system?
  • What is the difference between a parliamentary system and a presidential system?

Political Essay Topics About Laws and Regulations

  • How does a bill become a law?
  • What is the difference between a law and a regulation?
  • How do regulatory agencies influence politics?
  • Discuss the pros and cons of gun control laws.
  • Should there be stricter penalties for hate crimes?
  • Should the death penalty be abolished?
  • Should there be term limits for Supreme Court justices?
  • What is the difference between civil law and criminal law?
  • How do interest groups influence the passage of laws?
  • Should there be limits on campaign spending?
  • Should corporations be allowed to donate to political campaigns?
  • What is the difference between a veto and a filibuster?
  • How does the process of impeachment work?
  • What is the difference between judicial review and judicial activism?
  • Should members of Congress be allowed to vote for pay raises?

Political Essay Topics About Foreign Policy

  • Should the United States have a policy of isolationism?
  • How does foreign aid influence politics?
  • Should the United States intervene in other countries’ affairs?
  • How does the United Nations influence politics?
  • What is the difference between diplomacy and foreign policy?
  • How do trade agreements influence politics?
  • What is the difference between an alliance and a treaty?
  • How do sanctions influence politics?
  • What is the difference between a colony and an empire?
  • How does decolonization influence politics?
  • How do border disputes influence politics?
  • What is the difference between a refugee and an immigrant?
  • How does immigration policy influence politics?
  • What is the difference between a country and a nation?
  • How does nationalism influence politics?

Political Essay Topics About Civil Rights and Liberties

  • What is the difference between civil rights and civil liberties?
  • How do the Bill of Rights and the Constitution influence politics?
  • Should there be limits on free speech?
  • How do hate speech laws influence politics?
  • Should there be limits on the right to bear arms?
  • How do gun control laws influence politics?
  • What is the difference between a search warrant and a warrantless search?
  • How do search and seizure laws influence politics?
  • How do Miranda rights influence police interrogation?
  • What is the difference between probable cause and reasonable suspicion?
  • How do stop and frisk laws influence politics?
  • Should there be limits on police use of deadly force?
  • How do racial profiling laws influence politics?
  • What is the difference between affirmative action and reverse discrimination?
  • Should there be limits on affirmative action?

No matter the type of essay you need to write, these 150 political essay topics should give you plenty of material to work with. Remember that you can always narrow your focus to a specific country, a specific type of government, or specific law or regulation. And if you need help writing your essay, re-read the helpful tips above to ensure you get a good grade.

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Argumentative Essay Guide

Argumentative Essay Topics

Last updated on: Dec 19, 2023

Argumentative Essay Topics - Compelling Ideas to Get Started

By: Jared P.

18 min read

Reviewed By: Melisa C.

Published on: Oct 22, 2019

Argumentative Essay Topics

Are you about to write an argumentative essay but still confused about the topic?

Argumentative essays help students learn more about the subject matter of a particular course. This kind of writing is a genuine key to learning argumentative skills. You must pay attention to your subject while choosing a strong topic for your essay.

But what if you don’t even know what to write about? 

Don’t worry! Here is a list of topics and tips to help you decide on the perfect topic for your argumentative paper. 

So read on and make choosing a topic easier!

Argumentative Essay Topics

On this Page

Argumentative Essay Topics for students

Argumentative essay writing is one common academic assignment that almost every student will get to draft. In order to help the students, we have prepared a list of argumentative topic ideas. Pick a topic that works the best for you.

Argumentative Essay Topics for Middle School

  • What age is suitable for kids to start schooling?
  • Should students be allowed to evaluate their teachers?
  • Metal music should be banned due to its violent lyrics.
  • What are the pros and cons of making friends virtually?
  • Can we conserve energy as a society?
  • Does playing violent video games contribute to making a person violent in real life too?
  • How close is reality TV to real life?
  • Do girls face more societal pressure than guys?
  • What is the biggest challenge faced by students today?
  • Should there be cash rewards for getting a good score on standardized tests?
  • The rich should pay more taxes than the poor.
  • Cartoons are better than movies.
  • Teachers Vs. Parents: who plays a bigger role in shaping a child?

Argumentative Essay Topics for Grade 6 

Here are some argumentative essay topics for 6th-grade students:

  • Should schools start later in the morning?
  • Is confining wild animals within zoos a cruel practice?
  • Should there be stricter laws for texting and driving?
  • Are social media sites like Facebook and Twitter bad for our society?
  • Should the voting age be lowered to allow young people a voice in democracy?
  • Should the school year be longer or shorter? 
  • Is it okay for children to play violent video games?
  • Should cell phones be banned from schools?
  • Should recycling become a mandatory practice in all households?

Argumentative Essay Topics for 7th Graders 

  • Should schools provide free meals to all students?
  • Are uniforms necessary for student success?
  • Does standardized testing accurately measure student progress?
  • Are after-school activities important for student development?
  • Is there too much emphasis on social media in education today?
  • Should schools place a stronger emphasis on physical education?
  • Are required classes in high school helpful or harmful to students?
  • Should all students have access to laptops and tablets in the classroom?
  • Is technology taking away from traditional learning methods in the classroom?
  • Should gym classes be mandatory for students?

Argumentative Essay Topics for Grade 8

Looking for argumentative essay topics for teenagers? Check out the ideas below: 

  • Should the drinking age be lowered? Should the death penalty be abolished?
  • Is it necessary for governments to fund childcare?
  • Is there too much emphasis on standardized testing in schools?
  • Are schools doing enough to prevent bullying from happening?
  • Do adolescents need more sleep than adults?
  • Should students be allowed to have cell phones in school?
  • Is social media affecting the way we interact with each other?
  • What should be done about the student loan crisis?

Argumentative Essay Topics for High School

  • Is homeschooling better than the public school educational system?
  • Smartphones help the learning process.
  • Is co-education more advantageous than single-sex education?
  • Are GMOs safe for human consumption?
  • Is fast food healthy or a serious threat to physical health?
  • Teenagers feel more comfortable talking on social media rather than face to face.
  • Should it be legal to get a tattoo for kids younger than 18?
  • Are standardized tests beneficial for school students?
  • A negative high school experience you believe is important when it comes to personality.
  • Does the education system prepare a student for the real world?
  • Is there life after death?
  • Our society works on gender equality.
  • Subjects that should be removed from the high school program.
  • Is hate crime growing in high school?

Argumentative Essay Topics for College Students

  • Is the current taxation system effective or not?
  • Are men paid more than women in our corporate sector?
  • Should Shakespeare still be studied as part of the college curriculum?
  • Is college tuition becoming way too expensive?
  • Are test scores the only way to judge the competency of a student?
  • Getting a College degree is worth the cost.
  • Is the system of the electoral college still viable in the US?
  • Youngsters on social networks don’t realize the significance of privacy on these online sites.
  • Life is incomplete without faith.
  • Students nowadays face greater social pressures compared to the past.
  • Your past does not define you.
  • What can be done about gun control in the United States?
  • Is it ethical to genetically modify children to protect against diseases?
  • Do we need more gender diversity in STEM programs?

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Argumentative Essay Topics for University Students 

  • Should mental health services be made available for free?
  • Is income inequality a necessary part of capitalism?
  • Should the minimum wage be raised in all countries?
  • Does technology have a positive or negative impact on mental health?
  • Should universities be allowed to charge students for taking classes?
  • Is it necessary for governments to fund space exploration?
  • Should religion be taught in public schools?
  • Are animal experiments necessary for medical progress?
  • Should young students join a political party to enhance the democratic process?
  • Does free speech help promote extremism in society?

Argumentative Essay Topics for O Levels 

  • Should the government regulate the use of social media?
  • Is the death penalty an effective way to prevent crime?
  • Are online classes replacing traditional courses in schools?
  • Do standardized tests accurately measure academic achievement?
  • Should abortion be legalized in all countries?
  • Do celebrity role models have a positive or negative influence on young people?
  • Should school uniforms be mandatory in all schools?
  • Should the Internet be censored by governments around the world?
  • Should GMO foods be allowed in supermarkets?
  • Does free trade help or harm developing economies?

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Discover Captivating Topics in a Click!

Best Argumentative Essay Topics

Just as important as it is to create compelling content, choosing a great topic is equally important. If you want to score well in academics, you will have to impress your instructor with the best argumentative essay topics.

Below are some great topic ideas for you related to different fields. Choose the right topic for your essay and start the process.

Sports Argumentative Essay Topics

  • Can video gamers be counted as true athletes?
  • By participating in sports, can children be kept out of trouble?
  • Should girls be allowed to participate in the same sports as boys?
  • Should alternatives to steroids be legalized for professional athletes?
  • Do you consider cheerleading a sport?
  • Does your College spend a lot of money in the name of sports programs?
  • Student-athletes should get money for playing.
  • Betting on sports should be illegal.
  • Sports events shouldn’t broadcast alcohol and tobacco ads.
  • Are female athletes looked upon as sexual objects by the media?
  • All athletes should be tested for drugs before their performance.
  • Females should not be allowed to take part in extreme sports.
  • Impact of bodybuilding on a woman’s body in old age.

Argumentative Essay Topics Education

  • Parents should have an active role in their child's education.
  • The grading system shouldn’t exist to judge a student’s abilities.
  • Standardized tests should be abolished in schools.
  • All students must wear a uniform in high school.
  • Does technology benefit the educational system?
  • Studying in a single-sex class is better than studying in a mixed one?
  • All students must be made to learn a foreign language?
  • Programming should be made compulsory for all students.
  • Should students have sex education classes at school?
  • Should schools have the right to test students for drugs?
  • Girls should be equally encouraged to take part in sports in school.
  • The world should have a uniform language.
  • Hard work isn’t enough for being successful in a student’s life.
  • Should teachers be allowed to physically discipline their students?
  • How to bring change in the education system of the United States?

Social Media Argumentative Essay Topics

  • Are social networks an effective platform for communication?
  • Do people really get a job through LinkedIn?
  • Is Facebook legally allowed to leak the private information of its users?
  • Is it possible to earn a good amount of money from YouTube?
  • Should Facebook, WhatsApp, and Twitter be banned permanently?
  • Social media has successfully increased employment rates.
  • Celebrity endorsements are unethical.
  • Social media has destroyed real-life communication.
  • Social media has made doing business easier.
  • Blogging is an irrelevant profession.
  • How is social media depicting beauty standards?
  • How has social media become a major source of inferiority complex among teenagers?
  • Is it possible to have a life without social media at this time?
  • Should underaged children be allowed to own social media accounts?
  • Pros and cons of social media.

Argumentative Essay Topics Technology

  • Are cell phones harmful to the human race?
  • Are spy applications invading the privacy of users?
  • Are Millennials more dependent on computers than Baby Boomers?
  • Is Typescript the future of front-end development?
  • The impact of microwave tech on our biology.Technology has made us lazier.
  • Should coding be taught from middle school?
  • Cognitive Computers like Watson are unethical.
  • Should a candidate’s social media profiles be considered in the hiring process?
  • Children shouldn’t be given personal mobile phones.
  • Self-driving cars and the future of transportation.
  • Has technology made people less efficient?
  • Technological advancements in the field of psychology.
  • Is the future in the hands of Artificial Intelligence?
  • Pros and cons of depending a lot on technology.

American History Argumentative Essay Topics

  • What was the impact of European colonization on Native Americans?
  • What was the role of women in the movement toward revolution?
  • What were the key causes of the American Revolution?
  • The key issues that caused conflict between North and South and led to the civil war?
  • The effects of the Great Depression on the banking industry in America.
  • Did the Civil Rights Movement reduce or lead to racial violence?
  • Post World War II, how did America grow?
  • 21st-century American foreign policy.
  • Is Barack Obama the first American president who made history?
  • Was slavery an inevitable part of the development of American society?
  • Should the Indian Removal Act be considered an act of genocide?

Mental Health Argumentative Essay Topics 

  • Are antidepressants overprescribed in modern society?
  • Should mental health services be made free for all?
  • Is social media affecting mental health negatively?
  • Is there a stigma attached to seeking out mental health help?
  • What role do genetics and environment play in determining mental illness?
  • Can art and music therapy be effective treatments for mental illness?
  • How can we tackle the stigma associated with mental illness?
  • What can be done to reduce the prevalence of anxiety in young people?
  • Should there be mandatory mental health education in schools?

Social Issues Argumentative Topics

  • Should male workers receive paternity leave too?
  • Is age a major factor in relationship success or failure?
  • Is torture acceptable under any circumstance?
  • What are the primary causes of down syndrome?
  • What should the punishments be for failed parenting?
  • A candidate’s appearance shouldn’t be considered in a job hiring process.
  • Some common stereotypes in your society.
  • Cheating is increasing every day.
  • We are way too dependent on computers and technology.
  • Is boredom the cause of getting into trouble?
  • Beauty magazines should stop photoshopping models.
  • Capitalism vs. socialism. What would benefit society more?
  • Is the women’s rights movement justified?
  • The real objectives of Feminism.
  • Impact of homosexuality on society.

Argumentative Essay Topics Animals

  • Hunting for fun and sports is unethical and must get banned.
  • Aggressive dog breeds such as pit bulls should not be allowed as pets.
  • Testing beauty products on animals is justifiable.
  • Using monkeys for research in labs is a necessary evil.
  • Wearing fur and leather shouldn’t be unethical.
  • Is genetic modification of livestock beneficial?
  • Animal dissection in medical school is a good way to learn.
  • Owning pets reduces the risk of getting diseases. Do you agree?
  • Emotional support animals can truly help lonely people.
  • Keeping exotic animals as pets is inhumane.
  • Stronger laws must be enforced against animal cruelty.
  • Pros and cons of animal testing.
  • How can the emotional support of animals help in treating mental problems?
  • Significance of microchipping the pets.
  • Rights enjoyed by the ESA owners.

Argumentative Research Paper Topics

  • Ways to decrease childcare costs in the United States.
  • Are literate people better parents?
  • Challenges faced by female politicians.
  • Is rehab effective for sex offenders?
  • Is music a form of real art?
  • Spanish is a simple language to learn.
  • Schools should ban vending machines on-campus.
  • Are teachers to blame when a student performs poorly?
  • Are gender stereotypes encouraged by parents?
  • Illegal immigrants and terrorism: is it related?
  • Can imposing a tax on sugar help fight obesity.
  • Should age be a factor in relationships?
  • Do dreams have a symbolic meaning?
  • Should South and North Korea become one?
  • Can depression be cured using natural ways?

Unique Argumentative Essay Topics

Looking for some general argumentative essay topic ideas? Here is an ultimate list of great topics that can make your essay writing fun for you and your readers.

Controversial Argumentative Essay Topics

  • Should same-sex marriage be legal in all 50 states within the United States of America?
  • Is the feminist movement ruining the minds of young girls?
  • Corruption and its effects on increasing wages.
  • Hunting should be banned globally. Do you agree?
  • Which is more beneficial for society, Communism or Capitalism?
  • Should human cloning be allowed or not?
  • Abortion – A pro-life or a pro-choice?
  • Do anti-discrimination laws reinforce discrimination?
  • Should patients be entitled to request medically-assisted suicide in cases of terminal illness?
  • Can beauty standards be more inclusive?
  • Workplace dating should not be allowed, and here’s why.
  • Displaced immigrants and refugees should be given shelter by every country.
  • Is vegan or vegetarian life good for health?
  • Online dating has ruined the essence of old-school romance.
  • Chocolate can help improve our bad mood.
  • Is it ethical to eat meat?
  • Mothers make better parents naturally.
  • Politics can never be clean and fair.
  • Should the drinking age be lowered?

Easy Argumentative Essay Topics

  • Are girls more intelligent than boys?
  • Parents of middle schoolers should control their internet.
  • Was Johnny Depp the best choice for Burton’s Ed Wood?
  • Do religious movements cause the outbreak of war?
  • Are human beings the major source of global climate change?
  • Is it ethical to have kids perform chores?
  • Is using LEDs making a difference?
  • How does being a vegan help the environment?
  • Should teenage marriages be allowed?
  • Social media has brought families closer. Is there any truth to this statement?
  • If the House of Lords had veto power over the House of Commons, Britain would’ve been better off.
  • It’s okay to date multiple people at the same time.
  • HIV is falsely associated with homosexuals. Why?
  • Why are the laws neglecting tobacco and alcohol?
  • Most of the modern-time artists are one-hit wonders.

Fun Argumentative Essay Topics

  • Is panda hugging a viable career option?
  • Does Justin Bieber owe his success to negative PR?
  • Is it true that a way to a man’s heart is through his stomach?
  • Is the Bermuda Triangle a real thing?
  • Is it okay for parents to lie to their children about Santa Claus?
  • Did the feminist movement ever help you?
  • How did the feminist movement ever help you?
  • There is no such thing as organic food.
  • How to make your roommate believe that moving out is the best option.
  • Why should I join a different family?
  • Fans should not judge players after losses or failures.
  • Is social promotion a helpful practice?
  • Is racism a natural condition of human society?
  • Dieting must not be practiced by schoolers.
  • Should tattoos be perceived as a social deviation?

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Argumentative Essay Topics 2022

  • Are US elections always fair?
  • Is the death penalty an effective punishment for criminals?
  • Is it wise to replace soldiers with machines and artificial intelligence on battlefields?
  • Should animals be used for performing experiments?
  • Effects of terrorism on the foreign policy of the United States of America's cosmetic surgery worth the risks?
  • What is your point of view on a terminally ill person having the right to assisted suicide?
  • Life 100 years ago was much easier than it is today.
  • Is religion a factor that contributes to war?
  • A woman who doesn’t have enough resources to raise a child to be allowed to abort?
  • Physical activities are the most convenient way to relax.
  • The best way to enhance education is to decrease the number of classes.
  • Sports classes should become mandatory for everybody.
  • The pros and cons of using gadgets for studying purposes.
  • What is the most important socio-political movement of the modern era?

Argumentative Essay Topics 2023

The following are some amazing topics for argumentative essays. Have a look at them to get a better idea.

  • Fast food is responsible for childhood obesity in the US.
  • Is the United States ready for a female president?
  • Parents need to be very friendly with their kids.
  • Are smartphones harmful to our health?
  • Education needs to be free for all.
  • Is single-sex education still a good idea in 2020?
  • Should all people pursue a university degree worldwide?
  • Internet access must be unlimited and free.
  • Modern education has to eliminate grading systems.
  • Capitalism should acquire more socially significant policies.
  • Tourist tax is mandatory to save cultural heritage.
  • Kindergartens must introduce foreign language instruction.
  • Is hunting good for environmental well-being?
  • Using animals for research must be banned.
  • Women perform better than men in official positions and occupations.

Choosing a Good Argumentative Essay Topic

So you know the importance of choosing the right topic when writing an argumentative essay.

But what are you going to write about?

You sure don’t want to pick an argumentative essay topic that everyone else is working on. And you don’t want to research an argumentative topic where information and data are impossible to find.

You hopefully want to write on a debatable topic that will interest both you and your reader. Here are the criteria we use to choose a topic for argumentative essays:

  • It has to be interesting to the writer. You’ll be outlining, researching, and writing in-depth, so pick an engaging topic for your argument.
  • Have some information to begin with. The more familiar you are with the subject area, the easier it will be for both you and the reader.
  • The best argumentative essay topics are mostly controversial. If there’s no conflict and everyone agrees on everything, it won’t qualify as an argumentative essay.
  • An arguable thesis statement can be created according to the topic.

What Makes a Good Argumentative Essay?

A good argumentative essay is one that presents a well-reasoned and logical argument. It should be supported by facts and evidence, not just speculation or opinion. To create an effective argumentative essay, the writer must provide a strong case for their position on any given topic.

Strong Introduction and Thesis 

The first element of a good argumentative essay is an interesting and clear introduction. This should introduce the topic in a way that engages readers and makes them want to learn more. 

It should also provide an overview of the writer's position on the issue, as well as any evidence they will be using to support their argument.

Good Research and Evidence 

Good argumentation requires good evidence. So a good argumentative essay should be backed up by research and evidence. 

If a writer is making an assertion, they must provide evidence to back it up. This could include physical evidence such as statistics or quotes from experts in the field, as well as logical arguments that support their position.

Organized Structure 

The structure of an argumentative essay is also important. It should be structured in a way that makes it easy to follow and understand. 

This could include using headings, subheadings, and bullet points to break up the text into more manageable pieces. In addition, it should have a clear flow of ideas, with each paragraph logically leading to the next.

Effective Conclusion 

Finally, a good argumentative essay should have an effective conclusion. This should provide a summary of the writer's main points and reiterate their position on the issue.  The conclusion should also leave readers with something to think about, leaving them informed and with new insight.

After reading our list, don’t be surprised if your mind starts coming up with additional topics for an argumentative essay. We recommend that you keep a notebook or journal handy to record these topic ideas for later.

These were some of the most interesting essay topics . Did you find a topic to write on?

Now, before you overwhelm yourself by jumping straight to the writing process, we have a helpful tip for you. Go through this detailed article to learn how to craft an argumentative essay effectively.

Seeking help from professionals is nothing to be ashamed of, especially when your grades are at stake. It is quite common for some students not to have a knack for writing. Also, some might not have the time to complete assignments.

If you can relate to such students, you should consider taking help from a reliable essay writing service such as 5StarEssays.com . You can simply request ‘ write my essay '. And we will have an expert essay writer to provide you with high-quality assignments regardless of type and field.

Or, use our AI Essay Generator , for AI powered writing help to guide your way!

Jared P.

Masters Essay, Literature

Jared P. is a renowned author and writing service provider with over fifteen years of experience in the publishing industry. He has a Ph.D. degree in English Literature and has spent his entire career helping students achieve their academic goals by providing expert writing assistance.

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AP US Government and Politics Argument Essay

AP U.S. Government and Politics: Argument Essay

Question 4 of the AP U.S. Government and Politics free response section will always be the Argument Essay. These questions begin with a brief paragraph about a given topic, such as the balance between federal and state powers. The prompt will then give specific instructions about how you must format your essay, including a list of several required foundational documents that are relevant to the topic at hand. You will need to discuss one of the listed documents as well as another piece of specific evidence from your own knowledge.

Argument Essay Strategies

While the scoring for the first three free-response questions is more straightforward—you earn points (or not) based on fully addressing each part of the prompt—the scoring for the Argument Essay is a little more complex. The following rubric outlines what the AP readers are generally looking for when they grade your Argument Essay; note the various categories and the ways you can earn points.

Sample Question

  • Formulate a defensible thesis that establishes a chain of reasoning.
  • Federalist 10
  • U.S. Constitution
  • Take your other piece of evidence from a different foundational document from the list above OR from your own study.
  • Logically explain why your evidence supports your thesis.
  • Present and reply to an alternative viewpoint using refutation, concession, or rebuttal.

Step 1: Analyze the Prompt

Step 2: plan your response.

You’ll want to create a brief outline before you start writing, just like you would for any other full-length essay. As you saw from the rubric, AP readers are interested in your thesis development, your use of evidence, and your treatment of an alternative view. Everything you write should be toward one or more of those ends.

You will need to state a thesis that specifically addresses the prompt and makes a claim. Avoid rewording the prompt or being too general. A good question to ask yourself is, “Am I actually taking a position on this issue that someone else might argue against?” Also, while the Argument Essay necessitates a longer, more detailed response than the other free-response question types, it does not require a formal introduction; in fact, writing a lengthy introduction can take up valuable time and frustrate the AP reader who is scoring your essay. Assert your thesis as soon as possible, and then move into the rest of your response.

It is important to note that the Argument Essay’s topic and prompt wording will always intentionally allow for multiple positions. Therefore, you should be strategic and choose the position that you can best back up with evidence. You may even advocate for a different position than the one you personally agree with! To that end, no matter how strongly you feel about a topic, always present your evidence and claims in a balanced manner. Throughout your essay, even and especially when responding to an alternative viewpoint, avoid wording that makes it seem like your argument is simply your personal opinion (e.g., “I think” or “I believe,” or any language that is overly emotional).

With all of this in mind, a high-scoring writer might write the following outline:

Thesis: Trustee is the best model (ideals of Constitution)

  • Madison’s fear: large country + big gov’t = factions (many groups disagree)
  • Trustee can mediate, come to concl, act in best interests
  • Needed trustee model to make change
  • Civil rights and women’s rights movements
  • The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965

Response to alternative view: Anti-Feds would fear large repub (Brutus), but pol system in place would keep trustee honest

Step 3: Action! Write Response & Step 4: Proofread

Sample high-scoring response.

The trustee model of legislative representation is the best reflection of the founders’ intentions in setting up American democracy because it offers the best hope for what the Preamble to the Constitution calls “a more perfect union,” one that will bring together war- ring factions and increase harmony.

As James Madison pointed out in Federalist 10, it is inevitable that a republic will contain many groups which vehemently disagree. The bigger a country grows, the more frequent and violent factional clashes are likely to become. Madison was looking ahead to the U.S. that would burst the bounds of the original colonies and create more factionalism. This vision of an expanding, clashing nation makes the trustee model very appealing. A trustee Congressperson is one who will listen to all sides, make an independent judgment, but then go on to explain it so that opponents may be persuaded to change their minds, thus bringing resolution to conflicts.

A trustee is a representative willing to do the principled thing even if the public thinks otherwise. Many issues in our history have seemed so polarized that they were beyond resolution and could not wait for popular consensus. This was the case with civil rights issues and legislation in the 1960s. Technically, African Americans had the right to vote since the passage of the Fifteenth Amendment in 1870. However, this right was violently suppressed through intimidation tactics and a variety of restrictive measures such as poll taxes and literacy tests. It was not until the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that substantial voting protections were extended to all black people. The Voting Rights Act outlawed literacy tests and other tactics; under this act, federal officials were sent to the South to ensure that African Americans were allowed to vote free from fear and intimidation, and the election practices of local governments were held under greater scrutiny. Civil rights movement leaders had challenged discriminatory practices for decades, but due to intense polarization in society, there was no public consensus on how to address racism in voting practices or even agreement as to whether to address it at all. Legislators had to go against the opinions of the majority in order to act in a way that advanced American ideals for all citizens, and the public eventually caught up.

Similarly, legislators pushed through the Civil Rights Act of 1964 which was supported by people within social movements but not by the general populace. Additionally, the Civil Rights Act of 1964 touched on the goals of not just the civil rights movement but also the women’s rights movement; for example, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibited sex discrimination in public accommodations. Members of these movements had been working for years to get society at large to expand rights and protections to all people. However, if legislators had waited to act until a majority of their constituency approved of these civil rights bills, the bills may never have passed. In this way, the trustee model can be used to uphold the rights of the minority despite majority resistance.

The trustee idea would have been opposed by Brutus and other Anti-Federalists. Brutus 1 warns that a large republic would necessarily be disconnected from its people. Following this logic, a concern with the trustee model would be that the representative would deviate too far from the will of the people and become despotic. But it is important to note that the people have the ultimate voice if they disagree with the trustee’s judgments: the power of the ballot. The legislator’s desire to stay in power is a strong check on him or her, acting as an incentive to listen to constituents.

All in all, the trustee is in the best position to reduce the intense factionalism Madison feared. Even before the advance of mass media, the trustee had many means to learn of the people’s different views and to explain why the legislator was voting a certain way, or advancing this or that philosophy. This give and take of ideas surely helped to get the republic through its rocky early decades, and also helped the country to recover from the volatile growing pains and changes in the mid-twentieth century by finding ways to bring people together and advance equal rights for all.

Sample Response Explanation and Scoring

  • Thesis (0–1 pt): The writer sets up a clear X because Y sentence to introduce the thesis, which could be paraphrased as, The trustee model brings about harmony. Everything that follows is connected to the founders’ ideal of harmony. The writer would therefore earn 1 point for Thesis.
  • Support (0–3 pts): There is more than enough evidence to gain the full 3 points for Support, as the writer explains Madison’s argument in Federalist 10 and elaborates upon relevant historical examples of disharmony that those acting as trustees helped to fix through assertive actions. In addition, the references to the Constitution and Brutus 1 (while unnecessary for earning full credit in Support) show a strong command of course material.
  • Reasoning (0–1 pt): The writer earns the 1 point for Reasoning by clearly explaining how a trustee offers the best hope for Madison’s vision. Specifically, the writer asserts in paragraphs 3 and 4 how trustees could not wait for public opinion in order to act.
  • Reply to Alternative Viewpoint (0–1 pt): There is a whole paragraph at the end dedicated to rebutting the Anti-Federalists’ objections. In this way, the writer makes it clear that this requirement has been met and earns the final 1 point.

Question-Specific Rubric: 6 points (1 + 3 + 1 + 1)

Learn more about the other free response questions on the AP U.S. Government and Politics exam. Concept Application   •   Quantitative Analysis   •   SCOTUS Comparison

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Note : Some questions and scoring guidelines from the 2023 and earlier AP U.S. Government and Politics Exams may not perfectly align with the course and exam updates that take effect in the 2023-24 school year. These questions remain available because teachers say that imperfectly aligned questions still provide instructional value.

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200+ Argumentative Essay Topics That Will Blow Your Mind

Updated 17 Jun 2024

Argumentative essays are very popular projects in universities, especially in classes such as English composition, history, and political science, etc. Professors like to assign them because they want to see how well you can reason and support an argument. This article will not only show you how to choose argumentative essay topics, but it will also teach you how to write the project, as well!

List of Controversial Argumentative Essay Topics

Argumentative Essay Topics

What are the most controversial topics?

Controversial topics are often the result of such issues as conflicting ethical principles (e.g., euthanasia), going against traditional values (e.g., LGBT rights, gender roles), addressing societal taboos, focusing on delicate or painful issues/collective memories, or the existence of polarized groups in society having different beliefs/stances (e.g., religious groups, atheists, gun ownership supporters). Here are some possible topics for hardworking students who want to achieve the best grades:

Argumentative Essay Topics for College

Argumentative essay writing is a crucial skill for every student. As a college student, you need to find a “controversial” or “gray-area” topic to argue against or for. Your argumentative essay should include deeply researched facts that will support your claims.

  • What is the ideal age for obtaining the right to vote?
  • Are mobile phones really making people anti-social?
  • Why technology-aided learning should be a standard.
  • Is socialism bad or have we never implemented it right?
  • Equal opportunity or equity: Which one and why?
  • Reasons why the modern political structure is ready for a change.
  • Money won’t give you happiness in life.
  • We are living in the best era so far.
  • The ruling elite should be held accountable in greater measure.
  • Should college education be free for everyone?
  • The impact of technology on the traditional college education system.
  • Is the pressure to choose a major at a young age too high?
  • The effectiveness of online classes compared to traditional in-person classes.
  • Should universities implement mandatory courses on financial literacy?
  • The role of Greek life in college culture: beneficial or harmful?
  • Should college athletes be paid for playing?
  • The impact of social media on college students' mental health.
  • Is a gap year beneficial for students before starting college?
  • The relevance of standardized testing in college admissions.

Argumentative Essay Topics for High School

  • Are digital technologies a good thing for children?
  • Is celebrity culture good or bad & why?
  • Is there really a wage gap between men and women?
  • Should countries get involved in military conflicts around the world?
  • Is global warming really an issue & how?
  • What are the effects of sexual education on students?
  • Is migration good for the US and in what way?
  • Should citizens have the right to own guns?
  • Should sexual minorities have their own public bathrooms?
  • Is traditional public education outdated and ready for an overhaul?
  • Should high schools enforce a dress code or uniform?
  • The effects of homework on high school students' stress levels and academic performance.
  • Should high schools offer more vocational and career-oriented courses?
  • The impact of school start times on student performance and well-being.
  • Should high school students be allowed to choose their own curriculum?
  • The role of technology and gadgets in the classroom: distraction or educational tool?
  • Should high schools implement more programs for mental health awareness?
  • The importance of teaching life skills in high school.
  • Should community service be a graduation requirement for high school students?
  • The influence of competitive sports on high school students.

Argumentative Essay Topics about Family

The family is the fundamental unit of society, with direct links to the individual. It influences/dictates many other higher level social processes/structures/hierarchies. Hence, its role for the individual and collective existence of humans is simply monumental. This makes it a topic worth researching and exploring from a sociological, cultural, and psychological perspective.

Moreover, given the current cultural transitions characterizing liberal societies, traditional values on the nature of the family unit have seen a dramatic shift due to a change in gender roles and the recognition of LGBT rights. Thus, families nowadays are facing existential questions; many of the aspects we grew accustomed to are being redefined (e.g., same-sex marriages and parents). Here is a short list of argumentative essay topics related to family:

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  • Should homosexual partners be allowed to adopt children?
  • It is ok for a parent to physically discipline his child?
  • Should mothers stay at home and look after children, or should they work like their husbands?
  • Are children better off in two-parent households?
  • Should someone who has been convicted of a sex crime be allowed to visit his own children?
  • Should children be forcibly taken from their parents if the state feels that the parents are incompetent?
  • What are the advantages and benefits of reading to children?
  • Do you believe that same-sex couples make better or worse parents?
  • What positive and negative long-term effects can corporal punishment have on children?
  • Should families have a television in the house or not?
  • Should parents monitor their children's internet use?
  • The effects of divorce on children's psychological well-being.
  • Should families adopt a more sustainable lifestyle to combat climate change?
  • The impact of single parenting vs. dual parenting on child development.
  • Should parents be held accountable for their children's actions and behavior?
  • The role of extended family in child upbringing in modern society.
  • Should parents use technology to track their children's whereabouts?
  • The effects of parental pressure on children's academic and career choices.
  • The importance of family dinners in maintaining family bonds.
  • Should parents choose their child's religion, or should the child decide when they are older?

Argumentative Essay Topics about Society

We are all defined by the society we live in. Whether we are aware of this or not, our culture slowly carves our personalities as we grow up, mature, and age. This influence is exerted through the families who raise us, our friends or romantic partners, our teachers/professors and academic colleagues, our professional contacts, the churches we attend, and any other person we interact with on the street, on the phone, online, etc. One of the fundamental principles by which society functions states, “My liberty ends where your liberty begins.”

While this depicts the general spirit, every individual situation/social relationship is characterized by peculiar circumstances that all need to be considered in order to reach a mutually satisfying solution (or at least a compromise). Societies worldwide are undergoing serious changes nowadays, changes which also need to be addressed. Below is a selection of argumentative essay topics related to society:

  • Should abortion be legal or illegal?
  • Do you believe that a person who is terminally ill has a right to assisted suicide?
  • Should private businesses be allowed to discriminate against their clients based on race, gender, or sexual orientation?
  • What should countries do to address the problem of illegal immigration?
  • Should the Church play a more active role in government and society?
  • Is the death penalty an effective deterrent to criminals?
  • Should countries have a social safety net that protects the needy and the disadvantaged?
  • Do you think that those receiving welfare payments should be required to actively seek work?
  • What positive and negative effects does globalization have on societies?
  • Does diversity in the workplace increase or decrease tension?
  • The impact of social media on body image and self-esteem.
  • Should the government regulate fake news on the internet?
  • The effects of urbanization on community life and environment.
  • Is the death penalty an effective deterrent to crime?
  • The role of censorship in art and media.
  • Should governments provide a universal basic income?
  • The impact of consumer culture on society and the environment.
  • Should voting be mandatory for all eligible citizens?
  • The role of protests in shaping public policy.
  • The impact of globalization on local cultures and economies.

Argumentative Essay Topics on Immigration

Immigration is a controversial topic that has been discussed often over the past decade, which makes it perfect for an argumentative essay. It allows you to give strong reasons behind supporting, rejecting, or changing how immigration is handled.

  • How opening all the borders in the world will cause chaos.
  • Situations in which illegal immigration should be justified.
  • How do countries benefit from immigration?
  • Why stopping wars is the best way to prevent immigration.
  • Reasons why people want to emigrate to another country.
  • Will building walls stop illegal immigration?
  • Should refugees running away from conflict be seen as illegals?
  • Why are there so many people against immigration?
  • What are the effects of immigration on the economy?
  • Should governments increase the screening of immigrants from the Middle East?
  • Should countries have open borders?
  • The impact of immigration on the job market and economy.
  • Should immigrants have access to government-subsidized healthcare?
  • The role of immigrants in cultural diversity and innovation.
  • Should children of illegal immigrants be granted citizenship?
  • The effectiveness of building walls and barriers to control immigration.
  • The impact of immigration policies on family separation.
  • Should immigrants be required to learn the official language of the host country?
  • The role of international agreements in managing refugee crises.
  • The impact of immigration on national identity and social cohesion.

Argumentative Essay Topics about Law

To manage the complexity of interactions that occur daily within society (involving individuals or groups of people, ranging from property owners to employers and employees to commercial entities to criminals to foreigners, etc.), a clear and transparent set of rules must be implemented. This is a fundamental prerequisite of every society, even from ancient times.

Writing legislation, however, is an ongoing process; and given the speed with which new technologies appear nowadays and the shifts in mentality we undergo on a regular basis, adopting laws to help manage any problem that may emerge is quite a challenge. In fact, adopting a law might solve one problem but create others, so oftentimes, it is a cycle of trial and error.

  • Should federal bureaucracies be allowed to pass regulations that have the same weight as laws passed by legislative bodies?
  • Would Great Britain be better off if the House of Lords had veto power over the House of Commons?
  • Should judges make their rulings based on the wording of the law, or should they make rulings that benefit society?
  • Do you believe that states should be able to nullify federal law and rulings made by the Supreme Court if they believe such laws and rulings violate their rights as sovereign republics in the Union?
  • Does the Second Amendment allow for ordinary citizens to own firearms, or does it only relegate these rights to militias?
  • Does the Supreme Court of the United States have too much power over the other branches of government?
  • Should birthright citizenship be abolished by Congress?
  • Is it a violation of the Fourteenth Amendment for states to deny the franchise to criminals?
  • Is it a violation of the Fourth Amendment for the NSA to collect metadata?
  • Should prosecuting a child as an adult be considered by the Supreme Court to be a violation of the Eighth Amendment?
  • Should the death penalty be abolished worldwide?
  • The impact of gun control laws on crime rates.
  • Is the current copyright law adequate in the digital age?
  • Should hate speech be protected under freedom of speech laws?
  • The effectiveness of the juvenile justice system.
  • Should marijuana be legalized for medicinal and recreational use?
  • The implications of surveillance laws on privacy and security.
  • Should prisoners have the right to vote?
  • The role of international law in resolving global conflicts.
  • The impact of legalizing assisted suicide on society.

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Ethics Argumentative Essay Topics

Ethics deals with the challenge of making the right decisions from the standpoint of moral values. Oftentimes, it is involved when discussing conflicting subjects – those in which, at first sight, both conflicting positions seem to have valid reasoning and appear to be driven by high moral principles.

By delving deeper into these problems, it is often possible to see additional layers, to learn about specific circumstances, and typical case scenarios and also to dissect problems and reflect both on their causes and potential solutions. Here are a few argumentative essay topics on some ethically controversial issues:

  • Do you believe that a priest or psychologist ought to be required by law to share the contents of their conversations with parishioners and patients with the police?
  • Is it ethical for a doctor to deny treatment to a patient who cannot afford an operation?
  • Is it right for a college to have racial quotas that benefit minorities while denying entrance to academically gifted white and Asian students?
  • Should someone be allowed to use a gun to defend his home from an intruder?
  • Should the First Amendment protect speech that might be considered offensive by some?
  • Is it ethical to require sex offenders to have their names listed on registries visible to the public?
  • Is it morally acceptable to offer a white lie to someone when the truth might hurt their feelings?
  • Should prostitution be a legal career?
  • Do you think that drug use should be legalized?
  • Should hunting be considered cruelty to animals?
  • Is it ethical to use animals for scientific research?
  • The morality of capital punishment.
  • Should genetic engineering on humans be allowed?
  • The ethical implications of artificial intelligence.
  • Is it ethical to implement tracking devices on employees?
  • The ethics of using placebo in clinical trials.
  • Should parents have the right to select the gender of their unborn child?
  • The ethical considerations of organ donation from deceased donors without prior consent.
  • Is it ethical to keep animals in zoos and aquariums?
  • The morality of war and military interventions.

History Argumentative Essay Topics

History can be viewed as the collective memory of humankind. It typically records significant or remarkable events affecting many people or signifying important societal, cultural, or economic changes or transitions. The chief practical motivation for learning history is to avoid repeating past human errors. History also has great intrinsic value since it describes our evolution from hunter-gatherers to individuals living in extremely sophisticated societies.

Some major events on this road include the creation of laws and the rise of capitalism, money, state institutions, constitutions, and the idea of separation of powers in a state. Many recent historical events help us understand current relationships and processes occurring between countries and within societies. Check out the following topics:

  • Was colonialism beneficial to the Third World, or was it harmful?
  • Was Adolf Hitler right to demand that territory formerly belonging to Germany be returned to it?
  • Should President Abraham Lincoln have allowed the Southern states to leave the Union peacefully?
  • Do you believe that the United States was justified in expelling the Native Americans from regions inhabited by white settlers?
  • Was the Soviet Union justified in occupying Eastern Europe at the end of the Second World War?
  • What were the causes of the US-Mexican War, and what effects does it have on the world today?
  • What were the primary causes of the Indo-Pak Wars following the dissolution of British India?
  • Was Reconstruction of the American South following the American Civil War a success or a failure?
  • Why was Prussia successful in unifying Germany into a single nation?
  • What effect did the invention of the cotton gin have on American agriculture?
  • Was the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki justified?
  • The impact of colonialism on indigenous populations.
  • Should historical figures be judged by today's moral standards?
  • The effectiveness of the Treaty of Versailles in preventing World War II.
  • The role of women in World War II.
  • The impact of the Renaissance on modern Western society.
  • Was the Cold War inevitable?
  • The influence of the Mongol Empire on world history.
  • The consequences of the fall of the Roman Empire.
  • The role of the Silk Road in shaping global trade and cultural exchange.

Conflict Essay Topics

The majority of conflict essay topics are dealing with challenging subjects like armed conflicts, crises, workplace issues, student debts, bullying, and more. The purpose is to identify a conflict, turn to an existing case study, and provide sources that will support an argument. Here are some conflict essay ideas that you should consider:

  • The religious constituent of conflict between Israel and Palestine.
  • The role of mediation in multicultural conflicts.
  • Parents and teens conflict: psychology vs physiology.
  • How do NGOs impact the human rights of females in India?
  • Covid-19 and Alitalia workplace conflict.
  • Konrad Lorenz and his theory of violence and conflict.
  • Peaceful conflict resolution: Gandhi vs Tolstoy.
  • Johan Galtung and Norwegian approach to world conflicts.
  • Social media conflicts: where do we cross the line?
  • An ethical side of religious conflicts and politics.
  • The role of international intervention in civil wars.
  • Can peace be achieved in the Middle East?
  • The impact of economic sanctions on conflict resolution.
  • The effectiveness of the United Nations in preventing global conflicts.
  • Cyber warfare: The new frontier of international conflict.
  • The role of natural resources in fueling conflicts.
  • The impact of social media on political unrest and revolutions.
  • Should countries have the right to intervene in the internal affairs of others for humanitarian reasons?
  • The consequences of the arms trade on global peace and security.
  • The role of education in preventing religious and ethnic conflicts.

Argumentative Essay Topics on Health

Health topics can be very broad in their scope, ranging from a discussion of various medical conditions to arguing in favor of new treatment approaches; revealing new evidence regarding the causes of certain diseases (e.g., allergies); problems faced by the healthcare system and ways to best address them; various medical practices; the influence of modern lifestyle on our health; myths about a healthy lifestyle (and their debunking); and problems with untrustworthy medically related information on the web and how to address said problem.

  • Do you believe that healthcare should be free for all?
  • Should prisoners in the United States have the same access to healthcare as do free persons?
  • Is it ethical to perform medical experiments on animals?
  • Should medical knowledge gained from experiments performed on people in Nazi concentration camps be used today?
  • Is it better to have a private or public healthcare system?
  • How should the United States cope with an increasingly aging population?
  • Should people with sexually transmitted diseases, such as HIV/AIDs, be forcibly quarantined?
  • Is drug and alcohol addiction a disease?
  • Should military service members be allowed to sue military doctors for medical malpractice?
  • How are 21st century social conditions affecting people’s health?
  • Reasons why child vaccination is mandatory in some countries.
  • Objective facts that show how cosmetic surgery is dangerous.
  • Medical drugs should be cheaper and available to everyone.
  • How to recognize unfactual medical advice that can be encountered online?
  • Should vaccination be mandatory for all?
  • The impact of diet fads on long-term health.
  • Should healthcare be considered a right or a privilege?
  • The effectiveness of alternative medicine.
  • The impact of mental health on overall well-being.
  • Should the government regulate junk food like it does tobacco and alcohol?
  • The role of exercise in preventing lifestyle diseases.
  • The ethical implications of cloning and genetic modification in humans.
  • Should there be a cap on medical malpractice lawsuit settlements?
  • The impact of social determinants on health outcomes.

Psychology Argumentative Topics Ideas

As a psychology student, you need to find interesting topics that are relevant to the field of psychology. Students need to use their knowledge, research, and analytic skills to write essays with reliable information that supports their claims.

  • Why is love often the topic of music lyrics?
  • How marketing subconsciously affects our minds.
  • Main reasons why kids learn to play instruments faster.
  • How emotions affect our actions and behaviour.
  • How is cyberbullying harmful to personal development?
  • How music rewires our brains and affects our development.
  • Why modern people need to prepare themselves for parenthood.
  • Why is a sense of humour different depending on the culture?
  • How bad experiences can lead to nightmares.
  • How social media creates bad values with children.
  • Is nature or nurture more influential in shaping personality?
  • The effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral therapy versus medication in treating depression.
  • Should psychological testing be mandatory for gun ownership?
  • The impact of social media on adolescent mental health.
  • Does violent video game play contribute to aggressive behavior in children?
  • The ethics of using animals in psychological research.
  • Can psychological interventions effectively prevent addiction relapse?
  • Is the concept of intelligence quotient (IQ) an outdated measure of intelligence?
  • The role of psychology in addressing climate change denial.
  • Should psychological profiling be used in the hiring process?

Argumentative Essay Topics on Education

Education is vital in the shaping of our future. The current generation of students will one day be in positions of power and manage the future of our society. Accordingly, we should attend to the needs of the current generation and ensure their harmonious and qualitative intellectual, moral, and physical development. We should also help them not only to adapt to the requirements of these times but also to have the skills, wisdom, and determination necessary to progress in the right direction (addressing current global problems).

Here is a list of topics:

  • Should children with special needs be taught separately from normal children?
  • Should standardized test scores be used to determine whether or not a student graduates?
  • Do you believe that Common Core will benefit the American education system?
  • Should the curriculum in public schools be determined by local communities or by the state?
  • Which system is better: teacher-centered or student-centered education?
  • Should schools include athletics as part of school life, or should school be solely for academic purposes?
  • What are the benefits and drawbacks of a classical education?
  • Compare and contrast learning methodologies of the 19th and 20th centuries.
  • How can parents facilitate learning in the classroom?
  • Should teachers be friends with their students?
  • Should middle-school students choose their subjects?
  • How to balance free speech and regulations on campus.
  • How the COVID-19 pandemic made distance learning mainstream.
  • Why are younger generations ready to switch to online learning?
  • Should standardized testing be abolished in schools?
  • The impact of technology in the classroom: distraction or learning enhancement?
  • Is homeschooling a better alternative to traditional schooling?
  • Should college education be made free for everyone?
  • The effectiveness of sex education in schools.
  • Should schools implement more life skills courses?
  • The role of physical education in the school curriculum.
  • Should schools ban homework to reduce student stress?
  • The impact of school uniforms on student behavior and performance.
  • Should schools teach financial literacy?

Topics on Foreign Policy

The topics below address international diplomacy, discussing such issues as armed conflicts, frozen conflicts, commercial treaties and commercial wars, military alliances or cooperation, weapons commerce, peace-keeping operations, and traditional and emerging ties between countries.

The foreign policy of a country is often determined by politics, national interests, economic circumstances, social issues (e.g., low tolerance against immigrants), values, and traditions as well as any history of diplomatic ties. Feel free to check the options below for inspiration:

  • Should the United States engage in rapprochement with Russia?
  • Do you believe that the European Union is beneficial to Europe?
  • Is it a good policy for the EU and NATO to expand in Eastern Europe?
  • Should the United States guarantee the security of South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan against China, Russia, and North Korea?
  • Is Great Britain justified in leaving the European Union?
  • What should Ukraine’s foreign policy be as a result of American and Russian interference in her domestic affairs?
  • Should South and North Korea unify, or should they remain separate countries?
  • What foreign policy objectives should the Biden administration pursue?
  • How can Russia and the United States achieve a lasting peace in Syria that is beneficial to both nations and Syria?
  • How has terrorism affected the foreign policies of the United States and Russia?
  • Should the international community intervene in human rights abuses in sovereign countries?
  • The effectiveness of economic sanctions as a foreign policy tool.
  • The role of the United Nations in maintaining global peace.
  • Should countries prioritize national security over international cooperation?
  • The impact of foreign aid on developing countries.
  • The ethics of drone warfare in foreign policy.
  • Should global environmental issues be a central focus of foreign policy?
  • The influence of cultural diplomacy in international relations.
  • The future of NATO in global security.
  • The role of espionage in shaping foreign policy.

Economics Argumentative Essay Topics

A strong economy is essential for the well-being of a nation since it serves as the engine for individual prosperity, infrastructure projects benefiting millions, well-financed medicine, education, and the military—which, in turn, is the guarantor of national safety.

Argumentative essay topics related to the economy may deal with policies regarding economic development (tax cuts versus increased taxation for big corporations/small and medium enterprises; protectionism versus joining free-trade treaties), socio-economic doctrine (socialism/communism/capitalism), the investigation of reasons behind economic crises, indices of a strong economy, and how to solve economic problems in developing countries.

  • Should developed nations adopt socialism?
  • Which economic system is better for society: capitalism or socialism?
  • What are some of the reasons why communism failed in the Soviet Union?
  • Is buying shares speculation or is it investing?
  • What are the advantages and disadvantages of an economy oriented towards exporting commodities?
  • What were the causes of the recession of 2008, and how might such an economic downturn be avoided in the future?
  • Did President Roosevelt’s New Deal policies help to end the Great Depression, or did they protract America’s economic woes?
  • What economic policies should Third World countries adopt to improve their global status?
  • Should countries adopt protectionist or free-trade policies?
  • What are the advantages and disadvantages to being in a customs union?
  • Is capitalism the best economic system for wealth distribution?
  • The impact of minimum wage laws on employment rates.
  • Should governments bail out failing industries?
  • The role of cryptocurrency in the future of the global economy.
  • Is universal basic income a viable solution to poverty?
  • The effects of globalization on local economies.
  • Should governments regulate the sharing economy?
  • The impact of trade tariffs on international relations.
  • Can sustainable development coexist with current economic growth models?
  • The role of government in regulating tech giants.

Military Science Topic Ideas

According to a popular saying, “if you don’t want to feed your own army, be prepared to feed the enemy’s army” – this summarizes the role played by the military for any given nation. While, according to the statistics of the last decades, we seem to be moving away from wars, these still occur and given the weaponry of today, they can be very destructive.

Nowadays, military science is not only concentrated on the use of strategies and tactical maneuvers but also on the mastery of a number of advanced technologies (nuclear weapons, drones, AI-powered devices, lasers, satellites).

  • Can wars be won solely by strategic bombing, or are ground forces necessary to achieve victory?
  • Can mechanized units be used to take urban areas, or is light infantry, supported by artillery and aircraft, better suited for this role?
  • When waging a counterinsurgency in another country, should reprisals be taken against civilians in order to deter them from aiding the opposition force?
  • Is it morally acceptable to use chemical and biological munitions as area denial weapons?
  • What role did sea power play in the emergence of Great Britain as the premier superpower of the 19th century?
  • Why, despite arguably having the best army in the world, did Germany still lose the Second World War?
  • In a total war, where the objective is to replace the enemy’s government and completely occupy his country, do the means justify the ends?
  • Are aircraft carriers still useful on the modern battlefield, or have they been rendered obsolete by recent developments in air and submarine warfare?
  • Should the United States military seek to weaponize space?
  • Can artificial intelligence and machines replace soldiers on the battlefield?
  • The future of unmanned combat vehicles in warfare.
  • Should cyber warfare be considered a legitimate military strategy?
  • The ethics of using artificial intelligence in military operations.
  • The role of space exploration in national security.
  • Should nuclear weapons be globally abolished?
  • The impact of military alliances on global peace.
  • The effectiveness of counterinsurgency strategies.
  • The role of women in combat roles.
  • The impact of military spending on a country's economy.
  • The ethics of enhanced interrogation techniques in military intelligence.

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Sports Argumentative Essay Topics

Are you a sports fan? Even if you are not, you can still pick relevant and interesting subjects to discuss and explore in your upcoming assignment. First, you will have to choose your position and make sure you have a clear idea of your thesis statement. Then, you will have to come up with relevant evidence to support both sides of the argument. Check this list of controversial essay topics in relation to sports:

  • Stereotyping for college athletes: Is playing sports going to affect your academic level?
  • Cheerleading is a real sport: Are cheerleaders shamed for what they like to do the most?
  • Colleges spend too much money on sports programs.
  • Animal sports should be banned and criminalized.
  • The types of ads broadcast during sports events watched by children and teenagers should be controlled.
  • Betting on all kinds of sports contradicts with the main purpose of practicing them.
  • Male and female athletes should be given the same salaries and chances.
  • Chess is a real sport that trains the most important organ in the body: the brain.
  • Is American football too dangerous for players?
  • Do elite athletes really deserve their enormous income?
  • Should college athletes receive salaries?
  • Is the use of technology in sports (e.g., VAR in soccer) beneficial or detrimental?
  • Do sports stars deserve their high salaries?
  • Should performance-enhancing drugs be legalized under medical supervision?
  • Is cheerleading a sport?
  • The impact of hosting the Olympics on a city.
  • Should children be allowed to participate in contact sports?
  • The role of mental health in athletic performance.
  • Are esports legitimate sports?
  • Should sports betting be legalized everywhere?

6th-Grade Argumentative Essay Topic Ideas

For a middle-school student, picking the right topic for your upcoming essay can be a real challenge. Although you might think that you are better off when your teacher assigns the topic, it can be fun to make the choice on your own. Here are some topics that are appropriate for hardworking students who want to achieve the best grades.

  • Should education be free for everyone?
  • Why are children becoming more obese?
  • Current academic grading system: Is it fair?
  • What are the negative effects of following a nutritional diet?
  • Getting enough sleep: Is it receiving enough attention?
  • Should children and teens be playing dangerous sports?
  • Should violent video games be prohibited by law?
  • What is the effect of mobile phones on children and teens?
  • Parents should have no control over the lives of their children once they turn 16.
  • Are children and teens doing what they have to do to overcome globalization?
  • Should school cafeterias only offer healthy food options?
  • Are pets better companions than siblings?
  • Should homework be banned in schools?
  • Can video games be educational?
  • Should schools start later in the morning?
  • Is it better to read books or watch movies?
  • Should recycling be mandatory for everyone?
  • Are summer vacations too long?
  • Should students wear uniforms to school?
  • Is it important for children to learn a second language?

8th-Grade Argumentative Essay Topic Ideas

  • Smokers should avoid smoking when non-smokers are nearby.
  • Why taking care of your diet is important.
  • What makes pop culture so appealing to the younger population?
  • How is reality tv actually different from reality?
  • Why people in important positions make more money.
  • Why teachers shouldn’t add students on social media.
  • Why everyone should have access to the internet.
  • How the environment affects our growth as a person.
  • Differences in social pressure girls and boys face.
  • Should students have a say in their curriculum?
  • Is climate change the biggest threat to our future?
  • Should plastic bags be banned in all stores?
  • Are smartphones harmful to middle school students?
  • Should the voting age be lowered to 16?
  • Is it ethical to keep animals in zoos?
  • Should schools have more arts and music classes?
  • Is it better to be honest and poor or dishonest and rich?
  • Should junk food be banned in schools?
  • Are humans too dependent on computers?

Argumentative Essay Topics on Technology

Technology plays a crucial part in our lives, and this role keeps on growing every single day. Our technological breakthrough is currently improving the quality of life for millions of people, but it is also changing life as we know it. Here are some controversial topics to write about:

  • Is technology turning us into present-day zombies?
  • Is technology making people feel lonely?
  • Online dating: Is it replacing the real thing?
  • Is technology limiting creativity in young people?
  • Do you think that humanity will reach a point where there is no chance for any technological advancement?
  • Spending money on exploring space: the cost and the benefits.
  • The effect of technology on education.
  • Is technology making people smarter or dumber?
  • Can technology be used to treat human problems related to feelings?
  • Should cloning be allowed or banned?
  • Will artificial intelligence surpass human intelligence?
  • Is technology making us more alone?
  • Should self-driving cars be legal?
  • Is the digital age lowering people's attention spans?
  • Are smartphones harmful to our personal relationships?
  • Should all students be given tablets or laptops in school?
  • Is net neutrality important?
  • Can online education replace traditional education?
  • Is technology making people less creative?
  • Should people implant microchips for identity or banking?

Social Media Argumentative Topics

The rise in popularity of different social media platforms has caused a lot of changes across the globe. For starters, memes and trends spread too fast that one single meme can be viewed and shared by millions of people in one hour. Privacy, safety, and social responsibility are becoming extremely important as more people are relying on social media to communicate, study, work, and affect the lives of others.

  • What is the right age to allow children to have their own private social media accounts?
  • Does spending too much time on social media ruin family and personal relationships?
  • Social media pranks and challenges: Are they really dangerous?
  • Social media platforms can change someone’s point of view and bias.
  • Should social media platforms be monitored and controlled?
  • Are funny memes ethical?
  • Reporting offensive social media content: Is it really worth it?
  • International trends and how they affect the way we behave.
  • Are YouTubers responsible for comments their fans publish on their posts?
  • Making money off social media.
  • Does social media promote unrealistic expectations about life?
  • Should there be age restrictions on social media platforms?
  • Does social media enhance or hinder interpersonal relationships?
  • Is social media responsible for the spread of fake news?
  • Should employers look at potential employees' social media during the hiring process?
  • Is social media making us more narcissistic?
  • Can social media activism be considered real activism?
  • Should parents monitor their children's social media use?
  • Does social media improve or damage mental health?
  • Is it possible to have privacy on social media?

Funny Argumentative Essay Topics

Who said that education shouldn’t be fun? Picking the right funny topics will spice up the atmosphere in class and stir up a few laughs. Here are some ideas to think about before you decide on the topic of your next paper.

  • Why do people like to watch funny cat videos?
  • The reason why more people are interested in watching funny pranks.
  • Our world would be different if dogs ruled it.
  • Why are clowns frightening?
  • Pretending that you are actually working: Is it good or bad?
  • Teenagers have the worst pay for the worst jobs.
  • Reasons to love and hate your last name.
  • How to get rejected on a date.
  • Annoying your parents: Is it worth it?
  • Telling lies and getting away with them.
  • Should cats or dogs rule the world?
  • Is pineapple an acceptable pizza topping?
  • Are aliens avoiding Earth because it's too boring?
  • Should schools teach students how to become famous YouTubers?
  • Is watching cartoons acceptable for adults?
  • Should all desserts be considered breakfast food?
  • Are humans really smarter than animals?
  • Should there be a cap on the number of selfies one can post a day on social media?
  • Is the zombie apocalypse near, and how should we prepare?
  • Should robots have vacations?

Rogerian Argument Essay Topics

When a college professor asks you to come up with a Rogerian argument essay, it means that you should provide an essay with argumentation where both sides win. It may seem quite complex as it takes a great share of analysis, persuasion, debates, and study of the counter-arguments that are often contradictory or go against the most common logic. The solution is to choose a Rogerian argument where your audience should see at least two examples of an issue or the same idea like it has been done below:

  • Should Bitcoin be made a fully legal currency as a way to maintain the world's economy?
  • Should more skilled people be provided with better job positions?
  • Are current school examination systems fair to determine a child's success?
  • Should college athletes be paid more because they represent an educational institution?
  • Is Internet censorship an advantage since it provides control?
  • Marketing on children's television: is it a correct or a totally wrong approach?
  • Should school uniforms be permitted as a way to achieve equality?
  • Does automation help us as we become fully dependent on technology?
  • Is punishment of children a way to bring up well-behaved personalities?
  • Should boarding schools still exist as a way to let students communicate and live in a restricted learning environment?
  • The balance between freedom of speech and hate speech.
  • Finding common ground in gun control debates.
  • Addressing climate change: economic growth vs. environmental protection.
  • The middle path for abortion rights discussions.
  • Balancing national security and individual privacy.
  • Public school vs. homeschooling: finding the optimal model for education.
  • The role of government in healthcare.
  • Addressing immigration reform for a better future.
  • Finding consensus on the death penalty.
  • Balancing technology use and human interaction.

Environmental and Climate Change Topics

In a world where the environment is at the forefront of global discussions, debates, and policies, choosing a topic that resonates with current realities and future aspirations is crucial. The following list of environmental and climate change topics is curated to spark thoughtful discussions and arguments that echo the urgent need for sustainable practices, conservation efforts, and transformative policies. These topics are designed to provoke critical thinking, encourage research, and inspire a collective commitment to addressing our planet's pressing environmental challenges. Dive into these discussions with a sense of purpose and exploration, and you'll find a wealth of knowledge and perspectives that illuminate the path to a sustainable future.

  • The Role of Renewable Energy: Should governments globally prioritize renewable energy sources over fossil fuels to combat climate change?
  • Plastic Pollution: How effective are bans on single-use plastics in reducing plastic pollution, and should more countries adopt such bans?
  • Deforestation and Climate Change: Should there be stricter international laws to prevent deforestation and promote forest conservation?
  • Sustainable Agriculture: How can sustainable agriculture practices be promoted to combat environmental degradation and ensure food security?
  • Urban Planning and Environment: Should cities adopt green urban planning techniques to reduce environmental pollution and promote sustainability?
  • Ocean Acidification: What measures should be taken to prevent ocean acidification and protect marine biodiversity?
  • Climate Change and Natural Disasters: Is climate change directly responsible for the increase in frequency and severity of natural disasters?
  • Waste Management: How can waste management practices be improved to promote recycling and reduce landfill waste?
  • Water Conservation: What role do water conservation practices play in preventing water scarcity and promoting environmental sustainability?
  • Biodiversity and Conservation: Should more protected areas be established to conserve biodiversity and protect endangered species?
  • Air Pollution and Public Health: How does air pollution impact public health, and what measures should cities take to improve air quality?
  • Global Warming Mitigation: What global actions are necessary to mitigate the impacts of global warming and prevent catastrophic climate change?
  • Should governments invest more in renewable energies?
  • Is climate change the biggest threat facing humanity?
  • Can individual actions significantly impact climate change?
  • Should plastic products be banned to reduce pollution?
  • Are electric vehicles the solution to global pollution?
  • Should companies be held more accountable for environmental practices?
  • Is the meat industry a major contributor to climate change?
  • Can reforestation stop climate change?
  • Should public transport be made free to reduce carbon emissions?
  • Are current environmental laws enough to protect our planet?

Arts and Culture Topics

Arts and culture are the mirrors of society, reflecting our history, values, and diverse identities. The following topics invite you to explore the multifaceted world of arts and culture, encouraging a deeper understanding of its transformative impact on individuals and communities. These subjects aim to ignite discussions on the significance of artistic expression, cultural preservation, and creative innovation in shaping societal narratives and human experiences. Engaging with these topics will allow for a rich exploration of the dynamic interplay between arts, culture, and contemporary societal issues, fostering a nuanced appreciation of the arts' role in enriching our lives and societies.

  • Impact of Digital Art: How has digital art transformed artistic expression and appreciation in the modern era?
  • Cultural Appropriation in Art: Where is the line between cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation in various forms of art?
  • Music and Mental Health: Can music be effectively used as a therapeutic tool for mental health improvement?
  • Historical Accuracy in Movies: How important is historical accuracy in films, and what impact does it have on societal perceptions of historical events?
  • Social Media and Art Exposure: Has social media positively or negatively affected artists' ability to showcase their work and gain exposure?
  • The Role of Museums: How do museums contribute to education and the preservation of culture and history?
  • Censorship in the Arts: Should there be limitations on artistic expression to prevent offensive or harmful content?
  • The Influence of Art on Society: How does art influence societal norms, values, and attitudes?
  • Cultural Impact of Literature: How does literature contribute to the preservation and transmission of culture and historical narratives?
  • Diversity in the Film Industry: What steps should be taken to promote diversity and inclusion in the film industry?
  • The Evolution of Dance: How has dance evolved as a form of cultural expression, and what influences have shaped its development?
  • Art Education: What is the importance of art education in schools, and how does it contribute to students' overall development and creativity?
  • The impact of digital media on traditional art forms.
  • Cultural appropriation in fashion and art: Where is the line?
  • The role of street art in urban culture and politics.
  • The evolution of music genres and their cultural significance.
  • How do museums shape our understanding of history and culture?
  • The influence of social media on contemporary literature.
  • The revival of indigenous arts and its importance in preserving culture.
  • The role of art therapy in mental health and well-being.
  • The impact of globalization on local cultural identities.
  • The significance of cultural festivals in promoting unity and diversity.

Science and Research Topics

Science and research are the cornerstones of innovation and progress in society. The following topics delve into the realms of scientific discovery and exploration, encouraging a thoughtful examination of the advancements, ethical considerations, and impacts of research in various fields. These subjects aim to foster discussions on the role of science in addressing contemporary challenges, advancing technology, and enhancing our understanding of the natural world and human existence. Engaging with these topics will facilitate a deeper appreciation of the transformative power of scientific research and its capacity to shape a better and more informed future.

  • Ethics in Scientific Research: How should ethical considerations shape scientific research, especially in sensitive areas like genetics and biotechnology?
  • Space Exploration and Colonization: What are the potential benefits and risks of human colonization of other planets, such as Mars?
  • Artificial Intelligence: How will the advancement of artificial intelligence impact various sectors such as healthcare, education, and employment?
  • Vaccine Development: What lessons have been learned from the rapid development of COVID-19 vaccines that can be applied to future vaccine research?
  • Climate Change Research: How can scientific research contribute to a better understanding and mitigation of the impacts of climate change?
  • Nanotechnology: What are the potential applications and ethical implications of advancements in nanotechnology?
  • Renewable Energy Technologies: How can research and innovation in renewable energy technologies contribute to a sustainable future?
  • Biodiversity and Conservation: What role does scientific research play in the conservation of biodiversity and natural ecosystems?
  • Mental Health Research: How can research in psychology and neuroscience contribute to improved mental health treatments and interventions?
  • Genetic Engineering: What are the potential benefits and ethical considerations of genetic engineering technologies such as CRISPR?
  • Cybersecurity: How can research in cybersecurity help protect against emerging threats and ensure data privacy?
  • Sustainable Agriculture: How can scientific research contribute to the development of sustainable agriculture practices and food security?
  • The ethics of genetic editing: The CRISPR technology debate.
  • The potential of renewable energy sources to replace fossil fuels.
  • The role of artificial intelligence in healthcare.
  • The impact of microplastics on marine ecosystems and human health.
  • The future of space exploration: Mars colonization.
  • The psychological effects of social isolation.
  • Climate change: Analyzing the effectiveness of current mitigation strategies.
  • The relationship between diet, lifestyle, and longevity.
  • The potential of stem cell research in regenerative medicine.
  • The role of technology in enhancing or hindering educational outcomes.

These lists provide amazing ideas that you can use in your upcoming assignment. Browse them and make sure you choose a relevant topic to discuss in your writing.

What are good topics for college essays?

Good college essays may explore problems or challenges faced by students or youth, career choices, educational opportunities, and inspiring people; they may also address global or local challenges faced by the current generation of students, the dangers and potential they will be exposed to, and the change they need to bring to this world.

These topics can also serve as very good argumentative speech topics, too!

The Principles of Formatting Academic Papers

Academic papers are normally required to abide by a specific formatting style that is characteristic to the field (APA, MLA, Chicago, Harvard, etc.). This preference for a given formatting style is primarily dictated by the nature of the content and the type of in-text citations, bibliography, and formatting of the page header and/or footer that works best with such content.

MLA uses the author-page number format for in-text citations and lists the first names of the authors in the bibliography section. This is better suited for precisely referencing information in humanitarian subjects, characterized by long works written by one or few authors.

In contrast, APA uses an author-year format and is thus better suited for sciences. Mentioning the year as part of in-text citations makes it easy to visualize the chronology of the research cited in the paper. At the same time, APA collapses first names in the bibliography section to initials, which is very handy when the number of authors involved is large, a frequent scenario in scientific publications. Finally, providing page numbers, in this case, makes less sense given that scientific publications are typically short and often published in online documents without explicit numbering.

You could download and use templates for the appropriate formatting styles to take a shortcut and save lots of time. The most basic elements required by a given format would be accounted for in these templates: margins, font size, page headers, indentation, first-level, and second-level headings, the format of bibliography sources, page numbering, footnotes and endnotes, title pages, etc. It’s often a good idea to check an essay format example before you start working on your own.

How to Prepare Your Essay

There are multiple steps you should take in order to learn how to write an argumentative essay of excellent quality:

  • Research your argumentative essay ideas

Whatever topic you choose, you are going to have to do some reading up on it because chances are that you don’t know as much about the subject as you think you do.

The best research strategy is to find five reputable sources that support your argumentative essay ideas and read each while taking notes on the relevant sections. For each source you use, write down the book's title, the author's name, the publishing information, and the page numbers where you took the information. This will come in handy when you put together your bibliography.

  • Brainstorming

To organize your thoughts, you should engage in a brainstorming exercise called pre-writing. Get out a piece of paper and a pen and start scribbling down every thought related to your project. Go through this list you’ve created and eliminate any idea that you believe won’t help you while keeping those you can use. Eventually, you will have a list of words and sentences that you can use to formulate the text of your essay.

Outlining is the process where you organize your text before you begin writing. Write your thesis statement down on a blank piece of paper; underneath it, write short sentences that summarize what you want to say for each paragraph in your main body. For your conclusion, write a short sentence in plain language that restates your argument, demands a call-to-action, or leaves a warning. When you have a completed  argumentative essay outline , you will have a step-by-step guide that you can follow.

Once you begin writing your argumentative research paper topic or social issues essay topic , follow the structure you wrote down as best as you can—but at the same time, don’t be a slave to it. You are the master of your work, and if you believe that you should try something different in your paper than what you have written in your outline, by all means, do it.

Do not do all of your writing on the same day. Work on your project a little bit at a time so you don’t have to cram to get everything done at the last minute. If you have to write your entire essay in one day, do your best to give yourself breaks so you don’t burn out.

  • Proofreading

When you are done with your essay, check it not only for grammatical errors but also for logical fallacies as well. Useful note: aside from opting to  buy college essay , you can also contact an editing service. Alternatively, consider showing the final version of the essay to a family member or friend. 

To sum up, when writing your argumentative essay, you should follow these guidelines: identify reliable sources addressing the topic and write down all relevant bibliographic details to identify the sources later; research your question, search for evidence supporting your arguments and refuting or supporting your counterarguments; take notes throughout the process; brainstorm ideas to be included in the paper; outline the structure of the essay; do the writing, and proofread the final product.

Every professor pays attention to the structure of the submitted essay, especially the argumentative one. This is why you should master it and be confident while writing. Here is a basic argumentative essay structure for you to follow:

  • Introduction

The introduction is where you introduce your topic to the reader. Here you should write your thesis statement, a one- to two-sentence statement that summarizes the position you will take in your essay. Be logical. Narrow down your thoughts and be straightforward. Your thesis statement is the most important part of your essay as it shows your position regarding the topic. Demonstrate your attitude towards the topic and support it with arguments in the body paragraphs.

Here you must present valid evidence to support whatever claim you made in your thesis statement. Place this information in the body of your composition in a manner that seems logical to you. Make sure you present your supporting facts in a way your audience can understand. Start every paragraph with a topic sentence that supports the thesis. Continue with the evidence you found in outside sources. You can provide a direct quotation or paraphrase. Remember to cite it properly in order to avoid any plagiarism accusations. Later on, interpret this piece of evidence; show how you understand it and how it relates to the topic. Finish the paragraph with a concluding sentence, providing a short summary of the paragraph along with a transition to the next passage of the essay.

After presenting the evidence for your argumentative essay topic and backing up your claims, you must then refute opposing arguments. Use evidence such as statistics and expert opinion that contradicts and disproves the position of your opponent. Do not be afraid that it will worsen your own position regarding the chosen topic. On the contrary, it will help you demonstrate your ability to contradict your opponents’ arguments and stick to your opinion.

Once you have presented your evidence and refuted your opponents' positions, it is time to write your conclusion. You can do several things with your conclusion. You can restate your argument, which is a very common practice amongst essayists. You might also consider calling on your audience to engage in a specific action or behavior—a call to action. Also, you can leave your audience with a warning, telling them that there might be dire consequences if they do not take your arguments seriously.

What are the five parts of an argumentative essay?

A standard argumentative essay consists of five paragraphs: one paragraph containing the thesis (the claim); two paragraphs with supporting arguments/evidence; a paragraph listing potential counterarguments along with their rebuttal; and a paragraph with a persuasive conclusion.

Tips for Choosing Good Argumentative Essay Topics

Which idea should you go for? Theoretically speaking, we could say that the sky's the limit; however, you should follow certain guidelines when deciding your next brilliant writing idea for your upcoming essay or paper.

  • It should be interesting:

The idea of your next piece of writing should be subject to debate. In other words, you should be able to do the necessary research to find differing opinions regarding the idea you have chosen. It also should be interesting to you, your professor, and the audience who will most likely read or listen to your essay. It is difficult to write about a topic that you personally find boring or dull. Since you have the opportunity to choose your topic, choose wisely. The more interesting your idea is, the better you will be able to write about it. You should also make sure you have the knowledge needed to work on your writing. Being able to choose your own idea gives you an excellent chance to excel.

  • Avoid using pure facts:

An interesting argumentative essay should be controversial. You shouldn’t depend purely on facts because the purpose of your assignment is to express an opinion. Students might be tempted to rely on facts only; but to make a good argument, you should also be able to state what you think. Researching to find appropriate argumentative essay ideas will take some time, but it is totally worth it. You should also do some brainstorming to come up with relevant evidence to include in your paper.

  • Your topic shouldn’t be too wide:

When you look for controversial topics, you might be tempted to choose subjects that are way too broad to discuss. This can be a real problem when you are writing because you will get lost or overwhelmed. The more specific your essay or paper is, the better the quality of your writing will be. A very wide topic is going to be confusing for you as well as for your audience.

  • You shouldn’t be biased:

There are many issues that may interest you. But when you pick one, make sure you don’t have extremely strong feelings about it. When you are working on the proposal of your writing, try to choose a subject that is not too sensitive and touches you on a personal level. The purpose of your writing is to provide your audience with a persuasive piece of writing. By picking the right subject and working on your thesis statement, your essay will have relevant evidence that makes it worth reading.

  • Work on your evidence:

Just because you believe in something doesn’t necessarily mean that it is good enough to be included in your writing. It is crucial to back yourself up with sufficient supportive pieces of evidence to validate your viewpoint. Spend time to do adequate research to provide enough evidence for your opinion and the opposing opinion at the same time. This proves that you have worked hard to support your argument by using reliable information.

  • You can take the risk:

Topics for argumentative essays should be special and unique. This is your chance to stand out and pick something that others might have tried to avoid. Don’t be scared to take the risk if it is properly calculated. Common themes are way too boring and will not deliver the message you mean to send to your audience. But if you are going to choose a unique and controversial topic, you should make sure you can provide enough information. Include enough data to argue for both sides of the argument.

Read also: 60 Narrative Essay Topics for Students

Use Our Argumentative Essay Ideas and Tips to Get Higher Grades

With the help of our topic generator for essay  and our interesting list of topics, you are guaranteed to get a high grade! But if time is running out and you have better things to do than write boring essays, the professional writers of EduBirdie can provide you with high quality essay writing help , or they can do your paper for you! Contact our customer service representatives today and get prompt answers to your questions.

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Written by David Kidwell

David is one of those experienced content creators from the United Kingdom who has a high interest in social issues, culture, and entrepreneurship. He always says that reading, blogging, and staying aware of what happens in the world is what makes a person responsible. He likes to learn and share what he knows by making things inspiring and creative enough even for those students who dislike reading.

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188 Hot Political Essay Topics + Expert Writing Guide

political essay topics

Do you have a political essay to write, and it is turning out to be a hard nut to crack? Most students find it challenging because the discipline is very wide and requires good analytical skills. To craft great essays in politics, the first step is selecting the right political essay topics. Again, this is never easy, but we are here to help.

In this post, we will provide you with a step-by-step guide on how to write high-quality essays, from politics to custom law essays . We will also list hot 188 topics in politics for you to select the best. Do not get content with standard essays: this guide is all you need to prepare the best for top grades.

What Is Politics?

Politics can be defined as the way people who live in groups make decisions. It entails creating and entering into agreements that are meant to make people live together in small or large groups, such as countries, regional blocks, cities, or tribes.

If you take it closer to everyday life as we know it, politics is the way people are governed, whether in their cities or countries. Therefore, it incorporates structures that are used to make rules & laws, review their application, and change them to suit the people.

At the international level, politics involve agreements and the development of policies that aim at advancing the interest of respective parties. Good examples include the cooperation between countries through the World Trade Organization. It also includes agreements, efforts, and actions that are necessary to address issues of concern.

How To Write A High Quality Political Essay

Now that you know what politics is, we will now provide a step-by-step guide on how to write a high-quality essay.

  • Determine the type of essay that you will be writing. If your university lecturer has indicated the type of essay, that is ok. If not, you need to decide the type of essay, from argumentative essays to compare & contrast political essays.
  • Select a good topic: This is very important because it will dictate everything that happens later. This is never easy for many students, but you need not worry because we have listed 188 hot political essay ideas, from interesting government topics to political issues prompts for you. Whether you prefer international political issues topics or law-related ones, ensure you have ample resources to handle them. This will help you avoid getting stuck in the middle.
  • Create an Essay Outline: This is very important because it allows you to correctly organize the essay for a clear flow of ideas from the start to the end. Remember that you can improve the outline along the way as you discover more content about the selected topic.
  • Introduce your essay: Introduce the essay with an enthralling hook statement to arouse interest from the readers. For example, you can start with a rhetoric question or interesting statistics. Then, briefly highlight to the reader what to expect in the essay. Still, in the introduction, preferably around the middle or at the end, write your thesis statement.
  • Write the body of the essay: The body should take the bulk of the essay. Here, you should organize the main points well so that the reader can easily follow them. Make sure that every paragraph starts with the topic sentence, and then use the subsequent ones to support it. Where possible, numbers, statistics, and quotes should be used to emphasize your ideas. Try to make the essay as unique as possible.
  • Conclude your essay: Use the conclusion to wrap up the main points that you discussed in the essay. You should do this by restating the thesis and summarizing the findings in just a few sentences. Remember to avoid introducing new ideas in the conclusion. However, you can mention gaps noted in the literature and even call for additional studies to fill them.

188 Hot Political Essay Topics For Top Grades

Next, we will look at the best political essay topics that you should consider.

Top Political Research Topics For Top Grades

  • Game theory: What does it tell us about society?
  • Celebrities and their impacts on political campaigning.
  • Germany’s effort to create a republic: Why did it fail until post-WWII?
  • Australians aboriginals and poverty.
  • Compare two anarchist societies in history.
  • Political beliefs in communities: What influences them?
  • Benefits of universal suffrage.
  • Cultural globalization: How is it impacted by the media?
  • Politics in Japan: How are they impacted by the automobile industry?
  • Caribbean politics: How are they impacted by tourism?
  • Decision making in the EU.
  • Propaganda in politics: When language is used for propaganda.
  • Fear: Is it a good instrument of control?
  • A closer look at the China-Tibet conflict.
  • Poverty and popularity of Boko Haram in Nigeria.
  • Compare and contrast al-Qaeda and IS.
  • The importance of women in politics.

Political Science Essay Topics On America

  • Should the United States foster stronger ties with China?
  • Why should people join political parties?
  • Analyze the American role in stabilizing Europe after WWII.
  • The importance of the right to privacy in the US constitution.
  • Raising the number of justices at the Supreme Court.
  • California: What happens if it starts a quest to become an independent country?
  • How does the Electoral College work in the United States?
  • Compare the leadership styles of Donald Trump and Barack Obama.
  • Becoming politically involved in the US: What is the easiest route?
  • Capitalism: Is it the best system for the United States?
  • Poverty in the rural communities of the United States.
  • Review the American strategy for withdrawal from Afghanistan.
  • What made the US get involved in WWII?
  • Where do you see America in the next 50 years, both politically and economically?
  • Analyzing the importance of Hispanic votes in the US elections.

Interesting Political Topics

  • What local issues do you think your state or president should solve first?
  • If you were the leader of your nation, how would you spend the budget surplus?
  • When is using the military justified?
  • Privacy or national security: What is more important?
  • Do rich people get their way off faster than the poor when they break the law?
  • Is it justifiable for the US to spy on other countries?
  • The best ways to address mass shootings.
  • Should the death penalty be abolished in all countries?
  • How do social media platforms impact people’s political decisions?
  • What is the risk of WWIII emerging?
  • Religious extremism after the September 11 attack.
  • Reviewing America’s preparedness after 9/11 attack
  • The effects of war on drugs on Europe.
  • The growing China-Africa economic ties.
  • The impacts of body positivity in the US.
  • Where did politics originate?
  • Democracy: Pros and cons.

Political Argumentative Essay Topics

  • Is war always a political decision?
  • Do you think your country is headed in the right direction?
  • War of diplomacy: Which is the better option for handling the conflicts in the Middle East?
  • Is it possible to overcome corruption?
  • Revolutions: Do they cause more harm or good?
  • Is it a good idea for the US to build a wall on its border with Mexico?
  • Who should pay for healthcare services in the US?
  • How do individual states in the US work in the federal system?
  • Should you become a member of a political party?
  • What makes healthcare in the US so expensive?
  • How could America be if Hilary Clinton had won the US election against Donald Trump?
  • Legalizing marijuana: Is it a good idea?
  • Do people in your nation enjoy enough civil rights?
  • Do we have instances when democracy is not a good idea?

Global Political Topics For Essays

  • How influential are NGOs on global politics?
  • Library in Minecraft: Why was it built by Reporters without Borders?
  • How did the 2015 migrant crisis impact EU politics?
  • Socialism in Africa between the 1950s and 1960s.
  • Is the UN strong enough to prevent the risk of World War III?
  • Democratization: A review of the three main waves.
  • Why do countries in Middle East suffer more from terrorism than other nations?
  • When is international intervention justified in addressing a crisis?
  • Discuss the role of women in World War II.
  • California Gold Rush of 1848: How did it impact international politics?
  • A review of the development of Latin America cities in the early 1900s.
  • Israel-Palestine conflict: Will there ever be a lasting solution?
  • What is the process of reconciliations for countries that have been at war?
  • Analyzing the main risks of transnational crime.
  • What was the main cause of the war in Afghanistan?
  • Analyzing the global efforts to protect the environment.
  • Review the growth of international terrorism.
  • Foreign policies of African countries towards Europe.
  • The impact of nationalism in the UK.

Political Science Essay Topics On Public Law

  • The Human Rights Act of 1998: A review.
  • Judicial interpretation of the public safety statutes.
  • Reviewing the most famous legislators in the history of Modern Europe.
  • Interpreting the Nuremberg Laws during the Hitler’s era.
  • Comparing America and China’s legal journeys after the 1950s.
  • Post-conflict justice inequality: A review of the globe after WWII.
  • Was the nuclear attack in Nagasaki and Hiroshima in 1945 justified?
  • Civil liberty: Can it be destroyed by national security.
  • International relations: What is the impact on your country in the last ten years?
  • Private law and procedural law: What is the difference in application in the UK?
  • Philosophy of politics: A legal viewpoint.
  • A comprehensive analysis of constitutional law in Germany after WWII.
  • What role do mandatory rules in public law play? A case study of the UK.
  • Comparing private and public law in the US.

Easy Political Writing Prompts

  • A review of Jim Carter’s leadership style.
  • President Barack Obama’s biography: How does it compare to that of Jim Carter?
  • International court of justice: How does it work?
  • What makes a leader a dictator? Comparing Saddam Hussein to Adolf Hitler.
  • The life and Achievements of Angela Markel of Germany.
  • A review of the US-North Korea relationship.
  • Comparing election news coverage in the UK and US.
  • Compare and contrast republicanism and liberalism.
  • Human development index: Why is it important in politics?
  • China claims ownership of the South China Sea: Why is this so important?
  • How does a nation’s location shape its politics?
  • What strategies can sub-Saharan countries adopt to operate free of foreign aid?
  • Characteristics and responsibilities of global citizenship.
  • Deterrence theory: What does it entail?
  • Comparing the African Union to the European Union.
  • A deeper look into the American policy on the Middle East.
  • Should the EU be dissolved and each country allowed operating on its own?
  • Stateless persons in the EU: What rights do they have?

Comparative Politics Essay Topics

  • Talk about conflicts and revolution in an Asian country of choice.
  • A review of two comparative parties in the EU.
  • What is comparative politics?
  • A closer look at the application of modernization theory.
  • Comparing parliamentary to presidential democracy.
  • Analyzing Anglo-Saxon characteristics in the American political system.
  • Recruitments in Latin America: How do they compare to those in the EU?
  • Comparing the Apartheid and holocaust phenomenon.
  • Imagining the UK after Brexit: How does it compare to late 1900s Britain.
  • Comparing US and UK foreign policies towards Russia.
  • How does WWI compare to WWII?
  • Criticism and controversies of Amnesty International.
  • Compare the UK and US response to the Arab Spring.

Good Political Issues To Write About

  • French Revolution: Why was it so important in the History of Europe?
  • Online political radicalization.
  • Capitalism: Is it ethical?
  • What is the connection between feminism and liberalism?
  • Plato’s notion of an ideal society: Is your community close to this notion?
  • Imagine leaving capitalism behind: What would happen?
  • Ethical issues about the use of globalization today.
  • Restricting immigration: Is it a good way to increase wages?
  • Analyzing the concept of philosophical anarchism.
  • What impact does religion have on politics?
  • Freedom or stability: What should governments provide?
  • Preventing police corruption: What are the best strategies?
  • Discuss the most important things that make people become politically active.

Interesting Political Topics In Economics

  • How did Mexico benefit from NAFTA?
  • World Trade Organization: How effective is it in promoting economic growth in developing countries?
  • Foundation of OPEC: How did it shape the global oil trade?
  • A closer look at the characteristics of public goods and application in law.
  • The role of the media in national economic decisions.
  • Competition in politics: Why is it important in economic development?
  • Economic troubles in Europe: Why did they cause political tension in the European Union?
  • Guaranteed income: Can it prevent socio-economic crisis in a country?
  • Terrorism impact on the production of oil and oil prices.
  • Trade wars between China and the US: How does it impact the global trader?
  • Big companies: Do they wield too much political power?
  • Why are so many countries finding it hard to convert to green policies?
  • Comparing free markets versus planned economies.
  • Vegan movement: What is the implication on the organic food market?
  • Industrialization: How did it change the way we eat?
  • Cannabis is banned in many counties but cigarettes are not: Is it justifiable?

Food-Related Political Issues To Write About

  • How much should government influence a country’s food prices?
  • A deeper look into food politics and impacts on eating habits.
  • Politics of children-targeted food advertising.
  • Is subsidizing conventional agriculture a good idea?
  • What recommendations can you give to the UK administration to make healthy foods more available?
  • Plastic packaging of food products: Should it be banned to save the planet?
  • A review of issues related to eco-friendly food packaging.
  • Outlawing alcohol: What would be the impacts?
  • Discuss the advantages of banning ads on soft drinks.

Current Political Science Topics

  • Analyzing the 2019 general election in India.
  • How do the 2019 general elections in India compare to the 2020 US elections?
  • The Israel-Hamas conflict of 2021: What were the main causes?
  • The Russia policy towards Ukraine.
  • US withdrawal from Afghanistan: Will this embolden other rebel groups?
  • Emerging environmental problems on the globe.
  • Sustainable policies: Reviewing economic concerns.
  • Comparing the politics in the EU and Asia-Pacific (APAC).
  • America-China relations in 2023.
  • China-US trade relations in 2023.
  • Nuclear weapons: Are they necessary in the 21st century?
  • Crisis management preparedness: Comparing the US to the EU.

Political Essay Topics on Environment

  • Using the church to drive global efforts on sustainability.
  • Should all cities adopt greenways in their urban planning?
  • A review of global political strategies for preserving biodiversity.
  • Why is global warming so hard to address?
  • Gaia hypothesis application in environmental politics.
  • Kyoto Protocol: What did it achieve?
  • Should environmental education start in lower grades?
  • Is lobbyism to blame for the delay in the adoption of sustainability in many countries?
  • Is the US doing enough to address environmental issues?
  • Are you satisfied with your country’s efforts to address sustainability-related issues?
  • Where do you see the globe in the next 100 years as far as sustainability is concerned?

Seek Help Of Essay Writing Service

Armed with the essay writing guide and top-rated topics we have listed above, it is time to get down and start writing. If you still feel unprepared, lack enough resources, or simply want to get the best grades, it will be a good idea to contract expert writers. At My Custom Essay we have online writers who are knowledgeable and can help you with all political research questions or topics for essays.

The expert writers have been in academic writing for years helping other students, and now it is your turn to get assisted. They use recent publications and ensure that all your class or school requirements are adhered to for top grades. Even if you fear that your persuasive or argumentative essay assignments are late and could get penalized by your professors, we can handle them. Let an expert help you for the assurance of top grades!

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Federalist Papers 10: the Argument for a Large Republic and its Impact on Modern Governance

This essay is about Federalist Paper No. 10, written by James Madison, which addresses the dangers of factions and argues for a large republic as the best solution. Madison defines factions as groups united by interests harmful to the rights of others or the community. He suggests that while factions are inevitable, their effects can be controlled in a large republic where diverse interests make it harder for any single faction to dominate. The essay explains how this concept influenced the U.S. federal system, balancing power and promoting compromise. Despite modern challenges like political polarization, Madison’s ideas remain relevant, offering a framework for effective governance in a diverse society.

How it works

Federalist Paper No. 10, written by James Madison, is a big deal in American politics. It’s part of The Federalist Papers, a bunch of essays that talk about how the government should work. This one is all about factions—basically, groups of people who have their own interests that might not be good for everyone else.

Madison starts off by saying factions are inevitable because people have different ideas, money, and stuff. You can’t get rid of factions without taking away freedom, so Madison suggests we should deal with their effects instead.

One of Madison’s big ideas is that a big country is better at handling factions than a small one. In a big country, there are lots of different groups and interests, so it’s harder for one group to take over. Even if a big faction forms, it’s tough for them to work together across a huge area. This stops any one group from bossing everyone else around.

Madison thinks a big republic can represent lots of different people better. With more voters and more types of leaders, it’s harder for one group to run everything. This means leaders have to work together and compromise, making the government fairer. Plus, in a big republic, it’s more likely that smart and good people will get picked for leadership roles, because there are more candidates and more people watching.

Even though Madison wrote this a long time ago, his ideas still matter today. The U.S. government, with its split of powers between different levels, follows Madison’s plan for a big republic. This setup balances things out and stops any one group from getting too much power. And the idea of checks and balances in the Constitution is like Madison’s way of making sure no one runs the show all by themselves.

Some people might say Madison’s ideas don’t work perfectly today, with all the arguing between political parties and groups. Things like redrawing voting areas, money in elections, and people being too far apart on issues are big challenges. But, Madison’s plan—like having elected leaders and different levels of government—gives us ways to deal with these problems.

Also, Madison’s worry about factions is still important today, especially with big issues like climate change and fairness in the world. A big country that can handle lots of different views might be the best way to deal with these global problems. We need leaders who can balance what different groups want and still do what’s best for everyone.

In the end, Federalist Paper No. 10 tells us a lot about factions and why a big republic is a good idea. Madison’s ideas shaped how America works and still help us figure out how to have a fair, strong government. As we deal with all the tricky stuff in today’s world, Madison’s smart thinking reminds us to listen to everyone and make sure everyone’s rights are protected.

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Essay on Politics for Students and Children

500+ words essay on politics.

When we hear the term politics, we usually think of the government, politicians and political parties. For a country to have an organized government and work as per specific guidelines, we require a certain organization. This is where politics comes in, as it essentially forms the government. Every country, group and organization use politics to instrument various ways to organize their events, prospects and more.

Essay on Politics

Politics does not limit to those in power in the government. It is also about the ones who are in the run to achieve the same power. The candidates of the opposition party question the party on power during political debates . They intend to inform people and make them aware of their agenda and what the present government is doing. All this is done with the help of politics only.

Dirty Politics

Dirty politics refers to the kind of politics in which moves are made for the personal interest of a person or party. It ignores the overall development of a nation and hurts the essence of the country. If we look at it closely, there are various constituents of dirty politics.

The ministers of various political parties, in order to defame the opposition, spread fake news and give provocative speeches against them. This hampers with the harmony of the country and also degrades the essence of politics . They pass sexist remarks and instill hate in the hearts of people to watch their party win with a majority of seats.

Read 500 Words Essay on Corruption Here

Furthermore, the majority of politicians are corrupt. They abuse their power to advance their personal interests rather than that of the country. We see the news flooded with articles like ministers and their families involving in scams and illegal practices. The power they have makes them feel invincible which is why they get away with any crime.

Before coming into power, the government makes numerous promises to the public. They influence and manipulate them into thinking all their promises will be fulfilled. However, as soon as they gain power, they turn their back on the public. They work for their selfish motives and keep fooling people in every election. Out of all this, only the common suffers at the hands of lying and corrupt politicians.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Lack of Educated Ministers

If we look at the scenario of Indian elections, any random person with enough power and money can contest the elections. They just need to be a citizen of the country and be at least 25 years old. There are a few clauses too which are very easy.

The strangest thing is that contesting for elections does not require any minimum education qualification. Thus, we see how so many uneducated and non-deserving candidates get into power and then misuse it endlessly. A country with uneducated ministers cannot develop or even be on the right path.

We need educated ministers badly in the government. They are the ones who can make the country progress as they will handle things better than the illiterate ones. The candidates must be well-qualified in order to take on a big responsibility as running an entire nation. In short, we need to save our country from corrupt and uneducated politicians who are no less than parasites eating away the development growth of the country and its resources. All of us must unite to break the wheel and work for the prosperous future of our country.

FAQs on Politics

Q.1 Why is the political system corrupt?

A.1 Political system is corrupt because the ministers in power exercise their authority to get away with all their crimes. They bribe everyone into working for their selfish motives making the whole system corrupt.

Q.2 Why does India need educated ministers?

A.2 India does not have a minimum educational qualification requirement for ministers. This is why the uneducated lot is corrupting the system and pushing the country to doom. We need educated ministers so they can help the country develop with their progressive thinking.

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Free Argumentative Essay About Religion And Politics

Type of paper: Argumentative Essay

Topic: Politics , Religion , Church , Power , Role , Organization , Law , Society

Words: 2500

Published: 10/07/2020

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Since its 1947 decision in Everson v. Board of Education (with an opinion written by Justice Hugo Black), the Supreme Court has further considered and limited the active role that religion or religious institutions can play in the public sphere” that is, on government property. This paper presents an argument for the position that “faith groups and institutions should not be allowed to form political parties and they should not attempt to gain influence in the workings of government for their views and values by entering the realm of political discourse and attempting to elect their own politicians.” The recent past has seen the Supreme Court allow for labor unions and corporations to support political parties and candidates, which has led to concerns among leaders in some religious organizations involving the current federal restrictions from their taking an active role in politics (Audi and Wolterstorff, 1997). This is an issue that has continued to generate debates and controversy, with some in support of the current position and others suggesting that the church, like those other organizations should also be involved in partisan politics and in the general political life, as policy issues affecting the society affect them too. This paper takes position, with evidence, as to the reasons why the current position should remain, the current separation between church and state (Dreisbach, 2006). Whenever politics is at play, there will always be abuse of power; this has been and will continue to be a major characteristic of politics. It is more likely for the church to be corrupted by the politics rather than to positively influence politics. This is especially the case in the event that the church enters into active politics. Conventionally, the Constitution separates the church from the state. Dreisbach, (2006) argues that this is because of the spheres of action and institutions which are suitable for the church from the state. Thus, the idea of separation between the two institutions remains valid. The election of church leaders is not done by the government of political leaders. Religious organizations, the church, in the same way, are not involved in the appointing of presidents, governors, or judges. There is no religion that is superior to others in the country and none is supported by taxes. Defining of the rules that govern religious organizations is not the mandate of the state. There is freedom of worship guaranteed by the Constitution; “make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof” (Jefferson, 1802). These are boundaries that have always mediated the relationship between the church and the state, and allowing the church to engage in active politics is going against these ideals. It is plausible to note that while the society is a blessing in every state, government, which represents politics within a society, is a necessary evil. The government is associated with suffering of the people, which means that within the same system, the church would have the same impact. According to Winthrop (19883), it would be beneficial for the political sphere to have in it the rule of justice that would be possible with the involvement of spiritual leaders. This means that the politics of the country would benefit from the counsel provided by the religious organizations. According to Plato, there is the particular role that should be played by the church. There is no doubt that the church has a role in promoting morality within the state, but this does not have to occur within a system that is already morality corrupt. The church can still play an important role as the overseer of the operations of the government, but from the outside. After all, this would be more effective if the church is neutral and does not assume any side in the governing of the state (Madison). There is already a dilemma when dealing with the question of politics and religion. Even if it is clear in the Constitution that there is separation of state and church is necessary in maintaining an effective nation, religious has a significant role in the political life. Regardless there being measures to maintain matters of religion within the church, the fact that there is an important role played by religion within the political life of the people cannot be ignored. This also brings forth the pointlessness of ideas that would eliminate the influence of the church in public matters. Another reality is in the number of individuals who identify with one religion or another. These people have suggested the importance of religion in society. Evidently, religious sentiment is such an important part of the society that it cannot be avoided in the political sphere. The influence of the church has always been felt in the political sphere without having to engage in active politics. Organized religious organizations have always influenced politics. As Plato reveals, due their concern with sacred and divine, historically, religions organizations and groups have played a key role within the state, both in secular as well as pragmatic politics. They have always been involved in shaping public morality, legitimating monarchs, applying control over the welfare state and education, or by just ensuring favorable legal status. This is the same in the modern era, although it happens without the church having an active role in politics. Audi and Wolterstorff (1997) add that it is still possible for the influence of the church to be felt within the state without necessarily having to form political parties and engaging in electoral politics. Aristotle brings to fore a very interesting argument, that whichever body is created by nature should be subjected to some sort of control. This means that the various forms of government should have some form of control imposed. The church can be argued to be among those bodies that can exert that kind of control over the government to ensure that it is in check. This has effectively happened in the past, with the church taking a critical role in overseeing the working of the government. The church has also played an important role in preventing the abuse of human rights by the government, especially in democracies (Aristotle). The church, in some way, can be viewed as ensuring that no man is subject to any other power, but only that which results from the law of nature (Locke). The state has the power to limit the freedom of the people, but with such role as should be played by the church, this becomes somewhat hard, especially within democracies. Locke presents an argument that political power can be abused such that the people are hindered from enjoying their rights. Surrendering their power to the sovereign does not mean that the people should be subjected to torture or slavery. The political power should also not be used in any forceful manner preventing the public to enjoy their rights and freedoms. This suggests some means of controlling the possibility of the executive from abusing the power. This has informed the role played by interests groups, including faith or religious organizations. There are various ways through which this role is played, among them being education, as suggested by Plato. The church, rather than engaging in active politics, has a role to play in educating the public about what to expect from their leaders as well as in inculcating good morals in those being governed. The question would be: is it possible for the religious organizations to play this role effectively if engaged in active politics and taking sides in the politics of the state? The answer would be NO, and the rest of the paper engages in proving why this cannot happen. In politics, there is always abuse of power; “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely”. Most of the political scientists who have studied politics and power will agree that political power describes politics as the pursuit for political power and competition for power. Clegg (1989) defines politics as “the process by which political power is acquired and exercised.” This means that whenever politics is at play, there is always the question of acquisition and use of power. Audi and Wolterstorff (1997)appears to suggest that involvement of religious organization and leaders will play a role in curtailing the power in the hands of politicians; as a way of providing the checks and balances to avoid abuse of power. On the contrary as long as the church enters into the political arena, it will play according to the rules of the game. The definition of politics will not change, which means that the religious organizations will be corrupted by the political power. Power intoxicates leaders, and this would be the same case even if the leaders hold some religious standards. Political leaders are capable of engaging in ethical governance, but this is not always the case. The Founders of the nation were well aware of the possibility of power to corrupt and over the years, the church and state have remained separate entities, with none interfering with the operations of the other. Those in political power tend to act unethically simply because they are in power and can get away with such actions. The subjects are expected to rationalize as well as make exceptions for the leaders; “It's ok because he/she is the leader.” This means that it is necessary for the religious leaders not to engage in politics (Audi and Wolterstorff, 1997). Engagement in politics means that the relationship to God and ultimate loyalties may be considered minor and forgotten for lesser values. This is because not many tend to take politics seriously due to the unethical actions. Also, by taking part in one party over another, it is possible for religious organizations to support and sponsor things that re dogmatic, heinous, culpable, or even trivial (Audi and Wolterstorff, 1997). It would not be possible to protect religious liberty as an important right or evade destructive, misguided, immoral, and detestable manifestations. It is also possible that in taking part in party politics, the religious freedoms with become victim as there will be no longer any separation between what is spiritual and what is political. The engagement will be opening up the church to attacks in the name of political interests. Religious organizations would not be effective in playing their role in society if they took active part in the politics of the country. After all, in the United States, the church is an organization which is categorized as “tax-exempt.” This is under Section 501(c)(3) of the Constitution. These are organizations that have other roles in society and are expected to devote their resources to these roles including religious, educational, or other charitable activities. Such roles should leave no room for taking part in active political activities. The church has also accepted to fulfill some important public purposes and operate as per the rules under 501(c)(3)s. from the argument of the evils involved in politics and the roles of religious organizations, they should not take active part in electoral politics (Madison) However, this does not mean that the church should not engage in any political intervention in society. There are major actions that the organizations can engage in without being partisan. Among them is the role of influencing legislation or lobbying, for the benefit of the nation. Being at the center of politics and taking sides through formation of political parties and engaging in electoral politics would greatly hinder their performance of this role. Under 501(c)(3) organizations such as the church has the freedom to take part in “insubstantial” lobbying. While the definition of “insubstantial” is not clear, the idea is that the organizations should be in a position to act in a manner that is beneficial to society (Madison) Whatever is beneficial and in the interest of the people is defined differently from the religious and political perspectives. Thus, the church should not place the society in a position where there conflict between religious beliefs and practices and the selfish political interests. While the religious institutions are required to understand what is beneficial and important for the wellbeing of citizens, politics might not do the same as political interests are always at the fore. The church is therefore, necessary, and should remain neutral for continued protection of human and civil rights. In a situation where the religious organizations are political, there is the possibility of serious violations of religious freedom in the name of making secular laws appropriate to all. Taking partisan positions means that the church will be allowed to take positions depending on political interests and not the morals and standards of religion (Audi and Wolterstorff, 1997). In conclusion, it is necessary that the traditional separation between the church and state be maintained for the sake of continued observance of fundamental freedoms and to prevent the undue abuse of power by political leaders. Politics is necessary for the society to function effectively, but it is a necessary evil, that the church should not be party to. The Constitution is clear about the freedom of religion being an important and fundamental right, and thus, should not be jeopardized in the name of the church engaging in partisan politics. The church should continue to play the neutral role in society, serving the interests of the people and ensuring that the government is accountable to the citizens. This cannot be effective with active role in politics.

Aristotle (1981). Politics, Book IV, Penguin Classics Audi, R. and Wolterstorff, N. (1997). Religion in the Public Square: The place of Religious Convictions in Political Debate. Lanham, Maryland: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. Dreisbach, D.L. (2006). The Mythical "Wall of Separation": How a Misused Metaphor Changed Church–State Law, Policy, and Discourse, First Principles Series Report, #6, The Heritage Foundation Jefferson, T. (1802). Jefferson’s Letter to the Danbury Baptists, First Principles Series Locke J. (1680-1690). Two Treatises of Government, Book Jungle Madison, J. (n.d). The Bill of Rights Madison, J. (n.d). The Constitution Plato, (1993). Republic [c. 370 BCE], Robin Waterfield (trans.), (Oxford: Oxford University Press Winthrop, J. (1983). Selections from A Model of Christian Charity, Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society

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Guest Essay

Our Solution to the Crisis of Democracy

Cartoon-style illustration shows three people on a bicycle with three seats pedaling in unison

By Daron Acemoglu and James A. Robinson

Dr. Acemoglu is a professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. Robinson is a professor at the University of Chicago.

Remember the 1990s, when everybody thought liberal democracy was the only game in town and the end of history was upon us?

The near assassination of former President Donald Trump has buttressed, instead, a feeling that crisis is upon us. Both Democrats and Republicans hold dangerously unfavorable opinions of each other. Trust in institutions is decaying. According to the most recent Gallup poll , only 30 percent of Americans said they had quite a lot or a great deal of confidence in the Supreme Court, fewer had confidence in the presidency, and a measly 9 percent had quite a lot or a great deal of confidence in Congress. Trust in public schools, banks, large firms, the news media and even religious organizations has similarly plummeted since the 1970s.

Americans also support democracy at much lower levels than they used to, and politics appears a zero-sum game to people on both sides of the great divide. Add to this the flare-up of political violence, and the sense of imminent danger is intensified.

But do not despair — yet. There are solutions, if we are bold enough to grasp them. We need a new democratic social contract that people can believe in, which is most likely to come from the Democratic Party. Such a proposal must start with a commitment to more pro-worker policies. It must involve a believable manifesto that moves away from the party’s ties with global business, including the tech sector, and a clear, workable plan of how economic growth and low inequality can be combined. It must include a commitment to close the cultural chasm that has opened between the Democratic Party and many working-class Americans. These are among the root causes of our discontent, and they must be addressed.

If Americans fail to rise to the challenge, history has plenty of examples that ought to alarm us. In an environment in which institutions cannot mediate disagreement, there is a danger that a spark can ignite a cycle of extremism. There was a rise in political violence in Germany before the Nazis took power, with right-wing paramilitaries killing opponents and Communists responding in kind. The situation in Italy, with violence led by Mussolini’s black shirts, was no different. In Japan, too, political violence spiked before the military took control in the 1930s.

To diagnose and redress democracy’s problems, we need to understand what made it work in the past and what ails it today. This isn’t just an American phenomenon. Democracy is in crisis around the world, including in Hungary, Poland, Sweden, India, Turkey, the Philippines and Brazil and across sub-Saharan Africa. These crises appear to be rooted at least in part in a growing belief that democracy has failed to deliver on its promises since the end of the Cold War.

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The Gunman and the Would-Be Dictator

Violence stalks the president who has rejoiced in violence to others.

A photomontage illustration of Donald Trump.

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When a madman hammered nearly to death the husband of then–House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Donald Trump jeered and mocked . One of Trump’s sons and other close Trump supporters avidly promoted false claims that Paul Pelosi had somehow brought the onslaught upon himself through a sexual misadventure.

After authorities apprehended a right-wing-extremist plot to abduct Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, Trump belittled the threat at a rally. He disparaged Whitmer as a political enemy. His supporters chanted “Lock her up.” Trump laughed and replied , “Lock them all up.”

Fascism feasts on violence. In the years since his own supporters attacked the Capitol to overturn the 2020 election—many of them threatening harm to Speaker Pelosi and Vice President Mike Pence—Trump has championed the invaders, would-be kidnappers, and would-be murderers as martyrs and hostages. He has vowed to pardon them if returned to office. His own staffers have testified to the glee with which Trump watched the mayhem on television.

Now the bloodshed that Trump has done so much to incite against others has touched him as well. The attempted murder of Trump—and the killing of a person nearby—is a horror and an outrage. More will be learned about the man who committed this appalling act, and who was killed by the Secret Service. Whatever his mania or motive, the only important thing about him is the law-enforcement mistake that allowed him to bring a deadly weapon so close to a campaign event and gain a sight line of the presidential candidate. His name should otherwise be erased and forgotten.

It is sadly incorrect to say, as so many have, that political violence “has no place” in American society. Assassinations, lynchings, riots, and pogroms have stained every page of American political history. That has remained true to the present day. In 2016 , and even more in 2020, Trump supporters brought weapons to intimidate opponents and vote-counters. Trump and his supporters envision a new place for violence as their defining political message in the 2024 election. Fascist movements are secular religions. Like all religions, they offer martyrs as their proof of truth. The Mussolini movement in Italy built imposing monuments to its fallen comrades. The Trump movement now improves on that: The leader himself will be the martyr in chief, his own blood the basis for his bid for power and vengeance.

Christopher R. Browning: A new kind of fascism

The 2024 election was already shaping up as a symbolic contest between an elderly and weakening liberalism too frail and uncertain to protect itself and an authoritarian, reactionary movement ready to burst every barrier and trash every institution. To date, Trump has led only a minority of U.S. voters, but that minority’s passion and audacity have offset what it lacks in numbers. After the shooting, Trump and his backers hope to use the iconography of a bloody ear and face, raised fist, and call to “Fight!” to summon waverers to their cause of installing Trump as an anti-constitutional ruler, exempted from ordinary law by his allies on the Supreme Court.

Other societies have backslid to authoritarianism because of some extraordinary crisis: economic depression, hyperinflation, military defeat, civil strife. In 2024, U.S. troops are nowhere at war. The American economy is booming, providing spectacular and widely shared prosperity. A brief spasm of mild post-pandemic inflation has been overcome. Indicators of social health have abruptly turned positive since Trump left office after years of deterioration during his term. Crime and fatal drug overdoses are declining in 2024; marriages and births are rising. Even the country’s problems indirectly confirm the country’s success: Migrants are crossing the border in the hundreds of thousands, because they know, even if Americans don’t, that the U.S. job market is among the hottest on Earth.

Yet despite all of this success, Americans are considering a form of self-harm that in other countries has typically followed the darkest national failures: letting the author of a failed coup d’état return to office to try again.

One reason this self-harm is nearing consummation is that American society is poorly prepared to understand and respond to radical challenges, once those challenges gain a certain mass. For nearly a century, “radical” in U.S. politics has usually meant “fringe”: Communists, Ku Kluxers, Black Panthers, Branch Davidians, Islamist jihadists. Radicals could be marginalized by the weight of the great American consensus that stretches from social democrats to business conservatives. Sometimes, a Joe McCarthy or a George Wallace would throw a scare into that mighty consensus, but in the past such challengers rarely formed stable coalitions with accepted stakeholders in society. Never gaining an enduring grip on the institutions of state, they flared up and burned out.

Trump is different. His abuses have been ratified by powerful constituencies. He has conquered and colonized one of the two major parties. He has defeated—or is on the way to defeating—every impeachment and prosecution to hold him to account for his frauds and crimes. He has assembled a mass following that is larger, more permanent, and more national in reach than any previous American demagogue. He has dominated the scene for nine years already, and he and his supporters hope they can use yesterday’s appalling event to extend the Trump era to the end of his life and beyond.

The American political and social system cannot treat such a person as an alien. It inevitably accommodates and naturalizes him. His counselors, even the thugs and felons, join the point-counterpoint dialogue at the summit of the American elite. President Joe Biden nearly wrecked his campaign because he felt obliged to meet Trump in debate. How could Biden have done otherwise? Trump is the three-time nominee of the Republican Party; it’s awkward and strange to treat him as an insurrectionist against the American state—though that’s what Trump was and is.

David Frum: Biden’s heartbreaking press conference

The despicable shooting at Trump, which also caused death and injury to others, now secures his undeserved position as a partner in the protective rituals of the democracy he despises. The appropriate expressions of dismay and condemnation from every prominent voice in American life have the additional effect of habituating Americans to Trump’s legitimacy. In the face of such an outrage, the familiar and proper practice is to stress unity, to proclaim that Americans have more things in common than that divide them. Those soothing words, true in the past, are less true now.

Nobody seems to have language to say: We abhor, reject, repudiate, and punish all political violence, even as we maintain that Trump remains himself a promoter of such violence, a subverter of American institutions, and the very opposite of everything decent and patriotic in American life.

The Republican National Convention, which opens this week, will welcome to its stage apologists for Vladimir Putin’s Russia and its aggression against U.S. allies. Trump’s own infatuation with Russia and other dictatorships has not dimmed even slightly with age or experience. Yet all of these urgent and necessary truths must now be subordinated to the ritual invocation of “thoughts and prayers” for someone who never gave a thought or uttered a prayer for any of the victims of his own many incitements to bloodshed. The president who used his office to champion the rights of dangerous people to own military-type weapons says he was grazed by a bullet from one such assault rifle.

Conventional phrases and polite hypocrisy fill a useful function in social life. We say “Thank you for your service” both to the decorated hero and to the veteran who barely escaped dishonorable discharge. It’s easier than deciphering which was which. We wish “Happy New Year!” even when we dread the months ahead.

Adrienne LaFrance: Thoughts, prayers, and Facebook rants aren’t enough

But conventional phrases don’t go unheard. They carry meanings, meanings no less powerful for being rote and reflexive. In rightly denouncing violence, we are extending an implicit pardon to the most violent person in contemporary U.S. politics. In asserting unity, we are absolving a man who seeks power through the humiliation and subordination of disdained others.

Those conventional phrases are inscribing Trump into a place in American life that he should have forfeited beyond redemption on January 6, 2021. All decent people welcome the sparing of his life. Trump’s reckoning should be with the orderly process of law, not with the bloodshed he rejoiced in when it befell others. He and his allies will exploit a gunman’s vicious criminality as their path to exonerate past crimes and empower new ones. Those who stand against Trump and his allies must find the will and the language to explain why these crimes, past and planned, are all wrong, all intolerable—and how the gunman and Trump, at their opposite ends of a bullet’s trajectory, are nonetheless joined together as common enemies of law and democracy.

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Why political violence and violent threats are on the rise in the United States

Ali Rogin

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  • Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/why-political-violence-and-violent-threats-are-on-the-rise-in-the-united-states

Studies show that over the past decade, there has been a steady increase in political violence and threats against public officials, like Saturday’s attempted assassination of Trump. Cynthia Miller-Idriss, director of American University’s Polarization and Extremism Research and Innovation Lab, joins Ali Rogin to discuss how we got to this point.

Read the Full Transcript

Notice: Transcripts are machine and human generated and lightly edited for accuracy. They may contain errors.

Studies show that over the past decade, there's been a steady increase in threats against public officials and in political violence like yesterday's assassination attempt. Ali Rogin takes a closer look at how we got to this point.

Those instances of political violence also include attacks on local politicians, members of Congress and their spouses and political disagreements that turned deadly.

Cynthia Miller-Idriss is the director of research at American University's Polarization and Extremism Research Innovation Lab.

Cynthia, thank you so much for being here. This was a shocking event in a horrible tragedy for many Americans the first time that they've witnessed the attempted assassination of somebody who served as president. But of course, there have been many other acts of political violence in recent memory, including the attack on Nancy Pelosi's husband, Paul, in 2022. There was the congressional baseball practice shooting that injured Congressman Steve Scalise and 2017 plus many other attacks against local officials. Why are we experiencing this uptick in political violence?

Cynthia Miller-Idriss, Director, Polarization and Extremism Research Innovation Lab: Well, first, I have to say it should be condemned. Of course, we have to condemn the attack on former President Trump. You know, one of my earliest political memories was the assassination attempt on President Reagan. I think we are back in an era in which political assassinations are becoming a tactic again of in which people seek a solution to what they think are their political problems.

And that's part of the rising violence that we're seeing across the board politically, and also part of the rhetoric that has been increasing on polarized lines that positions us versus them and existential terms, so that the other starts to seem like a threat that has to be eradicated. So it's a problem at the elite level, and it's a problem among ordinary conversations as well.

And you mentioned the rhetoric, members of both parties have been coming out saying that both sides need to tone this down. How much of that is at issue here?

Cynthia Miller-Idriss:

The issue of political rhetoric that's divisive and even violent among elites is a huge problem. And it has been a huge problem for many years on both sides. However, I'm actually just as concerned about what I'm hearing from people I know and love even seeing on social media, things like you reap what you sow in response to this event. That's just as problematic.

You have a lone actor who is not only motivated by elites who mess up, but also by ordinary citizens who give up and who lean into the idea that violence is a solution to any kind of political ideas or problems.

One of NewsHour polls found earlier this year that one in five respondents believe Americans may have to resort to violence to get their own country back on track. That seems like a high number. What's your take?

It seems high, but it's accurate. I mean, that's exactly the kind of data that we've been seeing. We're seeing increasing support for political violence and also increasing willingness to engage in it among ordinary Americans. And that's what I mean about everybody seeing this as a moment of reckoning for themselves and their own behavior, not just to wag fingers at the elites, and politicians who are behaving badly.

But to think about what you do across the dining room table, what you're doing in your classrooms, what you're doing with your colleagues and your neighbors. Because anytime you're justifying that kind of violence, you never know who's going to overhear that, or how that contributes to the overall climate in which violence is seen as a solution.

And to that end, do you think that everybody has a role here in lowering the overall temperature that's got us to this very tense point?

Absolutely. I think everyone has not just a role, but an obligation to lower the temperature to see our basic humanity to see that no one deserves to be shot, no matter how much you disagree with what they say politically. And to also take steps to kind of curb things like misinformation, stop retweeting it, I mean to be critical consumers, and good citizens about what you share. I think that's one of the big takeaways here is that people have a role to play and an obligation to do it.

And in terms of response to this, this particular event, what are you concerned about happening in terms of people perpetrating potential violent responses?

Another thing that ordinary people can do is to be a little bit vigilant in the coming weeks and months, because unfortunately, an event like this does create the risk that you have both kind of militant groups who see now that they may have to step up, they think and protect this candidate, as we've seen in the past, and you also see the risk of reprisal attacks.

And so, this is a real moment for people to pay attention to be vigilant, if you hear someone you know, saying something, tone it down, you know, try to correct their statements and their behaviors and steer them away from the idea that violence is a solution to anything.

Cynthia Miller-Idriss, Director of Research at American University's Polarization and Extremism Research Innovation Lab. Thank you so much for being here.

Thanks for having me.

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Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump holds a campaign rally in Butler

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Ali Rogin is a correspondent for the PBS News Hour and PBS News Weekend, reporting on a number of topics including foreign affairs, health care and arts and culture. She received a Peabody Award in 2021 for her work on News Hour’s series on the COVID-19 pandemic’s effect worldwide. Rogin is also the recipient of two Edward R. Murrow Awards from the Radio Television Digital News Association and has been a part of several teams nominated for an Emmy, including for her work covering the fall of ISIS in 2020, the Las Vegas mass shooting in 2017, the inauguration of President Barack Obama in 2014, and the 2010 midterm elections.

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The Danger of Treating Politics Like War

“We’re going to defeat Crooked Joe Biden,” Donald Trump promised his rally crowd in Butler, Pa., “and we’re going to take back our country. We’re going to take it back. Our country, our country has been stolen from us. One of the greatest crimes is what they’ve done over the last four years!” Then as Trump railed against immigration, a shooter perched on a nearby rooftop sprayed bullets at the rally crowd, wounding Trump’s ear, killing one crowd member , and sending two more people to the hospital in critical condition.

Astoundingly, as Trump left the stage surrounded by Secret Service, he pumped his fist and yelled, “ Fight, fight, fight !” The crowd then chanted “U-S-A!”

America is often a violent nation. Our history is filled with lynchings , assassinations , and mass shootings —we are violent in both public and private spaces . But our current political moment is characterized by violence masquerading as politics. Since the 1990s the dominant frame for understanding American politics is “politics is war and the enemy cheats.” Our political news is dominated by appeals of outrage , accusations of corruption and hypocrisy , and charges of conspiracy . All of that violent rhetoric threatens the fragile trust upon which democracy and political stability thrive.

Read More: How the Attempted Assassination of Donald Trump Fits Into America's Violent History

Politics is for solving problems through consensus, cooperation, and compromise, but our public sphere is broken . Violence is always anti-democratic because it’s the use of force instead of persuasion.

To call politics war cheapens the sacrifices made by actual soldiers and turns our political opponents from good people (who have good reasons for wanting different policies) to enemies (who have no redeeming qualities and must be destroyed).

Unfortunately invoking violence has a great deal of rhetorical power, which is why so much of our political discourse is saturated with the language of brutality. Throughout American history, and especially over the past 10 years, political leaders have found that ad hominem attacks are useful for delegitimizing and creating hate-objects out of others, that threats of force and intimidation are useful for silencing opponents, that violent metaphors attract attention, and that fear motivates voters .

But it’s not just figures such as Trump who have turned our public sphere into a Hobbesian “war of all against all.” Research in media studies, psychology, sociology, and other fields has established that media (print, radio, television, cable, podcasts, etc.) overrepresent crime news and other kinds of crime content. Our social media apps are designed to optimize for engagement, which means that highly emotive “ moralized content ” and “ fake news ” circulate more frequently than good old boring truth. Consuming all of that crime content leads to people cultivating what researchers call a “ mean world syndrome ,” in which they overestimate how likely they are to be victims of crime.

Read More: A Stark Look at the Recent History of Political Violence in America

While we have a long history of violence , the United States is actually a pretty safe place to be. According to FBI statistics, violent crime in the U.S. had been steadily declining since its peak in 1991 and it’s still near record lows. And yet “mean world syndrome” may help explain why, according to Gallup , a record 95% of Republicans “think there is more national crime” today. Everybody—but especially conservative news consumers—think they live in a mean world full of enemies. People are scared by the media and politics information they consume, and they’ve bought lots of guns.

Trump has built his political persona with a hero narrative that claims that he has risked everything to save the nation. As I explained in my book Demagogue for President: The Rhetorical Genius of Donald Trump , Trump ran in 2016 by telling the nation a story of sin and redemption—he claimed that because he was once “the ultimate insider,” he knew how the system was rigged and he was the only one qualified to fix it. His 2024 campaign has been built around the themes of persecution and revenge—he claims in a frequently used meme that “they’re not after me, they’re after you. I’m just in the way” and has vowed to seek “ retribution ” against his political enemies.

It may make good political sense to campaign on those kinds of violent themes, but it doesn’t help the cause of democracy in America. It certainly doesn’t help us to solve political problems to think of our opponents as enemies who are out to get us. Instead it helps to cultivate outrage, erode trust and fellow feeling, and increase the potential for actual violence . 

“We are not enemies, but friends,” Abraham Lincoln said in his first inaugural address. “We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.” Though politicians and the media may tell us differently, politics is not war, war is war.

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