political topics to write a speech about

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?

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?

Single-use Plastics Ban – Should single-use plastics be banned?

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

• Social Media
• Death Penalty
• School Uniforms
• Video Games
• Animal Testing
• Gun Control
• Banned Books
• Teachers’ Corner

Cite This Page

ProCon.org is the institutional or organization author for all ProCon.org pages. Proper citation depends on your preferred or required style manual. Below are the proper citations for this page according to four style manuals (in alphabetical order): the Modern Language Association Style Manual (MLA), the Chicago Manual of Style (Chicago), the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (APA), and Kate Turabian's A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations (Turabian). Here are the proper bibliographic citations for this page according to four style manuals (in alphabetical order):

[Editor's Note: The APA citation style requires double spacing within entries.]

[Editor’s Note: The MLA citation style requires double spacing within entries.]

What are your chances of acceptance?

Calculate for all schools, your chance of acceptance.

Your chancing factors

Extracurriculars.

112 Persuasive Speech Topics That Are Actually Engaging

What’s covered:, how to pick an awesome persuasive speech topic, 112 engaging persuasive speech topics, tips for preparing your persuasive speech.

Writing a stellar persuasive speech requires a carefully crafted argument that will resonate with your audience to sway them to your side. This feat can be challenging to accomplish, but an engaging, thought-provoking speech topic is an excellent place to start.

When it comes time to select a topic for your persuasive speech, you may feel overwhelmed by all the options to choose from—or your brain may be drawing a completely blank slate. If you’re having trouble thinking of the perfect topic, don’t worry. We’re here to help!

In this post, we’re sharing how to choose the perfect persuasive speech topic and tips to prepare for your speech. Plus, you’ll find 112 persuasive speech topics that you can take directly from us or use as creative inspiration for your own ideas!

Choose Something You’re Passionate About

It’s much easier to write, research, and deliver a speech about a cause you care about. Even if it’s challenging to find a topic that completely sparks your interest, try to choose a topic that aligns with your passions.

However, keep in mind that not everyone has the same interests as you. Try to choose a general topic to grab the attention of the majority of your audience, but one that’s specific enough to keep them engaged.

For example, suppose you’re giving a persuasive speech about book censorship. In that case, it’s probably too niche to talk about why “To Kill a Mockingbird” shouldn’t be censored (even if it’s your favorite book), and it’s too broad to talk about media censorship in general.

Steer Clear of Cliches

Have you already heard a persuasive speech topic presented dozens of times? If so, it’s probably not an excellent choice for your speech—even if it’s an issue you’re incredibly passionate about.

Although polarizing topics like abortion and climate control are important to discuss, they aren’t great persuasive speech topics. Most people have already formed an opinion on these topics, which will either cause them to tune out or have a negative impression of your speech.

Instead, choose topics that are fresh, unique, and new. If your audience has never heard your idea presented before, they will be more open to your argument and engaged in your speech.

Have a Clear Side of Opposition

For a persuasive speech to be engaging, there must be a clear side of opposition. To help determine the arguability of your topic, ask yourself: “If I presented my viewpoint on this topic to a group of peers, would someone disagree with me?” If the answer is yes, then you’ve chosen a great topic!

Now that we’ve laid the groundwork for what it takes to choose a great persuasive speech topic, here are over one hundred options for you to choose from.

• Should high school athletes get tested for steroids?
• Should schools be required to have physical education courses?
• Should sports grades in school depend on things like athletic ability?
• What sport should be added to or removed from the Olympics?
• Should college athletes be able to make money off of their merchandise?
• Should sports teams be able to recruit young athletes without a college degree?
• Should we consider video gamers as professional athletes?
• Is cheerleading considered a sport?
• Should parents allow their kids to play contact sports?
• Should professional female athletes be paid the same as professional male athletes?
• Should college be free at the undergraduate level?
• Is the traditional college experience obsolete?
• Should you choose a major based on your interests or your potential salary?
• Should high school students have to meet a required number of service hours before graduating?
• Should teachers earn more or less based on how their students perform on standardized tests?
• Are private high schools more effective than public high schools?
• Should there be a minimum number of attendance days required to graduate?
• Are GPAs harmful or helpful?
• Should schools be required to teach about standardized testing?
• Should Greek Life be banned in the United States?
• Should schools offer science classes explicitly about mental health?
• Should students be able to bring their cell phones to school?
• Should all public restrooms be all-gender?
• Should undocumented immigrants have the same employment and education opportunities as citizens?
• Should everyone be paid a living wage regardless of their employment status?
• Should supremacist groups be able to hold public events?
• Should guns be allowed in public places?
• Should the national drinking age be lowered?
• Should prisoners be allowed to vote?
• Should the government raise or lower the retirement age?
• Should the government be able to control the population?
• Is the death penalty ethical?

Environment

• Should stores charge customers for plastic bags?
• Should breeding animals (dogs, cats, etc.) be illegal?
• Is it okay to have exotic animals as pets?
• Should people be fined for not recycling?
• Should compost bins become mandatory for restaurants?
• Should electric vehicles have their own transportation infrastructure?
• Would heavier fining policies reduce corporations’ emissions?
• Should hunting be encouraged or illegal?
• Should reusable diapers replace disposable diapers?

Science & Technology

• Is paper media more reliable than digital news sources?
• Should automated/self-driving cars be legalized?
• Should schools be required to provide laptops to all students?
• Should software companies be able to have pre-downloaded programs and applications on devices?
• Should drones be allowed in military warfare?
• Should scientists invest more or less money into cancer research?
• Should cloning be illegal?
• Should societies colonize other planets?
• Should there be legal oversight over the development of technology?

Social Media

• Should there be an age limit on social media?
• Should cyberbullying have the same repercussions as in-person bullying?
• Are online relationships as valuable as in-person relationships?
• Does “cancel culture” have a positive or negative impact on societies?
• Are social media platforms reliable information or news sources?
• Should social media be censored?
• Does social media create an unrealistic standard of beauty?
• Is regular social media usage damaging to real-life interactions?
• Is social media distorting democracy?
• How many branches of government should there be?
• Who is the best/worst president of all time?
• How long should judges serve in the U.S. Supreme Court?
• Should a more significant portion of the U.S. budget be contributed towards education?
• Should the government invest in rapid transcontinental transportation infrastructure?
• Should airport screening be more or less stringent?
• Should the electoral college be dismantled?
• Should the U.S. have open borders?
• Should the government spend more or less money on space exploration?
• Should students sing Christmas carols, say the pledge of allegiance, or perform other tangentially religious activities?
• Should nuns and priests become genderless roles?
• Should schools and other public buildings have prayer rooms?
• Should animal sacrifice be legal if it occurs in a religious context?
• Should countries be allowed to impose a national religion on their citizens?
• Should the church be separated from the state?
• Does freedom of religion positively or negatively affect societies?

Parenting & Family

• Is it better to have children at a younger or older age?
• Is it better for children to go to daycare or stay home with their parents?
• Does birth order affect personality?
• Should parents or the school system teach their kids about sex?
• Are family traditions important?
• Should parents smoke or drink around young children?
• Should “spanking” children be illegal?
• Should parents use swear words in front of their children?
• Should parents allow their children to play violent video games?

Entertainment

• Should all actors be paid the same regardless of gender or ethnicity?
• Should all award shows be based on popular vote?
• Who should be responsible for paying taxes on prize money, the game show staff or the contestants?
• Should movies and television shows have ethnicity and gender quotas?
• Should newspapers and magazines move to a completely online format?
• Should streaming services like Netflix and Hulu be free for students?
• Is the movie rating system still effective?
• Should celebrities have more privacy rights?

Arts & Humanities

• Are libraries becoming obsolete?
• Should all schools have mandatory art or music courses in their curriculum?
• Should offensive language be censored from classic literary works?
• Is it ethical for museums to keep indigenous artifacts?
• Should digital designs be considered an art form? 
• Should abstract art be considered an art form?
• Is music therapy effective?
• Should tattoos be regarded as “professional dress” for work?
• Should schools place greater emphasis on the arts programs?
• Should euthanasia be allowed in hospitals and other clinical settings?
• Should the government support and implement universal healthcare?
• Would obesity rates lower if the government intervened to make healthy foods more affordable?
• Should teenagers be given access to birth control pills without parental consent?
• Should food allergies be considered a disease?
• Should health insurance cover homeopathic medicine?
• Is using painkillers healthy?
• Should genetically modified foods be banned?
• Should there be a tax on unhealthy foods?
• Should tobacco products be banned from the country?
• Should the birth control pill be free for everyone?

If you need more help brainstorming topics, especially those that are personalized to your interests, you can  use CollegeVine’s free AI tutor, Ivy . Ivy can help you come up with original persuasive speech ideas, and she can also help with the rest of your homework, from math to languages.

Do Your Research

A great persuasive speech is supported with plenty of well-researched facts and evidence. So before you begin the writing process, research both sides of the topic you’re presenting in-depth to gain a well-rounded perspective of the topic.

Understand Your Audience

It’s critical to understand your audience to deliver a great persuasive speech. After all, you are trying to convince them that your viewpoint is correct. Before writing your speech, consider the facts and information that your audience may already know, and think about the beliefs and concerns they may have about your topic. Then, address these concerns in your speech, and be mindful to include fresh, new information.

Have Someone Read Your Speech

Once you have finished writing your speech, have someone read it to check for areas of strength and improvement. You can use CollegeVine’s free essay review tool to get feedback on your speech from a peer!

Practice Makes Perfect

After completing your final draft, the key to success is to practice. Present your speech out loud in front of a mirror, your family, friends, and basically, anyone who will listen. Not only will the feedback of others help you to make your speech better, but you’ll become more confident in your presentation skills and may even be able to commit your speech to memory.

Hopefully, these ideas have inspired you to write a powerful, unique persuasive speech. With the perfect topic, plenty of practice, and a boost of self-confidence, we know you’ll impress your audience with a remarkable speech!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

125+ Persuasive Speech Topics To Amaze Your Audience

Reviewed by:

Former Admissions Committee Member, Columbia University

Reviewed: 5/31/24

This article provides a comprehensive list of persuasive speech topics and answers to some of your frequently asked questions about speech topics. 

Persuasive writing is hard, and it’s even harder to try to come up with an engaging topic that interests you and your audience. 

Not only do you have to convince your audience to take your side on subjects that are often pretty divisive, but you also have to persuade them to take your side of the argument. The first step to making a successful persuasive speech that will amaze your audience is having a strong topic.  

Keep reading for 125+ persuasive speech topics.

125+ Topics for a Persuasive Speech

Persuasive speech ideas are harder to come up with than you may think. There is a fine balance between interesting your audience, being interesting to you, unique, and fresh, all while being thought-provoking without being outright offensive.

Here is a breakdown of various topics for persuasive speeches, organized by categories, to inspire you. 

1. Arts & Culture

Art and culture are always hot topics among individuals and groups. There are many interesting arguments and stances on both topics, and many people have strong opinions about them. 

See below for prompts for persuasive speeches about art and culture: 

• Is graffiti art? 
• Should art classes be mandatory for all students?
• Should we keep reading classic literature that is offensive? 
• Should there be a distinction between ‘high’ and ‘low’ literature?
• Are romcoms and erotica series like Fifty Shades of Grey empowering for women?
• Is reading actually more beneficial than watching TV or playing video games?
• Is there any benefit or relevance to teaching high school students Shakespeare?
• Should video games be considered a high form of entertainment?
• Are biographical movies of deceased musicians and artists ethical?
• Is modern music really worse than older music?
• Should paparazzi be banned and unable to sell their photos?

Topics in arts and culture are always fun to debate and discuss because you have the opportunity to talk about your favorite pieces of media!

2. Economics

Economics is a hotly debated topic. There is no shortage of compelling, engaging arguments involving economics. 

Here are some good persuasive speech ideas on the topic of economics: 

• Is capitalism a functional, ethical economic system? 
• Should everyone, despite their income, be taxed at the same rate?
• Can we introduce another economic system to our society? 
• Should each state, the federal government, or individual companies be responsible for setting a living wage?
• Should the minimum wage be doubled?
• Should everyone adapt to the four-day workweek?
• Should people who make under a certain amount per year not be taxed at all?
• Should governments encourage and reward people for shopping locally? 
• Should advertisements be banned during TV and media programming aimed at kids?
• Has modern consumerism gone too far?

Economics is a great topic for a persuasive speech because it affects our everyday lives in so many ways. There are tons of research and perspectives to help support your argument. 

3. Education

Many people feel strongly about education, and many sides and perspectives come into play: teachers, parents, students, student athletes, and more. 

Here is a list of some engaging topics to write a persuasive speech on:

• Should post-secondary education be free?
• Should taking a year off between high school and college be mandatory?
• Is it fair to take cell phones away from kids in middle/high school while they are in class?
• Should school uniforms be mandatory in all high schools?
• Should cursive writing still be taught in schools?
• Do frats and sororities actually serve their purpose? 
• Should programming and coding be introduced to young students?
• Should school lunches be free?
• Is college/university necessary anymore?
• Does the education system prepare students for adult life?
• Should gyms be mandatory for all students?
• Do schools need to do a better job at teaching students a second language?
• Should schools teach sign language?
• What age should students be taught sex ed?
• Should distant learning be encouraged or avoided at all costs?

Education is another great topic to write a speech about because it intersects with economics, culture , and politics . These topics will guarantee an engaged audience. This is a popular topic for high school students who are learning about tuition and scholarships at their top colleges! 

4. Environment

Since the release of Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” and Greta Thunberg’s unapologetic activism, climate change has been at the forefront of many political, economic, and cultural conversations. 

If environmental issues spark your interest, consider writing on one of the topics below:

• Can we ever live in a truly ‘green’ and environmentally friendly society?
• Should water bottles be banned?
• Are businesses responsible for implementing environmentally friendly production and products?
• Should there be a carbon tax?
• Should electric cars be mandatory in the near future?
• Should we switch over to entirely renewable energy?
• Do low-income families have the same duties to be eco-conscious as high-income families do? Should plastic bags and single-use plastic be completely banned?
• Should car racing be banned?
• Should fast fashion be banned?

The environment and climate change are becoming, if not already, some of the most pressing issues of our day. 

Ethics may be one of the most difficult topics to write a persuasive speech about because they tend to involve sensitive subject matter. However, ethics are also some of the most compelling and complex topics to explore. 

Here are some potential topics for a persuasive speech about ethics:

• Is animal testing ethical?
• Is drinking coffee unethical?
• Are animal shelters that allow euthanization ethical?
• Should more people try to adopt a vegetarian/vegan diet?
• Is the death penalty ethical? 
• Can racism ever truly be eliminated?
• Can the prison system genuinely contribute to the improvement and rehabilitation of individuals?
• Should justice systems and incarceration facilities focus on rehabilitation over punishment? 
• Should cosmetic plastic surgery be covered by insurance?
• Are morals objective or subjective?
• Should zoos and circuses be banned?
• Should fur coats be illegal?
• Are censorship laws ethical?
• Is it ethical to genetically modify an embryo? 
• How should we address the homelessness crisis, and who is responsible for it? 
• Should minors who commit violent crimes be charged and tried as adults?

Tackling a persuasive speech on ethics is a challenge, as many of these topics are complex and sensitive. It can also be difficult to wrap up a speech on such huge ethical debates. 

However, these topics also provide some of the most riveting and energizing debates—if you’re up to the challenge, you should definitely try to tackle one of these topics. 

From fitness to food prices to economic privilege, there are tons of debatable topics regarding health. Here are just some of the potential topics you can write a speech on:

• Are individuals solely responsible for their own health?
• Should prescription medications be free?
• Should sugary drinks like pop be taxed at higher rates?
• Should Starbucks be allowed to advertise its high-calorie and high-sugar drinks?
• Should the government regulate the prices of fruits and vegetables?
• Should fast food restaurants regulate and reduce their portions?
• Should gym memberships be free?
• Should the government change and restructure the work week to reduce stress?
• Should nurses be paid more?
• Should smoking be banned?
• Should insurance companies fully cover rehabilitation stays for health issues like eating disorders?

People have varying opinions and understanding of health, which makes these topics very engaging and interesting to write about.

7. Politics

It goes without saying that almost every political issue is debatable. 

• Do we actually live in a truly democratic society?
• Should there be a minimum wage or a living wage?
• Should the legal voting age be decreased?
• Does the pay gap exist?
• Are younger politicians more effective?
• Should there be stricter gun laws?
• Should Presidents be able to serve more than two terms?
• Should everyone get the day off work to go vote?
• Should political party funding be regulated?
• Should political smear campaigns be banned?
• Is there a political bias in mainstream media?
• Should you date someone with opposing political views? 
• Is the government spending too much on the military sector?

Politics is all about persuading people to take a side, which makes it a strategic topic for delivering a moving, persuasive speech. 

Sports is another big topic that people care a lot about. There are sports-related matters that are questioned everywhere: sports on TV, the Olympics, college sports and athletics, and athletic sponsorships . 

Below is a list of captivating sports topics for a persuasive speech: 

• Should the pay for professional teams be based on audience viewership? 
• Are professional sports getting too violent? 
• Are athletes overpaid?
• Is cheerleading empowering or exploitative? 
• Should children be allowed to compete in competitive sports?
• Should we continue spending millions of dollars on the Olympic Games?
• Do people put too much importance on high school and college football?
• Should alcohol and tobacco ads be banned during sports?
• Is betting on sports teams ethical?
• Should high school and college athletes be paid?

Sports is a topic that people don’t often think of as controversial. However, your audience is bound to be engaged and contemplating your argument as you present your speech. 

9. Technology

As the world increasingly moves to online spaces, and technology advances faster than ever before, technology is another hot topic that people have a lot of thoughts and opinions on. 

• Should all workplaces offer hybrid/remote work?
• Should we pursue Artificial Intelligence?
• Do we need to put resources into traveling to space?
• Should parents monitor their children’s online activity?
• Is it okay for phones to use facial recognition and fingerprint technology?
• Is technology actually addicting?
• Can we blame technology for increased stress and anxiety?
• Are security cameras and body cameras an invasion of privacy? 
• Should the internet be surveilled or managed?
• Should video game chats be surveilled or even banned?
• Are machines replacing human labor? 
• Should cloning be outlawed/banned?

As technology continues to advance and expand into our personal lives, it is a great topic to write a unique persuasive speech on. 

Having a unique and creative speech topic discussing one of your interests can make it stand out more! Think about extracurriculars you participate in, podcasts you enjoy, or fascinating facts you’ve learned. Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box. 

• What makes a hero?
• Are we headed toward World War 3?
• Did humans really land on the moon?
• Are serial killers born or made?
• Can good and evil be separated neatly?
• Is cancel culture a positive or negative thing?
• Can money buy happiness?
• How to become a millionaire
• How to become more confident
• How to live to be 100
• How to survive an apocalypse
• Do extraterrestrial beings exist?
• Why students should start investing at 16
• The true history of… (event of your choice, such as the Chernobyl disaster, the Black Plague, Salem Witch Trials, etc.)

Exploring these diverse and intriguing topics will not only capture your audience's attention but also allow you to share your passions with your peers! 

What Makes a Good Persuasive Speech Topic?

The best persuasive speech topics are topics that are not overdone and that the speaker is genuinely passionate about and knowledgeable about. 

Persuasive topics should also be a bit controversial (this does not mean offensive) because the topic and speech itself should be thought-provoking. The more people are emotionally invested in the topic, the better. 

For example, while you can try to persuade your audience that strawberry ice cream is better than chocolate ice cream, it’s unlikely that many people have a strong emotional investment in that topic. Without an emotional investment, audiences will be sitting listening to your speech, thinking: “So what?” 

On the other hand, a topic like “Should government set limits on how many children a family can have in overpopulated countries?” is emotionally charged and truly matters to people. 

Components of a Great Persuasive Speech Topic

Let's take a look at the key components that make up a great persuasive speech topic.

Timeliness and Relevance

Consider what's on people's minds right now. Your topic should be something they care about, whether it's in the news or a long-standing issue. It needs to feel important and connected to their lives. Picking a timely and relevant topic grabs your audience's attention and makes them more interested in what you have to say.

When choosing a topic, aim for something that has layers to it. Controversial topics or ones with lots of different opinions are good because they make people think. By exploring all the different angles of your topic, you can make your speech more engaging and show that you understand it well.

In today's world, facts matter more than ever. It's not enough to simply state your opinion; you need to back it up with solid evidence. Rely on numbers, data, and information from reliable sources to support what you're saying. When you do this, people trust you more and are more likely to believe what you're saying.

Personal Connection

Passion is a powerful tool in persuasion - so choose a topic that you truly care about. Passion is evident in your speech and ultimately makes it more interesting. Your enthusiasm rubs off on the audience, and they're more likely to pay attention. Feeling connected to your topic makes your speech more powerful and convincing.

How to Create a Compelling Persuasive Speech 

Let's delve into the process of creating a compelling persuasive speech.

Understanding Your Audience

Before diving into your speech, take the time to understand your audience. What motivates them? What are their goals and values? Tailoring your message to resonate with their interests and concerns will greatly enhance its impact.

Focus on Key Goals

Keep your speech focused by selecting just one to three key goals to address. Trying to cover too much ground can overwhelm your audience and dilute your message. Instead, hone in on the most important points you want to convey.

Address Objections Head-On

Anticipate objections that your audience might have and incorporate them into your speech. Acknowledging and addressing these concerns demonstrates empathy and builds credibility, making your argument more persuasive.

Start with a Compelling Story

Capture your audience's attention from the outset by starting with a compelling story. Make it relatable and relevant to your message to draw listeners in and set the tone for the rest of your speech.

Practice, Practice, Practice

The key to delivering a persuasive speech with confidence is practice. Rehearse your speech until you know it inside and out, focusing on the flow of your ideas rather than memorizing every word. This will allow you to speak naturally and authentically.

Maintain Eye Contact

Engage your audience by maintaining eye contact throughout your speech. This creates a connection and keeps listeners attentive and engaged. Don't just stare at one person; instead, scan the room and make brief eye contact with various individuals.

Reinforce Your Points with Repetition

Repetition is a powerful tool for reinforcing your message. After explaining each key point, circle back and reiterate it to drive it home. This helps ensure that your audience remembers and internalizes your main ideas.

Leave a lasting impression by ending your speech with a strong closing statement. Summarize your key points and reiterate your main message with conviction. This final flourish will leave your audience inspired and motivated.

Embrace Feedback

Be open to feedback from your audience, and graciously accept both praise and criticism. Use feedback as an opportunity to refine your message and improve your delivery. By embracing feedback, you can continuously hone your persuasive skills and become an even more effective communicator.

After reading through all the possible topics you can write a persuasive speech on, you may still have some questions before you get going. Let’s get into them.

1. What Are Some Easy Persuasive Topics?

Any persuasive topic can be easy to write about if you are passionate about your stance. The more passionate and knowledgeable you are about your topic, the easier it will be to research and write. 

There are also easy, persuasive topics that are more lighthearted than controversial, which some people may find easier to debate and write about. Some easy persuasive topics include: 

• Should everyone have a three-day weekend?
• Should every public place have free Wi-Fi?
• Does social media do more harm than good?
• Should kids get paid for getting high grades?
• Do we need more holidays?

These topics are all fun to debate, which makes it easy to write a persuasive speech or essay. Whereas some persuasive topics can be complex and sensitive, the topics listed above are pretty straightforward, which makes them easier to discuss than more complex topics. 

2. What Is a Good Speech Persuasive Topic For School?

A good start to finding a good persuasive speech topic for school is looking for a topic that involves something related to school. For example, you can look into talking about school uniforms, class sizes, tuition and scholarships, and school sports, just to name a few. 

Having a speech topic related to school is a good idea for school because your audience (teachers and peers) are directly in that environment as well. This means they will likely be more engaged as the topic, whether they agree or disagree, is relevant to their everyday lives. 

3. What are Three Examples of a Persuasive Speech Topic?

Any of the above topics listed in this article are examples of speech topics. Three specific examples that have not been listed are:

• Is social media to blame for the rates of depression and anxiety among youth?
• Do young adult romance novels encourage harmful and toxic relationships with their target audience?
• Should children under 18 have total control over medical decisions made about their bodies?

These topics are examples of speech topics because you need to take a clear stance in order to answer the question. The point of a persuasive speech is to convince or persuade the audience that your side of the argument is valid and should be considered, so the topic needs the individual to take a specific stance. 

As briefly touched upon before, your topic needs to interest your audience for a successful persuasive speech. While you should make sure your topic isn’t overdone, you don’t want to go with something too ‘safe’ as that will most likely bore your audience. 

Final Thoughts

Coming up with a topic for a persuasive speech may be the most difficult part of the writing process. 

Read over our list of topics and pick out a few topics that genuinely interest you. From there, do some preliminary research on each topic and see which one has the strongest evidence to support your argument. Then, you’ll be good to start writing your persuasive speech that will amaze your audience!

Get A Free Consultation

You may also like.

How to Get Into UC Berkeley | Admission Requirements + Tips

How to Write the Georgetown Supplemental Essays: Expert Tips and Prompts

Are you seeking one-on-one college counseling and/or essay support? Limited spots are now available. Click here to learn more.

150 Good Persuasive Speech Topics for Students in 2024

April 1, 2024

Do you know that moment in your favorite film, when the soundtrack begins to swell and the main character stands up and delivers a speech so rousing, so impassioned, it has the entire room either weeping or cheering by the time it concludes? What distinguishes the effectiveness of such a speech is not only the protagonist’s stellar delivery but also the compelling nature of the subject matter at hand. Choosing an effective persuasive speech topic is essential for guaranteeing that your future speech or essay is as moving as these . If this sounds like a tall order, have no fear. Below you’ll find a list of some of the best and most interesting persuasive speech topics for high school students to tackle, from the playful (“Pets for President”) to the serious (“Should We Stop AI from Replacing Human Workers?”).

And if you’re craving more inspiration, feel free to check out this list of Great Debate Topics , which can be used to generate further ideas.

What is a Good Persuasive Speech?

Before we get to the list, we must address the question on everyone’s minds: what is a persuasive speech, and what the heck makes for a good persuasive speech topic? A persuasive speech is a speech that aims to convince its listeners of a particular point of view . At the heart of each persuasive speech is a central conflict . Note: The persuasive speech stands in contrast to a simple informative speech, which is intended purely to convey information. (I.e., an informative speech topic might read: “The History of Making One’s Bed,” while a persuasive speech topic would be: “Why Making One’s Bed is a Waste of Time”—understand?)

And lest you think that persuasive speeches are simply assigned by your teachers as a particularly cruel form of torture, remember that practicing your oratory skills will benefit you in all areas of life—from job interviews, to business negotiations, to your future college career in public policy or international relations . Knowing how to use your voice to enact meaningful change is a valuable skill that can empower you to make a difference in the world.

Components of a Great Persuasive Speech Topic

The ideal persuasive speech topic will inspire the audience to action via both logical arguments and emotional appeals. As such, we can summarize the question “what makes a good persuasive speech topic?” by saying that the topic must possess the following qualities:

• Timeliness and Relevance . Great persuasive speech topics grapple with a contemporary issue that is meaningful to the listener at hand. The topic might be a current news item, or it might be a long-standing social issue. In either case, the topic should be one with real-world implications.
• Complexity . A fruitful persuasive speech topic will have many facets. Topics that are controversial, with some gray area, lend themselves to a high degree of critical thinking. They also offer the speaker an opportunity to consider and refute all counterarguments before making a compelling case for his or her own position.
• Evidence . You want to be able to back up your argument with clear evidence from reputable sources (i.e., not your best friend or dog). The more evidence and data you can gather, the more sound your position will be. In addition, your audience will be more inclined to trust you.
• Personal Connection. Do you feel passionately about the topic you’ve chosen? If not, it may be time to go back to the drawing board. This does not mean you have to support the side you choose; sometimes, arguing for the opposing side of what you personally believe can be an effective exercise in building empathy and perspective. Either way, though, the key is to select a topic that you care deeply about. Your passion will be infectious to the audience.

150 Good Persuasive Speech Topics

• Should tech companies regulate the development of AI systems and automation to protect humans’ jobs?
• Should we limit screen time for children?
• Is it ethical for AI models like Dall-E to train themselves on artists’ work without the artists’ permission?
• Should the government regulate the use of personal drones?
• Is mass surveillance ethical? Does its threat to civil liberties outweigh its benefits?
• Are virtual reality experiences a valuable educational tool?
• Do the positive effects of powerful AI systems outweigh the risks?
• Do voice assistants like Siri and Alexa invade individuals’ privacy?
• Are cell phone bans in the classroom effective for improving student learning?
• Does the use of facial recognition technology in public violate individuals’ privacy?
• Should students be allowed to use ChatGPT and other AI tools for writing assignments?
• Should AI-generated art be allowed in art shows or contests?
• Who holds responsibility for accidents caused by self-driving cars: the driver or the car company?

Business and Economy

• Should we do away with the minimum wage? Why or why not?
• Is it ethical for companies to use unpaid internships as a source of labor?
• Does the gig economy benefit or harm workers?
• Is capitalism the best economic system?
• Is it ethical for companies to use sweatshops in developing countries?
• Should the government provide free healthcare for all citizens?
• Should the government regulate prices on pharmaceutical drugs?
• Should the government enact a universal base income?
• Should customers be required to tip a minimum amount in order to ensure food service workers make a living wage?
• Should someone’s tattoos or personal appearance factor into the hiring process?
• Should US workers have more vacation time?
• Is big game hunting beneficial for local communities?
• Should we legalize euthanasia?
• Is it ethical to use animals for medical research?
• Is it ethical to allow access to experimental treatments for terminally ill patients?
• Should we allow genetic engineering in humans?
• Is the death penalty obsolete?
• Should we allow the cloning of humans?
• Is it ethical to allow performance-enhancing drugs in sports?
• Should embryonic stem cell collection be allowed?
• Do frozen IVF embryos have rights?
• Should state and federal investigators be allowed to use DNA from genealogy databases?
• Should the government limit how many children a couple can have?
• Is spanking children an acceptable form of discipline?
• Should we allow parents to choose their children’s physical attributes through genetic engineering?
• Should we require parents to vaccinate their children?
• Should we require companies to give mandatory paternal and maternal leave?
• Should children be allowed to watch violent movies and video games?
• Should parents allow their teenagers to drink before they turn 21?
• Should the government provide childcare?
• Should telling your children about Santa Claus be considered lying?
• Should one parent stay home?
• Should parental consent be required for minors to receive birth control?
• Is it an invasion of privacy for parents to post photographs of their children on social media?

Social Media

• Should social media platforms ban political ads?
• Do the benefits of social media outweigh the downsides?
• Should the government hold social media companies responsible for hate speech on their platforms?
• Is social media making us more or less social?
• Do platforms like TikTok exacerbate mental health issues in teens?
• Should the government regulate social media to protect citizens’ privacy?
• Is it right for parents to monitor their children’s social media accounts?
• Should social media companies enact a minimum user age restriction?
• Should we require social media companies to protect user data?
• Should we hold social media companies responsible for cyberbullying?
• Should schools ban the use of social media from their networks?
• Should we be allowed to record others without their consent?
• Do online crime sleuths help or hurt criminal investigations?

Education – Persuasive Speech Topics 

• Would trade schools and other forms of vocational training benefit a greater number of students than traditional institutions of higher education?
• Should colleges use standardized testing in their admissions processes?
• Is forcing students to say the Pledge a violation of their right to freedom of speech?
• Should school districts offer bilingual education programs for non-native speakers?
• Should schools do away with their physical education requirements?
• Should schools incorporate a remote learning option into their curriculum?
• Should we allow school libraries to ban certain books?
• Should we remove historical figures who owned slaves from school textbooks and other educational materials?
• Should we have mixed-level classrooms or divide students according to ability?
• Should grading on a curve be allowed?
• Should graphic novels be considered literature?
• Should all students have to take financial literacy classes before graduating?
• Should colleges pay student athletes?
• Should we ban violent contact sports like boxing and MMA?
• Should sports leagues require professional athletes to stand during the national anthem?
• Should sports teams ban players like Kyrie Irving when they spread misinformation or hate speech?
• Should high schools require their athletes to maintain a certain GPA?
• Should the Olympic committee allow transgender athletes to compete?
• Should high schools ban football due to its safety risks to players?
• Should all high school students be required to play a team sport?
• Should sports teams be mixed instead of single-gender?
• Should there be different athletic standards for men and women?
• In which renewable energy option would the US do best to invest?
• Should the US prioritize space exploration over domestic initiatives?
• Should companies with a high carbon footprint be punished?
• Should the FDA ban GMOs?
• Would the world be a safer place without nuclear weapons?
• Does AI pose a greater threat to humanity than it does the potential for advancement?
• Who holds the most responsibility for mitigating climate change: individuals or corporations?
• Should we be allowed to resurrect extinct species?
• Are cancer screening programs ethical?

Social Issues – Persuasive Speech Topics

• College education: should the government make it free for all?
• Should we provide free healthcare for undocumented immigrants?
• Is physician-assisted suicide morally justifiable?
• Does social media have a negative impact on democracy?
• Does cancel culture impede free speech?
• Does affirmative action help or hinder minority groups in the workplace?
• Should we hold public figures and celebrities to a higher standard of morality?
• Should abortion be an issue that is decided at the federal or state level?
• Should the sex offender registry be available to the public?
• Should undocumented immigrants have a path to amnesty?
• Do syringe services programs reduce or increase harmful behaviors?
• Should there be a statute of limitations?
• Should those who are convicted of a crime be required to report their criminal history on job and housing applications?

Politics and Government

• Is the Electoral College still an effective way to elect the President of the US?
• Should we allow judges to serve on the Supreme Court indefinitely?
• Should the US establish a national gun registry?
• Countries like Israel and China require all citizens to serve in the military. Is this a good or bad policy?
• Should the police force require all its officers to wear body cameras while on duty?
• Should the US invest in the development of clean meat as a sustainable protein source?
• Should the US adopt ranked-choice voting?
• Should institutions that profited from slavery provide reparations?
• Should the government return land to Native American tribes?
• Should there be term limits for representatives and senators?
• Should there be an age limit for presidential candidates?
• Should women be allowed in special forces units?

Easy Persuasive Speech Topics

• Should schools have uniforms?
• Can video games improve problem-solving skills?
• Are online classes as effective as in-person classes?
• Should companies implement a four-day work week?
• Co-ed learning versus single-sex: which is more effective?
• Should the school day start later?
• Is homework an effective teaching tool?
• Are electric cars really better for the environment?
• Should schools require all students to study a foreign language?
• Do professional athletes get paid too much money?

Fun Persuasive Speech Topics

• Should we allow pets to run for public office?
• Does pineapple belong on pizza?
• Would students benefit from schools swapping out desks with more comfortable seating arrangements (i.e., bean bag chairs and couches)?
• Is procrastination the key to success?
• Should Americans adopt British accents to sound more intelligent?
• The age-old dilemma: cats or dogs?
• Should meme creators receive royalties when their memes go viral?
• Should there be a minimum drinking age for coffee?
• Are people who make their beds every day more successful than those who don’t?

Interesting Persuasive Speech Topics

• Is the movie ranking system an effective way to evaluate the appropriateness of films?
• Should the government place a “health tax” on junk food?
• Is it ethical to create artificial life forms that are capable of complex emotions?
• Should parents let children choose their own names?
• Creating clones of ourselves to serve as organ donors: ethical or not?
• Is it ethical to engineer humans to be better and more optimized than nature intended?
• Should we adopt a universal language to communicate with people from all countries?
• Should there be a penalty for people who don’t vote?
• Should calories be printed on menus?
• Does tourism positively or negatively impact local communities?
• When used by non-Natives, are dreamcatchers cultural appropriation?
• Should companies require their employees to specify pronouns in their signature line?
• Should commercial fishing be banned?
• Are cemeteries sustainable?
• Is it okay to change the race, culture, and/or gender of historical figures in movies or TV shows?

I’ve Chosen My Topic, Now What?

Once you’ve selected your topic, it’s time to get to work crafting your argument. Preparation for a persuasive speech or essay involves some key steps, which we’ve outlined for you below.

How to Create a Successful Persuasive Speech, Step by Step

• Research your topic. Read widely and smartly. Stick to credible sources, such as peer-reviewed articles, published books, government reports, textbooks, and news articles. The right sources and data will be necessary to help you establish your authority. As you go, take notes on the details and nuances of your topic as well as potential counterarguments. Research the counterarguments, too.
• Choose an angle. For example, if you chose the topic “Should we limit screen time for children?” your speech should come down firmly on one side of that debate. If your topic is frequently debated, such as abortion, capital punishment, gun control, social media, etc. try to find a niche angle or new research. For example, instead of “Should abortion be legal?” you might consider “Should you be able to order abortion pills online?” Another example: “Should the death penalty be banned?” might become “How long is it ethical for someone to stay on death row?” If you do some digging, even the most cliche topics have incredibly interesting and relatively unexplored sub-topics.
• Create an outline. Your outline should include an introduction with a thesis statement, a body that uses evidence to elaborate and support your position while refuting any counterarguments, and a conclusion. The conclusion will both summarize the points made earlier and serve as your final chance to persuade your audience.
• Write your speech. Use your outline to help you as well as the data you’ve collected. Remember: this is not dry writing; this writing has a point of view, and that point of view is yours . Accordingly, use anecdotes and examples to back up your argument. The essential components of this speech are logos (logic), ethos (credibility), and pathos (emotion) . The ideal speech will use all three of these functions to engage the audience.

How to Practice and Deliver a Persuasive Speech

• Talk to yourself in the mirror, record yourself, and/or hold a practice speech for family or friends. If you’ll be using visual cues, a slide deck, or notecards, practice incorporating them seamlessly into your speech. You should practice until your speech feels very familiar, at least 5-10 times.
• Practice body language. Are you making eye contact with your audience, or looking at the ground? Crossing your arms over your chest or walking back and forth across the room? Playing with your hair, cracking your knuckles, or picking at your clothes? Practicing what to do with your body, face, and hands will help you feel more confident on speech day.
• Take it slow. It’s common to talk quickly while delivering a speech—most of us want to get it over with! However, your audience will be able to connect with you much more effectively if you speak at a moderate pace, breathe, and pause when appropriate.
• Give yourself grace. How you recover from a mistake is much more important than the mistake itself. Typically, the best approach is to good-naturedly shrug off a blip and move on. 99% of the time, your audience won’t even notice!

Good Persuasive Speech Topics—Final Thoughts

The art of persuasive speaking is a tricky one, but the tips and tricks laid out here will help you craft a compelling argument that will sway even the most dubious audience to your side. Mastering this art takes both time and practice, so don’t fret if it doesn’t come to you right away. Remember to draw upon your sources, speak with authority, and have fun. Once you have the skill of persuasive speaking down, go out there and use your voice to impact change!

Looking for some hot-button topics in college admissions? You might consider checking out the following:

• Do Colleges Look at Social Media?
• Should I Apply Test-Optional to College?
• Should I Waive My Right to See Letters of Recommendation?
• Should I Use the Common App Additional Information Section?
• 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).

• 2-Year Colleges
• ADHD/LD/Autism/Executive Functioning
• Application Strategies
• Best Colleges by Major
• Best Colleges by State
• Big Picture
• Career & Personality Assessment
• College Essay
• College Search/Knowledge
• College Success
• Costs & Financial Aid
• Data Visualizations
• Dental School Admissions
• Extracurricular Activities
• Graduate School Admissions
• High Schools
• Homeschool Resources
• Law School Admissions
• Medical School Admissions
• Navigating the Admissions Process
• Online Learning
• Outdoor Adventure
• Private High School Spotlight
• Research Programs
• Summer Program Spotlight
• Summer Programs
• Teacher Tools
• Test Prep Provider Spotlight

“Innovative and invaluable…use this book as your college lifeline.”

— Lynn O'Shaughnessy

Nationally Recognized College Expert

College Planning in Your Inbox

Join our information-packed monthly newsletter.

The Admissions Strategist

191 best persuasive speech topics: give an amazing speech.

Does the thought of public speaking make you cringe?

While almost everyone experiences some stage fright speaking in front of an audience, there are ways to tame this debilitating fear.

Half the battle of giving a speech is selecting a topic that engages your audience.

For any speech, whether informative or persuasive, your speech idea should meet these criteria:

• Well-researched with solid examples and evidence
• Broad enough to be universal, narrow enough to be original
• Meaningful and customized to your audience

Additionally, you should possess a measure of expertise on your topic.

Understanding the nuances of what you are speaking about is a sure way to ease those jitters. This is how you come up with the best speech idea.

When choosing a persuasive speech topic, all of the above criteria apply, along with a few additional requirements.

Click above to watch a video on Speech Topics.

What Makes a Good Persuasive Speech Topic?

While an informative speech merely presents factual information, a good informative speech topic goes a step further.

• The goal of a persuasive speech is to convince the audience that your perspective is valid.

This does not mean that the audience will agree with every opinion you present, but a good persuasive speech makes the audience think* .

A great persuasive speech makes an audience act.

As transcendentalist writer Ralph Waldo Emerson said: “Speech is power: speech is to persuade, to convert, to compel.”

Therefore, a strong persuasive speaker will:

• Present a clear and sincere perspective. The audience should not be questioning your stance on an issue.
• Exhibit passion that inspires others to think or act.
• Be confident in both your perspective and topic.

Not all persuasive speeches need to be deeply controversial, but there should be some gray area in your chosen topic.

Political , social and ethical issues make compelling persuasive speech topics for this reason.

The persuasive speech should address a burning question that incites intellectual debate:

• Should strict gun control laws be implemented?
• Is it possible to be an animal lover and a carnivore?
• Is the government at fault for the increasing homeless population?

Such questions may seem divisive, but, in a civilized society, they are essential to ask.

Posing such questions directly to your audience during your speech engages a group in the Socratic Method of critical thinking.

Furthermore, if a topic isn’t inherently controversial, then it might not make the most powerful speech.

Your job as a persuasive speaker is to argue your point, which is not necessary to do on topics that most people agree on.

In that vein, here are a handful of topics that would not make for good persuasive speeches.

• Learning a foreign language is important.
• Fighting in overseas wars can be dangerous.
• Social Security income is not sufficient for many retired Americans.
• Technical skills are crucial in the 21st-century job market.
• Cardiovascular fitness improves longevity.

…And you get the picture. So, what does make a good persuasive speech topic? Well, there are at least 191 answers to that question.

Get personalized advice!

191 best persuasive speech topics.

Before we reveal the 191 best persuasive speech topics, let’s preview each of the categories:

• Politics and law : This topic revolves around pressing issues including voting, Supreme Court decisions, political leadership, and criminal justice.
• Environmental activism : Climate change, offshore oil drilling, and green technology are just a few of the hot-button issues you’ll discover in this category.
• Social justice : Covering all issues of equality, social justice topics invite debate – and demand solid supporting facts or powerhouse emotional appeals .
• Ethics : Comprising our basic morals and values that drive our behaviors, the ethics category examines how to deal with issues like animal abuse, abortion, and stem cell research.
• Health : Regarding important issues like our food supply, how should we best protect and promote human health in the 21 st century?
• Potpourri : And now we come to the miscellaneous category of “everything else.” You’ll find engaging or even entertaining ideas related to music, movies, curriculum, and more.

Take a deep breath and read on!

Politics and Law

• Alternative political parties (i.e., Green Party, Libertarian Party, etc.)
• Declaring “Independent” or “No Party Affiliation” on voter registration.
• Should voters with no party affiliation be allowed to vote in primary elections?
• Are newly proposed voter registration laws discriminatory?
• How many terms should politicians be allowed to serve?
• Popular vote vs. Electoral College
• Are women underrepresented in Congress?
• Swing states (i.e., Florida and Ohio)
• Do current proposed abortion laws violate Roe v. Wade?
• Political correctness versus freedom of speech
• Terrorist watch lists – safety precaution or blatant prejudice?
• Corporate lobbyists and campaign contributions
• Are laws too lenient on violent criminals?
• Tax responsibility: income tax, property tax, sales tax.
• Should the voting age be increased or decreased?
• Capital punishment: right or wrong?
• DNA evidence in criminal cases: is it enough?
• Should criminal minors be prosecuted and sentenced as adults?
• How to deal with the issue of illegal immigration
• Should cigarettes be taken off the market and made illegal?
• Legalization of Marijuana
• Should health insurance be mandatory by law?
• Is the death penalty obsolete?
• Private vs. Public Prisons
• Should politicians be allowed to use private donations to campaign?
• Is it right for the government to fund partisan organizations?
• Appointment of Supreme Court Justice
• How can the mass shooting crisis be solved?
• Minimum wage: should it exist or be forgotten?
• Should citizens be required to serve in the military for a period of time?
• Gun rights on school campuses: is it safe?
• Military members and income tax

Environmental Activism

• Hybrid and electric cars on the road
• Oil spills and world wildlife
• Saving rainforests and their indigenous species
• Palm oil: should it be outlawed?
• Make all bills and business correspondence paperless.
• Dangers of drilling for oil
• Replacing plastic with glass and cardboard
• Trophy hunting: should the penalties be harsher?
• Banning disposable diapers in favor of cloth diapers
• Benefits of public transportation, biking, walking, or carpooling
• Conserving water in our everyday lives
• Wildfires on the rise in California
• Greenhouse gas emissions in Asia
• Global climate change and increased severity of storms
• Growing food as a homesteader
• Impact of big box stores on the environment
• Impact of online retailers’ packaging and shipping on the environment
• Turning the practice of recycling into a law punishable by hefty fines
• Overfishing and dwindling populations of marine wildlife
• Factory farms and greenhouse gas emissions
• Controlling E. Coli and other food borne illnesses
• Are is worth it to ban plastic straws?
• Drones and the environment
• Should hunting be outlawed in national parks to protect its wildlife?
• Hair care and air quality
• Better education for at home waste management
• Should it be illegal to flush certain things into the sewage system?
• Is it right to cut down a tree for the holidays?
• How do marijuana farms affect the surrounding area’s environment?
• Water contamination: What preventative measures can be taken?
• How to reduce your carbon footprint
• Should new homes support solar energy only?
• Organic farming practices

Social Justice

• Do you agree with the research on equal pay between men and women?
• Should government employees go without pay during a shutdown?
• Police brutality and shootings (in general or a specific case in the news such as Philando Castile in Minnesota)
• Should all policemen wear body cameras?
• Is racial discrimination on the rise? Why or why not?
• Scholarship opportunities for minority students
• The benefits (or challenges) of a multicultural society
• Should bullies be expelled from school?
• What can be done about anonymous online bullying?
• Unrealistic beauty/body standards and self-image
• How to create a strong community
• Welfare, SNAP, and other social assistance programs
• The 40-hour work week is too long.
• Comparing the work week in Europe to the work week in the United States
• Caring for an aging population: are Social Security and Medicare enough?
• Civil lawsuits should not receive so much attention in the media.
• Racial and ethnic profiling (including FBI criminal profiling)
• Being a foster or adoptive parent
• Buying local builds up the community.
• Refusing to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance
• Battling stereotypes and making them obsolete
• Mandatory community service for all U.S. citizens
• Is common law marriage outdated?
• Should companies be allowed to deny service to anyone?
• Changing gender on a driver’s license
• Affirmative Action today
• DACA DREAMers Movement
• Legalization of gay marriage
• Should individuals be allowed to adopt?
• Re-sentencing for crimes involving marijuana in states where it is now legal
• Unlimited Paid Time Off vs Accrued time off
• License revoking for older drivers: is it against their rights?
• Wearing fur or using fur for any profit
• Mistreatment of farm animals: what is the solution?
• How do we address the increasing problem of homelessness?
• Tithing – how much should each person give?
• Euthanasia for terminally ill individuals
• Was it right for Dr. Kevorkian (assisted suicide physician) to be imprisoned?
• Pet shops and breeders versus shelters
• Returning or rehoming pets: is it right?
• Preselecting the gender and other aspects of an unborn baby
• Abortion: pro-choice or pro-life?
• Product testing on animals in labs
• Stem cell research
• Protecting children from inappropriate websites
• When should a child be allowed to have a smartphone?
• Should children be allowed into an R-rated movie even with a guardian?
• Should violent movies and video games be banned?
• Do zoos and circuses abuse animals?
• Arranged marriage: a cultural tradition or outdated practice?
• Raising children without being married
• How to impart ethical behavior to the next generation
• Ethics as a mandatory high school class
• Do parents deceive children by telling tales of Santa Claus?
• Should pharmaceutical patents be removed so affordable generics can be made?
• 13 Reasons Why: Did it glorify suicide?
• Wrongful termination case study
• Is the borrowing limit for student loans too high?
• Pay for play in college athletics
• Performance enhancing steroids in competitive sports
• Is it right to own a gun for personal protection?
• Mandated reporting (Mandated reporters are individuals who are required to report any information they receive about abuse, suicidal ideation, etc.)
• Can an influencer be held responsible if they promote a harmful product unknowingly?
• Conventional versus organic produce
• Food additives, preservatives, and cancer rates
• Meat consumption and its effects on life expectancy
• Dangers of sitting at a desk all day
• Fast food industry and obesity rates
• Medical marijuana to treat chronic conditions
• GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) in foods: to label or not to label?
• Mandatory CPR and First Aid training for new parents
• School cafeteria food and children’s health
• Alternative uses of oral contraceptives
• Restaurant responsibility with peanut, gluten, and other allergies
• Everyday products that could be dangerous: deodorant, toothpaste, etc.
• Teaching yoga and meditation in public schools
• Moving from the “medical model” to holistic health
• Massages as necessities rather than luxuries
• Which vitamin supplements are worthless and should go off the market?
• The mind-body connection and its influence on health
• Social media and mental health
• The cumulative effects of poor sleep (and how electronics impact our sleep)
• IVF (Invitro fertilization): Should becoming a parent be covered?
• Should there be more physical education in schools?
• Is diabetes reversible?
• Doctors and insurance: should they accept all insurance?
• Do detox diets really work?
• Is binge-watching Netflix bad for our health?
• Keto vs Paleo vs Vegan: which is better?
• Should a patient be allowed to deny medical care?
• Pre-existing conditions and insurance rates
• Employers should offer mental health days without question
• Alternative sex education (not abstinence-only and inclusive of LGBT lifestyle)
• Mind-body fitness versus traditional Western sports
• Best genre and time period of music
• Healthiest world cuisine
• Uneven distribution of wealth: the top 1% versus everyone else
• Cost of living versus average salaries
• What to do about cults, gangs, and similar groups
• How to get accepted into an Ivy League school
• Religion versus spiritualism
• Survival skills should be taught in school.
• Benefits of forest schools for children
• The best U.S. President in history
• The most influential leader or figure in history
• Most effective ways to manage stress
• Obscure movies that people should watch
• Multitasking: fact or fiction?
• Buying a house versus renting an apartment
• Most exciting travel destination
• How to ace any test
• Overcoming social anxiety
• How our phones are hurting our eyes
• Are multi-level marketing companies really pyramid schemes?
• Protests: are they effective?
• Is a wedding reception worth the price tag?
• Should catfishing be a criminal offense?
• Mandatory study abroad semester in college
• Student loan borrowing: should it ever be forgiven?
• Responsible credit card strategies
• Living with parents to save money
• Can someone find true love on The Bachelor?
• Telemarketers and Harassment
• Marvel vs DC

And there you have it – 100+ unique topics to stoke your imagination and help you identify your passion.

Feel free to go beyond these springboard ideas or customize them to your perspective.

Advice from Persuasive Speech Experts

To help you out even more, we asked the experts on the best tips for giving a persuasive speech.

From Melora Kordos, visiting assistant professor of theatre arts at Sweet Briar College:

When selecting a persuasive speech topic, a student should first look to her own interests and passions. If she chooses something that she cares deeply about or has great interest in, then she will be able to more easily identify the best three points that support her argument and focus on those in her speech. If she is not already engaged in the topic, it will be much harder to persuade others to agree with her point of view. She should use both logical and emotional appeals throughout her speech, giving her a better chance of resonating with a larger percentage of her audience.

From Dr. Allison Beltramini, associate professor of communications at Waubonsee Community College:

When doing a persuasive  speech , it’s helpful to choose a topic that you personally believe in or support. It’s much easier to speak on something that you have a connection to. The next tip is to do your homework. This includes exploring the opposite side of the issue. Your audience needs to know that you are well-versed in the topic. Incorporate this research to support the claims you are making. Curate your sources carefully. Know who/what organizations are behind the sources you are using. And please, verbally cite your sources. Using research without the verbal citations in your  speech  is plagiarism. Persuasion is incremental. You can’t just tell someone something and expect they will believe you. You have to set up the issue, show how the problem effect people, talk about what will help or fix the problem and show why the solutions will work. All of these steps are vital. Finally – practice is essential. Your  speech  should be prepared but conversational. Reading to an audience word for word is not a good idea.

From Nate Masterson, HR manager of Maple Holistics :

The key to giving a persuasive  speech  is to engage your audience, and there are several ways to do this. Firstly, make eye contact with different people in the audience, but make sure to scan the whole room and not just focus on one area. Also, research the group of people you will be addressing so that you better know their priorities, cultural norms, inside jokes, etc. To make sure that your speech is sufficiently compelling, stick to just a few main talking points or objectives. This will ensure that your speech stays focused and that you can spend adequate time and energy backing up these main points without boring your audience.

From Jeffrey Davis, executive speech coach at Speak Clear Communications :

First, the best speakers build their argument emotionally as well as logically. Every point has a complelling story attached to it. Second, they make arguments that are novel and innovative. The “how” of the argument is as important as the “why.” Lastly, great speakers do not hold back on hand gestures!  Gesturing is scientifically proven to enhance a speaker’s impression with the audience.

From Bridgett McGowen, CEO of BMcTALKS :

While it’s important your audience has a memorable experience during your presentation and that it learns something new or gains a new perspective on something it already knew, it is equally important to move the audience to actually do something with what you shared … something that will inspire or change their lives, professions, or communities … because you are there to persuade! Remember any time you present, consistently think to yourself “In what difference-making endeavor do I want my audience to join?” or “Now that everyone has heard this, now what?” Give them the answers to those questions to further your persuasive message.

From Martha Krejci, business coaching leader :

Don’t write everything out! The last thing you want to do is look like you’re reading a speech verbatim. You want to illuminate your authority in the field you are speaking about. Reading does not do that….at all. So, here’s what I do. I think about the end goal of what I’m trying to communicate. Then, reverse engineer the points that take us there. Write the points out on a notecard if you need it, or if you’re lucky enough to have a teleprompter, use that. And finally, above all…tell stories! Don’t just have a bunch of dry information that anyone with a wifi signal could google. Tell stories that bring your audience into your problem, but also your solution you propose. If you can master storytelling, you may just be surprised by how good you can get at public speaking.

From Neil Thompson, founder of Teach the Geek :

Telling an easy-to-follow story is crucial in being persuasive. If people have to think too hard to understand what you’re talking about, they’re less likely to listen. If they don’t listen, you won’t have a chance to persuade them. If there are studies, surveys, or other types of data that can vouch for what you’re saying, that’ll also go a long way to persuading others. Lastly, you have to believe what you’re talking about. If you truly believe your message, it’ll shine through and people will be inclined to believe you, too.

From Adam Cole, expert writer and author:

Number one is the invitation to listen. It ensures that the listener has a context in which to understand what you are presenting so that everyone is on the same page when the important information comes. The invitation may contain relevant humorous anecdotes to break the tension and present the speaker as appealing, and it must be accessible enough that the listener will at least know what the topic is and why they should care. Number two is the topic. Depending on the complexity of the topic, it should be structured for maximum clarity. While humor and anecdotes can be used to illustrate the point, they should not distract from it or become the focus (unless the task is to highlight the speaker, rather than the topic, which is ok). Number three is the follow-through. If the listener has learned something, a good summation will help them retain the most important points from the learning so that they can remember it and follow up with more learning (perhaps from the speaker’s books, videos, or other appearances!) Taking the topic and framing it in terms of an action step for the audience may be a powerful way for them to keep the presentation (and the speaker) in their heads.

Conclusion: Best Persuasive Speech Topics

Remember, your passion and expertise on the topic will translate to audience engagement – and hopefully a good grade!

• Delivering a persuasive speech doesn’t have to be a nerve-wracking experience if you’re prepared and passionate.

In the words of Cicero: “A good orator is pointed and impassioned.”

To follow the advice of the great Roman orator, find your passion and then express it through your persuasive speech.

The skills you develop now in this area will benefit you throughout your professional and personal life.

*As an Amazon Associate, buying products recommended in this blog will help us create more amazing content.

Learn how we can help you with college and career guidance! Check out our YouTube channel!

Click Here to Schedule a Free Consult!

Stay on track and ease your anxiety with our second-to-none college application assistance.

• Ethics & Honesty
• Privacy Policy
• Join Our Team

(732) 339-3835

[email protected]

The Civic Educator

15 Persuasive Essay Topics About Controversial Issues

Controversial issues can be a great way to get your students engaged, and they also make perfect persuasive essay topics.

Whether your goal is to explore the controversial issue itself or to teach the mechanics of persuasive writing, controversial issues and persuasive essays go hand in hand.

In order to write a good persuasive essay, you need to feel passionately about an argument. Having a good prompt and a good issue let’s you do that.

The flip side is that to show you really understand a controversial issue, you have to make an argument about it. A persuasive essay is the perfect summative assessment to see whether a student really understands the issue and can articulate their opinion.

Below, I’ll share a list of 15 persuasive essay topics and writing prompts that you can use with your class. If you scroll down to the bottom, I’ll also wrap up with some other methods and resources that can help you teach these controversial issues and how to write argumentative essays.

List of Persuasive Essay Topics and Writing Prompts

So, without further ado, here’s a list of questions that would make great writing prompts for a persuasive essay.

Should the Government Ban or Regulate Indecency on Television?

This is a controversial issue as old as the airwaves. As long as there’s been radio and television, there have been arguments about what is acceptable and what is obscene.

If you’re studying constitutional law or taking AP U.S. Government, you’re probably familiar with George Carlin and his famous “ Seven Dirty Words ” bit. But for the average student, this persuasive writing topic is still relevant.

Think about the music you hear on the radio. What is bleeped out? Why do we have “dirty” and “clean” versions of hit songs? Why are some television shows allowed to curse, be violent, and have nudity, while others don’t?

You could definitely take this broader topic and make it more specific and timely by relating it to a current hit song or television show that your students are in to.

But however you phrase it, whether or not the government should regulate indecency on television is a great persuasive essay topic.

Should Voters Be Required to Show Identification?

For the last few years, this has been an increasingly hot topic as individual states have moved to implement various forms of voter ID laws. On the face of it, this sounds reasonable, but underneath the surface there are arguments about voter suppression and exclusion.

Is voter fraud a problem that needs to be dealt with? An answer to this question should likely depend on some research about the extent to which people are impersonating voters to enter the voting booth.

What kind of ID should be required? Different types of ID have different requirements to obtain them, and so this choice matters to.

Finally, how do you deal with the potential for discriminatory exclusion? Some people – the elderly, the young, low income – are more likely to not have ID, and for some people it can be a financial burden to secure the documentation necessary to get an ID.

Here’s a great, short NY Times Op-Doc video about the issue, which leans more to the “against” side of voter ID laws .

This ongoing policy debate about Voter ID laws makes for a great argumentative essay topic.

Should Race Be a Factor in Admissions to Universities?

Affirmative action has been a controversial issue for decades. Initially, the debate was over whether or not strict racial quotas were an appropriate way to make up for centuries of discrimination and segregation.

These early forms of affirmative action were struck down by the Supreme Court in Regents of the University of California vs Bakke , but other forms of affirmative action survived. Bakke affirmed that universities could use race as one factor in their admissions, and universities have been trying to strike the proper balance since.

A few years ago, the U.S. Supreme Court weighed in again – in Fisher v. University of Texas – and upheld more holistic processes designed to ensure diversity. But in the aftermath of Fisher , a group of students have brought a case against Harvard that is likely destined to find itself at the Supreme Court soon.

Which begs the original question – is it appropriate for a University to use race as a factor in admissions in order to guarantee diversity of its student body?

Should the Government Limit the Amount of Money Spent on Political Campaigns?

The influence of money in politics is another issue that has been fought out in the Supreme Court over the last 50 years. Money in politics is nothing new, and there are plenty examples of its corrupting influence in the early history of the United States.

But since the 1970’s, the federal government has struggled to strike a proper balance between regulation and free speech. Early campaign finance laws sought to restrict spending, and that was ultimately overturned. More recently, McCain-Feingold (aka BCRA) tried to funnel campaign spending into committees that have strict disclosure and contribution regulations.

Much of that came to an end with Citizens United , and since 2010 there has been a renewed surge of “dark” money in politics. So there’s really two parts to this question – a) should there be restrictions on how much money people can contribute and/or spend and b) does the public have a right to know who is contributing money to whom?

One way or another, the question of campaign finance is a great persuasive essay topic.

Should the Government Publicly Finance Campaigns?

Related to the previous question, you might also use this question as an argumentative essay prompt – should the government avoid the influence of money altogether by publicly funding campaigns?

There are some examples to look at. In 1974, the federal government set up a Presidential Election Campaign Fund, and candidates can use it to get matching dollar amounts if they agree to certain restrictions. But since Citizens United , the program has largely fallen out of favor.

New Jersey is one of several states with a public funding option for gubernatorial campaigns, and Arizona and Maine have more comprehensive systems offering public funding for state legislative elections. But these laws have also been challenged in court, and part of Arizona’s public financing law was struck down by the Supreme Court in 2011.

A simple version of this persuasive essay topic would focus on whether or not the government should publicly finance campaigns, while a more complex version might touch on how the government could do it in a way that withstood judicial scrutiny.

Should the United States Intervene When Foreign Dictators Use Chemical Weapons on Their Own People?

This is a more narrow version of the general question – should the United States intervene in foreign countries or mind its own business?

In some historical cases – like World War II and the Holocaust – it seems pretty obvious that intervention is a good idea. But in the present moment, it’s a little harder to identify that dividing line.

There have been a number of recent cases along these lines – Syria, Iraq, Bosnia & Herzegovina. Students will likely have a huge range of opinions on the issue, with some being fiercely isolationist and others advocating intervention on the slightest chance of abuse.

This is one of my favorite persuasive essay topics because it links up so directly with a theme that I talk a lot about in class – conflict. Read more about teaching with themes here.

Should the Federal Government Raise the Minimum Wage to $15 per hour?

The federal minimum wage is $7.25, and it’s been there since 2009. With the Fight for $15 movement is gaining steam around the country, this would make a great persuasive writing topic.

What once seemed kind of crazy is slowly becoming more realistic. First, some progressive cities took the lead, like Seattle. Now, some states are following suit – including New Jersey and Illinois.

Of course, there’s still plenty of pushback against this idea and a national minimum wage hike doesn’t seem to be in the cards in the near future. But a student could certainly take a side and stake out an argument – and maybe even send it to their legislature.

This is another one of the persuasive essay topics that relates directly back to a major theme in social studies – this time the theme of economics, and whether or not the economy is fair. Read more here about essential questions related to economics.

Should Congress Require Annual Standardized Tests in Schools?

Here’s another essay topic that’s particularly relevant for students. Every student knows the pain of testing – in fact just this morning, I spent several hours proctoring the New Jersey Student Learning Assessment (NJSLA).

Testing has been around a long time, but the frequency of it increased – and was required nationwide – after the 2001 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (aka “No Child Left Behind”). Congress took another look at the issue with the next reauthorization – the Every Student Succeeds Act – but they ended up leaving the testing mandate alone.

So what do your students think? Ask them and have them write an argumentative essay about it.

You could also put a twist on this question by focusing on the use of tests as an exit requirement. There’s no federal mandate for this, but some states do require students to pass a standardized test to graduate. For older students, this surely a topic about which they’ll have an opinion.

Should the United States Grant Asylum to Refugees?

This is another age old question that has taken on new relevance. From the beginning of its history, the United States took in people who could be considered refugees. Historically, the greatest test of this question may be the Holocaust, and early on the United States failed that test.

You can watch this PBS Frontline episode, Forever Prison , to learn about the plight of Haitian refugees to the United States in the 1990’s. More recently, there are refugees looking to come to the United States from the Middle East and from Latin America. If your students spend any time watching the news, they’ve surely heard something about this.

This topic could revolve around what people are fleeing from. Should we only accept refugees from religious persecution and human rights abuses? What about crime or poverty? Or natural disasters?

It’s a complex question that gets to the heart of the immigration policy debate – and makes a perfect argumentative essay prompt.

Should the Government Have Access to Encrypted Devices and Communications Platforms?

The topic of government surveillance pops up in the news from time to time. Under Bush, there was the warrantless wire-tapping, the use of phone metadata, and the FBI snooping on e-mails.

More recently, this question focuses on access to encrypted communication platforms – like WhatsApp. To your students, these are probably just convenient ways to chat with each other. But to people with security concerns, they’re also a way to make sure that no one is listening in on their conversations.

There could be some good reasons for that. There could also be some bad reasons. Apparently terrorist groups like ISIS have used these encrypted communication platforms to plan attacks, which begs the question – should the government have some kind of backdoor to get in?

Some students will shrug this off and think it’s no big deal, while others will probably react with quite a bit of concern.

Should the Federal Government Permit or Ban the Death Penalty?

This is a good argumentative essay topic to use in conjunction with the Bill of Rights. The Eighth Amendment says no cruel unusual punishment – which should mean no death penalty, right?

Of course, there’s a historical angle to this. The death penalty was widely accepted in 1789, so you can make an argument that the Eighth Amendment doesn’t forbid it.

But there’s also the angle of justice and equity. In the 1970’s, through a series of court cases, the death penalty was deemed arbitrary and capricious – because it tended to be used more against certain offenders (i.e. African Americans).

This led to some reforms, and some states have continued to use the death penalty. Texas is leading the way on that front. Other states, however, have banned it, while others have put a moratorium on executions because of concerns over the method of execution.

Should Hate Speech Be Protected by the First Amendment?

This is another great writing prompt to use with the Bill of Rights, and it’s one that’s sure to elicit strong reaction from your students.

Supreme Court caselaw has held that speech – even hate speech – is protected by the First Amendment. A pivotal case in this vein was Brandenburg v. Ohio . In that case, the Court decided that speech could only be limited if it created an imminent danger, not because it was hateful.

Another way to frame the question is to focus on social media platforms. Recently, Facebook, Twitter, and other companies have come under fire for allowing White Supremacists to share various forms of hate speech on their platforms. One could then make a connection to any number of violent incidents throughout the country (or the world).

So if the government can’t regulate hate speech because of the First Amendment, does a platform like Facebook have an obligation to do so? Great topic for a persuasive essay.

Should the Government Send a Manned Mission to Mars?

I love space, so this question really appeals to me. Fifty years ago, people might have thought JFK was crazy when he planned to send a man to the moon. I’m sure there were plenty of heated debates about that.

Today’s frontier is a bit further away, but is it any more crazy? Sure, there are some technological leaps that need to be taken before it’s possible. But in the early 1960’s, putting a man on the moon may have seemed crazy, too.

But it’s an important question for the space program. What’s next? Back to the moon, on to Mars, or something else? Or should we just hang out on Earth for a while and try to fix what we’ve got here?

Maybe it’s the science fiction fan in me, but I just think this is a great topic to think about. I’d love to see what students would write about this in an argumentative essay.

Should the Federal Government Have to Balance the Budget?

This is a question that should come with a heavy dose of economics and economic policy. But it’s one worth asking. It could also be a good vehicle for teaching some of these concepts that might otherwise seem boring and wonky.

You could also connect this back to history. When you teach about the early years of the nation and Alexander Hamilton’s role as the Secretary of the Treasury, there’s undoubtedly something that comes up about the National Debt. Instead of talking about that in historical isolation, you can connect that today and think about the current federal budget.

This is also back in the news this week, with moderate Democrats (i.e. the Blue Dog Coalition backing a concept that has traditionally been more closely associated with Republicans. Perhaps it’s a blip on the national scene and the topic will fade away, but if it’s in the headlines why not use it as a persuasive essay topic?

Should the Voting Age be Lowered to 16?

We’ll end with this one because it has a direct impact on students. Should teenagers be allowed to vote?

A few years ago, this might have sounded crazy. But over the last few years there have been several municipalities that lowered their voting age to 16. At the federal level, Rep. Ayanna Pressley introduced an amendment to a bill on federal election reform that would have lowered the age for participation in Congressional and Presidential elections.

There’s also a historical angle to this question. Once upon a time – not all that long ago – you couldn’t vote at 18. To today’s students it may seem like a fait accompli , but the 26th Amendment that lowered the voting age was less than fifty years ago. At the founding of the country, some states required voters to be as old as 25.

So let students wrestle with this writing prompt in an argumentative essay and put together an argument for (or against) lowering the voting age.

Other Methods and Resources for Teaching Controversial Issues and Persuasive Essays

A big piece of teaching how to write a persuasive essay is the topic, but – especially with controversial issues – it also helps to teach some background about the topics.

One place you can look for resources for these questions is C-SPAN’s Classrooms Deliberations . These are in depth lessons on current policy debates that come scaffolded with C-SPAN videos and other resources. Some of these questions are featured in these Deliberations lessons, and this can be a great place to find the factual resources your students need to write good arguments.

Two other methods that you could think about using with these controversial issues are Take a Stand and A/B Writing . With the Take a Stand activity, students arrange themselves on a continuum based on how they feel about a question. With A/B writing, students choose a statement to agree with and write down their reason for choosing it. Either method is a great way to get students to start thinking about a topic that’s going to turn into a persuasive essay.

Finally, a lot of these issues are things that are debates that are playing out in the country right now. If you follow the news, you’re bound to hear about many of these issues on a weekly basis. Better yet, if you teach current events on a regular basis in your class, you can have your students relate what they’ve learned in the news to these essays. Here are some resources on how to use CNN10 to teach current events in your class .

Which Issue Have You Used From These Persuasive Essay Topics?

Have you used one of these topics in your class? How did you students respond?

Do you have another controversial issue that you’ve used as a topic for a persuasive essay? What was it?

Drop a line in the comment below and share with our readers.

1 comments on “15 Persuasive Essay Topics About Controversial Issues”

• Anna H. Smith
• November 27, 2020

I really appreciate this website. I have learned some inciteful writing information. I feel strongly that I can go forward with the information that I have gained from this post. Great persuasive controversial essays you have shared. Thanks very much.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

381 American Politics Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best american politics topic ideas & essay examples, 👍 good essay topics on american politics, ⭐ simple & easy american politics essay titles, 💡 interesting topics to write about american politics, 📑 good research topics about american politics, 📌 most interesting american politics topics to write about.

• Barack Obama as a Transformational Leader In this instance, Barack Obama’s approach was that of a transformational leader: he urged the American citizens to desire change and take measures towards achieving the transformation.
• George Washington and Abraham Lincoln: Similarities and Differences George Washington and Abraham Lincoln appear to be the most prominent personalities in the entire history of the United States. Considering the fact that George Washington and Abraham Lincoln lived in different historical periods, it […]
• “The Atlanta Compromise Speech” by Booker T. Washington The idea was that if it became clear to the whites that the black community was ready to contribute to national and global development, the barriers of social inequity and racial injustice would gradually diminish.
• George Washington: Life and Achievements His role in the French and Indian War was significant, as he was a commander of the Virginia Regiment, raised to oppose the French in the Ohio Valley.
• Barack Obama’s Charismatic Leadership In Obama’s Case, the sparkle and invisible energy as defined by Rao pushed him to the presidency and continues allowing him some loyal following albeit the fact that some are being disappointed by the slow […]
• Rhetorical Theory Applied to Michelle Obama’s Speech The next step was the discussion of the candidate’s history, her skills, and the nature of the election. In conclusion, this rhetorical analysis reveals the strengths and weaknesses of Michelle Obama’s speech at the Democratic […]
• “Farewell Address” by George Washington The significant aspect of the president’s speech was the value of unity, loyalty to party over the nation, and the danger of foreign entanglements.
• Natural and Revealed Law: American Political Philosophy While its roots go back to Ancient Greece and Rome, natural law has remained a part of modern history.[1] In particular, the rise of Christianity contributed to the evolution of natural and revealed law and […]
• Logos, Ethos, and Pathos in Hillary Clinton’s Speech Looking at the example of the Clinton speech, her address focuses on the rights of women and the need to protect them.
• The Life of George Washington Truett Due to the strong conviction of the church leadership and its congregation, he was persuaded to become a minister in 1890.
• The Challenges of Racism Influential for the Life of Frederick Douglass and Barack Obama However, Douglass became an influential anti-slavery and human rights activist because in the early childhood he learnt the power of education to fight inequality with the help of his literary and public speaking skills to […]
• Barack Obama’s Family History Payne, on the other hand, was born in the year 1922 in Wichita, Kansas and she died 86 years later on November 3, 2008 in Honolulu, Hawaii.
• The “Obama’s Deal” Documentary Reflection The world was not privy to the level of lobbying that happened behind the scenes, and the cost to his popularity, bipartisan ideals, and open government.
• Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson Comparison The two presidents managed to contribute to the development of the country in different ways. However, both of them managed to contribute greatly to the development of the USA and its empowerment.
• Bill Clinton’s Accomplishments as President Besides the record-high surpluses and the record-low poverty rates, the economy could boast the longest economic expansion in history; the lowest unemployment since the early 1970s; and the lowest poverty rates for single mothers, black […]
• President Obama’s Inaugural Speech Analysis In his speech, Obama was seen to take advantage of the significance of that moment to address the Americans’ main concerns.
• Blackstone’s Influence on American Political Philosophy This collection of comments and discussions highlighted the role of the citizen in the country and greatly influenced the formation of the American ideas of the common law.
• Four Freedoms by President Roosevelt Throughout the discussion we shall elaborate the four freedoms in a broader way for better understating; we shall also describe the several measures that were put in place in order to ensure the four freedoms […]
• George Washington’s Leadership Style and Character From an in-depth analysis of his presidency and leadership the three events, it is worth noting that Washington was a visionary leader and a skilful individual whose patriotism, courage and dedication to the people and […]
• Leadership Style of Bill Clinton: What Can We Learn? To have a good understanding of Bill Clinton, we shall have a review and a brief description of his biography in order to understand about the background of Bill Clinton right from the time he […]
• The Reagan-Bush Years: 1981-1993 The 1980s would not be considered a Go-Go economy as there was significant instability in the earlier years of the decade with the adoption of Reaganomics.
• Donald Trump and Joe Biden on Oppression Donald Trump, the current President of the United States of America, is planning to run again in the 2020 election with the same platform and will likely become the Republican nominee.
• Donald Trump: Theory X and Autocratic Decision-Style Methods He has managed to maintain success using this style of headship in the real estate business in America and across the world.
• George Washington’s Achievements and Farewell Address Washington was a successful leader because he promoted democracy, led the country through the revolutionary war, and achieved most of the goals which he had promised the people.
• The American Political System Of course, there are some controversies, but it is possible to note that the political system of the country does work.
• Political Institutions Comparison: USA, UK and France In UK, the prime minister is elected into office through the house of the commons. In conclusion, France is the most interesting system of government due to its ceremonial prime minister and does not have […]
• Is Barrack Obama Like Hitler? According to his book, Obama on the other hand recognizes and desires to change the problems in the American functional government and state of politics. This has generated a lot of criticism and the continued […]
• Franklin Roosevelt and Veto Power In the United States, and as per the constitution, every bill passed by the House of Representatives is given to the president for assent.
• Biden’s 2023 State of the Union Address Analysis It is good that Biden highlighted the achievements of his administration, which included the lowest unemployment rate in history and efforts to minimize the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukrainian crisis.
• Political Culture of American Government This type of political culture influenced the German government’s hesitation because they did not want to spoil the relationship with the Russian government.
• “Women’s Rights Are Human Rights” by Hillary Clinton Hillary Clinton’s speech about women’s rights effectively convinces her audience that women rights are an indispensable part of human rights through the use of logical argument, repetition, historical facts, and emotional stories.
• Biden’s Student Loan Forgiveness Plan The changes essentially affect the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program that allows federal student loan borrowers to receive payment credits. As part of the plan, Biden paused the extension of loan repayment.
• Obama Had Authority to Order Operation Geronimo The public opinion of the US citizens supported the president and military force actions because of the ongoing conflict between the USA and Al-Qaeda.
• Editorial on Donald Trump in 2024 Presidential Race This is a liberal view as the editors feel that the president will reverse some of the gains made towards creating a society where everyone feels entitled to the benefits that the nation has to […]
• Washington’s Farewell Speech Analysis With the help of James Madison and Alexander Hamilton, Washington composed a letter in Philadelphia in what later became described as the “Farewell Address”.
• Donald Trump’s Election Campaign for 2024 A few days after the results of the midterm elections for the U.S. According to Trump, his rivals suspended the counting of votes in important states of the country in order to get additional ballots […]
• The Port Huron Statement: American Political System The manifesto was written in historically difficult times for the United States, which fell on the aggravation of relations with the USSR, the beginning of the Cold War, the Vietnam War, and the development of […]
• The Role of Japan in Biden’s Indo-Pacific Economic Framework This paper addresses the challenges that led to the framework’s creation, the IPEF’s four pillars, and the participation of the other nations in the region.
• The American Political Campaigns: Major Historical Eras A breakdown of the remaining three eras, how congressional candidates can capitalize on campaign laws, the primary factors in a congressional campaign, and the role of media in driving the public’s understanding of candidates for […]
• Joe Biden’s First Two Years in Office The outcome of the midterm elections for the US Congress, where the Republicans received a majority of the votes, is evidence that Biden did not act quickly enough to address the issues arising in society.
• Rhetoric in Obama’s 2008 Speech on Racism When the audience became excited, it was Obama’s responsibility to convey his message in a more accessible form. To conclude, Obama’s speech in 2008 facilitated his election as the first African American President in history.
• Barak Obama and Donald Trump: Communication Styles Nonetheless, it is essential to determine which of the factors play a decisive role by comparing the communication styles of Barak Obama and Donald Trump, examining the examples of their debates and speeches across their […]
• Barack Obama’s Biography and Political Leadership The main reason why many see him as an inspiration is that he was the first person of color to hold the office of president, but there is so much more to him and what […]
• Donald Trump: The Law Violations The former president of the US, Donald Trump, has been the subject of heated political and legal discussions due to the numerous charges he faces because of violating the law on several accounts.
• Foreign Policy of the Clinton Administration The foreign policy strategies of Clinton and Bush Jr.differed significantly. In contrast, Bush Jr.was focused on isolation and confrontation with the principles of globalization.
• President Obama’s Justification for Killing bin Laden In Schlag’s opinion, the secrecy of lawyers in working on the legal actions surrounding the plot of Bin Laden’s death raised concerns regarding the justification of his killing.
• Requesting a Warrant for Trump’s Home Search In his opinion piece for KCRA, Alanna Durkin observes that a checklist of stringent conditions governs the procedure of getting a search warrant. Durkin notes that the court could have only authorized the request if […]
• Conservatism in the Clinton and Obama Administrations Thus, the Clinton and Obama administrations have examples of how the presidents challenged the rise of conservatism and were considered the continuation of it simultaneously.
• Biden’s Student Loan Dilemma by Barbaro & Cowley The podcast Biden’s Student Loan Dilemma by Michael Barbaro and Stacy Cowley examines the state of student debt loans in the U.S.
• Joe Biden’s Inaction on the Need to Eliminate Existing Tariffs The main effect of this decision was retaliatory tariffs on US agricultural imports to China, which led to a decrease in the export of soybeans.
• Trump’s Trade Dump: Agreement With China According to detractors, it is the sort of management trade policy that the U.S.has long opposed, particularly about China and its economic control.
• Women in the USA: The Emergence of Political Power The role of factors determining the status of American women in the state and society and the degree of influence of women themselves on the development of state policy in general and concerning the female […]
• George W. Bush’s Inaugural Speech It is rather interesting that, in the text, Bush says that “the best hope for peace in our world is the expansion of freedom in all the world”. This text also helps to think about […]
• Black Lives Matter and Trump’s Use of Secret Police He has tried to hide the truth and the police brutality that took Floyd’s life, just as it endangered the lives of other black Americans.
• Trump Tells Story About Killing Terrorists With Bullets Dipped in Pigs’ Blood The text reflects on Donald Trump’s recollection of the myth that terrorists were killed before the bullets used were dipped in pig blood.
• President Biden’s State of the Union Address in 2022 The measures taken to date will help reduce the share of unresolved problems and give some impetus to the development of the well-being of America and its citizens.
• Michele Obama’s Speech: A Rhetorical Analysis The main message of the First Lady was to draw attention to the suppression of the advertising of unhealthy food to minors.
• Theodore Roosevelt’s Progressive Ideas The decision to promote progressive ideas was not spontaneous, and he saw the movement as the possibility to protect the real rule of humans.
• George Washington’s Farewell Address He considered the most important element of the success of the state and society to be the preservation and promotion of peaceful coexistence with all forces.
• Rhetorical Analysis: Logos and Pathos in Trump’s Truth In the third chapter, “The Truth Is the Greatest Enemy of the State,” attention is paid to Trump’s speeches and promises.
• 1968: The Turning Point in American Politics and Society Over the years of existence in the modern United States, there have been numerous iterations of the party systems and political structures in the attempts to address the differences between Democrats and Conservatives.
• The Speech About the Assassination of Osama bin Laden by Barack Obama To conclude, we can consider this speech as a good example of weighted but at the same time pompous and threatening speech regarding the issue of national security.
• President Obama’s Inaugural Address in 2009 First, the inclusion of certain phonological elements such as alliteration, consonance, and assonance works to beautify the language, which causes it to resonate with the listener.’Pounded the pavement’ or ‘picked up the phones’ is an […]
• Michelle Obama’s Tuskegee University Commencement Speech The commencement speech of Michelle Obama at the Tuskegee University primarily focused on the continuing and detrimental effects of racism, but even more improtantly on the concept of a post-racial America.
• Progressive Ideology by President Roosevelt In addition, the key role of the progressive lies in addressing the problems of the other, for which reason they are to remain enthusiastic and inspiring under any circumstances.
• Biden’s Push to Increase Tax on the Rich From New York Times The major reason for this news is Biden’s will to increase taxes for the rich to fund his plan of reshaping the economy.
• Biden Ends Workplace Immigration Raids, Reversing Trump Policy Firstly, the announcement will contribute immensely towards the integrity of most employers in the sense that it is going to push employers to pursue only documented immigrants for labor without putting excessive pressure on the […]
• George Washington’s and John Adams’s Policies George Washington is the first popularly elected President of the United States of America, Commander-in-Chief of the Continental Army, a participant in the War of Independence, and the founder of the American institution of the […]
• The COVID-19 Bill Proposal by President Biden As the standing committees to introduce the bill to, the budget committees of the House and the Senate will be involved.
• The Actions of Roosevelt During the New Deal The period from 1929 to 1941, including the Great Depression and the New Deal, is undoubtedly one of the most important in American history.
• Watergate – American Biggest Political Scandal In an attempt to do so, participants of Nixon’s Committee to Re-Elect the President broke into Watergate headquarters of the Democratic National Committee.
• “Industrial Education for the Negro” by B. T. Washington In the article, the author insists on the introduction of industrial education to the curriculums of all black students to ensure that they understand the value of labor.
• Academic Reforms of George W. Bush The development and establishment of the Every Student Succeed Act, is an attribute of Bush’s education reforms from his initiative to provide every child with the right to education in his bipartisan act of No […]
• What Explains the Increased Use of Drones Under The Obama Administration in Pakistan The C.I.A.holds the responsibility for the Drone attacks in Pakistan.”The C.I.A.began using drones in Pakistan in 2004, even though the United States was not engaged in a war with that country.
• Washington vs. Texas Court Case No. 649: Issue, Facts, and Summary Still, the court authorities denied him a request to listen and consider the testimony of a witness or an accomplice, because of which the court’s verdict turned in the opposite direction.
• Booker T. Washington’s Position Regarding the Black Problem Washington saw the main goal of education in the social and cultural teaching of African Americans, thanks to the emphasis on the acquisition of technical skills.
• Booker T. Washington’s Atlanta Exposition Speech The appeal to the white population was based on a call to reduce pressure on African Americans to build a socially equal society.
• W.E.B. Du Bois and Booker T. Washington on African American Education The effects of racial discrimination and the resulting segregation echoed in every area in the late 19th and early 20th century, causing the debate concerning the need for integrated schools to become rather polarizing even […]
• Biden’s Stimulus Package: Impact on Society The new legislation will also provide direct payments to individuals through the US, and this is the second reason why I support it strongly.
• American Wars and American Political Development In his article “Wars and American Politics,” David Mayhew argues that there were at least five major wars faced by the US which determined its fate as a progressive state: the War of 1812, the […]
• Text Analysis of Trump’s Tweets Besides, the Network has a system of comments on the posts of politicians, which can also help to understand the mood of the public.
• American Political Thought in the Pre-Revolutionary Period Hence, the Enlightenment and Great Awakening played a central role in shaping the colonists’ ways of thinking, which significantly changed the way that the residents of North American colonies regarded the authorities.
• President Obama’s and Sen. Cruz’s Hanukkah Greetings The speeches reveal that upholding the celebration is an important event in commemorating the justice of redemption of Jerusalem and rededication of the second temple at the beginning of the Maccabean revolt.
• President Roosevelt’s New Deal in Tennessee The United States was in the middle of the Great Depression when Roosevelt was elected. In conclusion, the election of Roosevelt seemed like a solution to the impacts of the Great Depression.
• The Washington Consensus and 21st-Century Socialism The relation between market trade and the involvement of the state from one of the primary aspects upon which such models are compared. Both policies demonstrate particular differences in the context of the balance between […]
• Barack Obama Policies in Healthcare: Ethical and Unethical Behavior The United State should not have health care reform when members are working but it has to support every child and provide him/her with quality healthcare services.
• Obama’s Health Care Speech to Congress Summary He said that the failing economy was affecting businesses and homeowners and there was a need for decisive action to cut costs and therefore ensure the survival of the Americans by not counting the returns […]
• Franklin Roosevelt and The New Deal The New Deal was initiated by Franklin Delano Roosevelt, he was the 32nd president of the United States. His administration inherited the devastation of the Great Depression.
• Cooper’s “Perfect” Feedback Regarding Trump’s White House Address The segment featured a live Trump’s speech a few days before the election was called and had to be cut off due to the President’s remarks a few minutes into the session.
• Is Political and Racial Equality Possible in American Society? The study of this issue is important to modern American politics as it directly reflects the problems and opportunities of racial and ethnic minorities. It is also important to strive for justice and equality in […]
• Opioid Crisis During Trump, Obama, and Bush Presidency The president is the head of government, meaning that this political figure has the power to solve the existing problems. Trump declared the opioid crisis a national emergency, meaning that sufficient attention was necessary to […]
• Social Media Helped Obama Win The theory of hegemony is instrumental in understanding the relationship that exists between media and power as it can go a long way in reinforcing certain beliefs.
• The Under-Representation of Asian Americans in US Politics The vast disproportion between the percentage of Asian American individuals within the overall US population and the rate of their representation in office might be addressed by improving the likelihood of this community engaging in […]
• Leadership Lessons from Donald Trump: Analysis of Success Factors His leadership style seems to be visionary in regards to his managerial skills and the ability to focus on the future rather than focusing on past events.
• “Michelle Obama Calls on You to Serve” Address Michelle pointed out initiatives and actions that were implemented and asked people to join her and the President to serve communities and build the foundation for the state’s future growth with the help of the […]
• Media Influence on Donald Trump’s Career Trump is the focus of this essay as a prominent case of a worldwide discourse regarding the negative effects of media on a politician’s image.
• A Critique of President Obama’s Administration Position on Contraception The paper comes from the premise that after all contraception is widely used in the US but not all the women can afford the contraceptive.
• Barack Obama: Ambassador Leadership Style The history and current experiences of the leaders determine the approaches to the management of contemporary institutions. The advantage of this leadership is that the staff gains a lot of experience as they become more […]
• Constitutional Issues vs. Obama Healthcare Law This is because of government involvement in subsidizing the medical cover costs and putting it mandatory for everyone to have a medical cover or pay a fine.
• Obama’s Health Reform and Weak Points Revealed Consequently, the chief goal of the US administration is to re-focus the benefits promised by the medical care in the USA on citizens but not on medical products manufacturers.
• Clinton Health Policy Formulation Its main components included the formulation of a national health board that was supposed to regulate the health care structure in the United States.
• The Trump Travel Ban The aim of the current paper is to explore the ban and review the implications of its enactment for the affected individuals and the global community as a whole.
• The Role of Interests and Factions in American Politics Thinking about the consequences of unregulated factions politics, the first idea that comes to mind is that the weaker groups will always be outsiders that are unable to promote their interests. Nevertheless, in my opinion, […]
• Stories From the Great Depression: President Roosevelt At the same time, the era of the Great Depression was the time when many Americans resorted to their wit and creativity.
• Political Communication: Donald Trump’s Insult Politics The purpose of this paper is to analyze Donald Trump’s insult politics and the role of racism and religion in it.
• Progressive Policies After Theodore Roosevelt’s Term By centralizing power in the federal government, he diminished the chances of misrepresentation by municipal governments and ensured close monitory of the United States affairs to the fulfillment of the will of the people.
• Trump’s Advocacy for Waterboarding: A Comprehensive Analysis In addition, as Trump said, waterboarding is a good method to gather information from the enemy and predict national or international threats.
• Success and Mistakes of Barack Obama’s Foreign Policy This paper aims at discussing the achievements and shortcomings of the 44th U.S.president’s foreign policy. The second mistake of Obama’s foreign policy seems to be its expansive nature.
• Barack Obama Made History: The First Black President of the United States In addition to becoming the first black president of the united states, Barack Obama has numerous prominent achievements that will remain the history of the United States.
• President Obama’s Budget Proposal for the United States The budget is also expected to have an expansion of the earned income tax credit for the working poor. Contrary to the above, Republicans argue that raising the tax of the wealthy during a downturn […]
• Roosevelt’s New Deal and Its Influence on the Society The meaning of the policy of “New Deal” was described by Roosevelt in a speech to the voters, as elements of economic planning for a “more equitable distribution of wealth and goods and supplies, the […]
• Franklin Delano Roosevelt His credits as a leader are tied to his successful leadership amidst the alarming economic depression that was a challenge to his administration. These are just a few of the great thing Roosevelt achieved during […]
• The Healthcare Reform Law by Obama: Budget of the Healthcare Reform The proposed healthcare reform has an estimated budget of $828 billion; half of which is scheduled to be acquired from the expansion of Medicaid with an extra $29 billion stipulated to aid in the funding […]
• The American Army: Political Science John wanted to become a warrior, belong to the company of the best soldiers in the world, to see the world, and to have financial stability.
• Satiric Cartoons on American Politics In this cartoon, a stout man in a formal suit is depicted. In this cartoon, there is a snake cut into parts.
• Bush on God: Bushisms From a Satirical Point of View According to the latest news, more and more people believe in the coming of the new Prophet. The witnesses claim, he was receiving a new message from the God at that moment.
• Franklin Roosevelt: The Evolution of an American Idea The following paper is intended to discuss and explain why the first inaugural speech of Franklin Roosevelt, the retirement announcement made by Lou Gehrig, John Kennedy’s inauguration address, and Martin Luther’s “Dream” disclosure are considered […]
• Will Donald Trump Make a Good President? Donald Trump might be a successful businessman and a true patriot, but he lacks the skills and experience to be a good leader of a country and represents opposition to core American values.
• Public Opinion About American Politics All three articles perform in depth analysis of the events, or offer all the necessary information for such an analysis, hence, whether these are discussion of a public opinion, description of the governor’s actions, or […]
• The Debate Over Gay Rights in American Politics Proponents of gay rights vigorously dispute these interpretations, but many people on both sides of the issue do not realize that the Bible has historically been used to argue many things in the past including […]
• Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson in American Presidency Theodore Roosevelt is known as the 26th President of the United States and the first president to have served the full cadence in the 20th century.
• Colonialism Questions: George Washington and Monroe Declaration He believed that the US was in danger if it would entangle itself in the foreign affairs of other nations particularly those from Europe. The convention of 1800 saw an end to all the treaties […]
• Obama’s Health Care Bill: Legaslation`s Changes Review It is imperative to note that the passage of the bill involved wrangling from what appeared as proposition and opposition sides of the Health Care Reform bill.
• President Obama’s Wall Street Reforms The new “bill stipulates that the amount of fees charged by banks to process debit card transactions need to be realistic and relative to the cost of the transaction”.
• George Washington: The First President of the Great Free Country He was recognized not only as the commander in chief but also as one of the leaders who assisted in crafting the new constitution.
• The Jesus Factor in G. W. Bush’s Political Career This time marked the turning point in the life of George Bush as he was able to receive Jesus as his personal savior this was how Bush explained. The friends of Bush were able to […]
• Obama’s Deal: The Problem of Healthcare Reform The main purpose of this paper is to analyze the problem of healthcare reform, which was raised in the documentary Obama’s Deal, and to evaluate the impact of lobbyists’ efforts on the legislative process.
• Barack Obama as an Exceptional Leader According to Huffington, “the first one hundred days of Obama in office has had a lot of achievements and intangible transformational leadership”.
• Barack Obama’s Leadership Skills Between the ages of six and ten, the young Barrack lived in Indonesia before coming back to the US to complete his education which culminated in a degree from Harvard Law School.
• American History: Key Events in Social and Political Life In the beginning of the 18th century, half of the labor was provided by the African slaves while the rest was being provided by the Native Americans with the latter providing the Spanish farms or […]
• Donald Trump: Leadership Ability As a leader, Trump is committed to direct involvement in every business that has his name on it. As a leader, Trump is able to build strong business relationships and rally people behind his ideas […]
• Bush Plan on Immigrants Since the program seeks to vet all aliens entering our country, it will be bound to increase the security in our country considerably. According to the program, all foreigners entering our country will have to […]
• American Politics and Power Decentralization The investigation done on policymaking for the period of 1947-1998 presented enough information on the subject of national government to decentralize its power to state government.
• President Obama and Congress on Healthcare System The purpose of this paper is to investigate the relationship between Obama and the congress over the health care plan. Using the power of the media, he is appealing to the voters to maintain his […]
• The Barack Obama Presidency in the United States This essay discusses President Obama’s administration policies on foreign and domestic issues, the challenges he faces, the strengths he can utilize, and what he needs to do in order to deliver the promises he made […]
• The Breakthrough: Politics and Race in the Age of Obama In the book The Breakthrough, Gwen Ifill addresses the political background and what part the women and men the author calls “the breakthrough politicians” or what the editor of the New Yorker David Remnick refers […]
• The Influence of Evangelical Christianity on American Politics and Culture The others are the belief in the supremacy of the bibles authority and the reiteration of the crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
• George W. Bush’s Activities and Forecasts for Barack Obama So far, all he has done to show that he would make a better president, was to overturn a number of decisions made during the Bush administration.
• Obama: The Rule of Law and the Chrysler Debacle The Rule of law is also well known as Supremacy of law and it establishes the fact that nobody should be considered above the law of a particular nation.
• Theodore Roosevelt as the Man and the American I at once announced that I would continue unchanged McKinley’s policies for the honor and prosperity of the country, and I asked all the members of the Cabinet to stay. This emphasizes that he was […]
• Obama’s Tax Relief Plan Analysis The following graph outlines the proposed tax cut relief plan in detail and it would be analyzed in terms of the effect that it has had on the economy and it’s bearing on the American […]
• Political Parties in the Modern America Political parties introduce the political life of the country through the ideas and considerations which are put in the basis of these parties and are the main differential features, which make the opposite.
• Barack Obama and Joe Biden Committing to Domestic Reform The 26th President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt is mostly renowned for his policy of progressivism, which initially arose at the end of the nineteenth century as a response to the vast changes brought […]
• Obama: Successes and Failures But Obama has not relented on the plan; in his speech to the Congress about the plan, he challenged them to face the plan as a way of tackling health issues.
• Obama vs. Lincoln: Presidents’ Comparison The people of the nation are the first line to be affected with how the president handles the state that is why they are very keen in evaluating the current president.
• American Political and Economic History of the 20th Century While a part or parts of this statement maybe true, it is not in the way it is presented. The fall of its communism marked the end of its superpower regime and a global change […]
• President Bush’s Tax Cut Policies The impact of the tax cuts on the high-income households, the middle-income households and the low-income households have been assessed. Taylor argues that the tax cut policies of President Bush have minimized the amount of […]
• Obama and Solving the Problem of Racial Inequality One of the most important problems in this sphere is the growing tendency of authorities to influence the work of mass media.
• Inauguration of President Barack Obama on 2009 He smiled and waved to the audience, he was confident in correcting the Chief Justice during the oath and he was strong in his speech speaking of what has been done wrong in the past […]
• Global Security Interests of Bush and Clinton This was probably one of the several factors that led to the formation of the Clinton’s administration policy of enlargement and engagement.
• Americanization of Canadian Political Culture Nowadays, the Canadian political culture boasts of a great sense of collective responsibility as demonstrated by the general support of the universal care, foreign control, as well as gun control social programs However, as already […]
• The Death of George Washington He is considered to be one of the most prominent politicians in the history of the United States. The twentieth century was marked with increased attention to the death of George Washington.
• Franklin Delano Roosevelt and Great Depression The Austrian school of thought is regarded to be the most truthful in the matters of the Great Depression, as The economics profession during the 1930s was at a loss to clarify the Depression.
• Political Campaigns Finance Reform in USA Right from winning the primaries to winning the nomination of the party members, candidates have to spend a lot of money so that they remain in the public memory, appear as worthy candidates and hope […]
• Roosevelt’s New Deal and the Great Depression The crash of the stock market in 1929 first was regarded as the beginning of the end, as it provided complex problems in the economy of the United States but it is not considered as […]
• American Politics: Judges Selection and Appointment The elected judiciary leads to an out-of-control judicial system and unfair results while in the appointment the public has no power in the process which makes them not to be transparent because it does not […]
• Obama and McCain’s Taxation Policy The first two sections deal with the positions of McCain and Obama on the issue of taxes and a look at the merits and demerits of the same.
• Biography of Bill Clinton: Interpretation of Personality Hillary Rodham Clinton, his life partner had played a vital role to boost up his political career and she gained immense popularity after the rejection of his health care reform bill by Congress in the […]
• Comparing Obama and Mccain Plans The health care problem has assumed great dimensions due to rising costs, rise in the number of uninsured people and lack of uniformity in providing care to the needy.
• George Bush, Love Him or Hate Him
• B. Obama H. Clinton: Peculiar Individuals in US History
• Barack Obama as the Next President of the USA
• The Gilded Age as an Important Political Turning Point in American History
• President Bush and United States Congress
• F. D. Roosevelt and L. B. Johnson: USA Presidents
• Barrack Obama Is a United States Presidential Candidate
• Vice President in the Political System of the USA
• Barack Obama: The First Black President Ever
• Barrack Obama’s Campaign Review
• Political Function of the American Association of Critical-Care Nurses
• George W. Bush’s Foreign Policies
• Trump’s Contributions to Healthcare Policy
• Tea for Trump Public Relation Campaign: ROPE Theory
• American History vs. Donald Trump
• Clinton’s Plan and Obamacare: Healthcare Policy
• President Trump’s Impeachment: For and Against
• American vs. Russian Government & Politics
• Sentimentalism in American Political Culture
• Turnover Rate at President Trump’s White House
• Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Definition of Freedom
• President Trump’s Impact on Economy
• Politics and Justice Challenges in American Society
• Barack Obama’s Charisma in Leadership
• Barack Obama’s Presidential Leadership and Charisma
• 2016 Presidential Elections: Hillary Clinton and Marco Rubio
• The Heroic Deeds of George Washington
• Franklin Delano Roosevelt as an Admirable Historical Figure
• Bill Clinton’s Impeachment From Post-9/11 Perspective
• Roosevelt’s First New Deal and the Second New Deal
• Asian Americans’ Political Involvement
• The Politics of Theorizing African American Families
• Obama Campaign vs. Save the Children Initiative
• Power, Politics, Government in Canada and America
• George Washington: Leader in the United States
• Politics in America Between 1820 and 1850
• Judicial System and Politics in American History
• American History and Politics in the 19th Century
• The American Revolution and Political Legitimacy Evolution
• Ethical Factors in Trump Campaign Funding
• The Evolution of Trump’s Muslim Ban in the United States
• Trump’s Trade Restrictions and International Mechanisms
• Franklin Roosevelt’s Presidency and Its Influences
• Political Cartoon: Trump’s Healthcare Amendments
• Bush’s Best Baked Beans: International Expansion
• Franklin Roosevelt and Adolf Hitler: Leaders Ways
• Is Obama “The Reagan of the Left”?
• Trump Phenomenon: Why Was He Popular?
• Internet in American Politics, Society, Economics
• American Political Ideology
• Brexit and Trump’s Election in Online News Media
• Popular Politics, Populism, and Donald Trump
• Trump’s Refugee Order: Suppression or Protection
• Trump’s Presidency: A Legitimate Change Amidst Global Instability
• Racism in Trump’s and Clinton’s Campaigns
• Anti-Trump Protests for Third Night on CNN
• Hip-Hop and Politics Correlation in the USA
• Hillary Clinton and John Mccain: Media’s Defeat
• Importance of Religion in American Politics
• Why Franklin Delano Roosevelt Was Most Popular Presidents?
• Did President Obama Save the Auto Industry?
• Barack Obama and Race Impact on American Politics
• Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Presidential Era
• Hillary Clinton’s View on Religion and Politics
• Intelligence Problem in the Trump Administration
• Hillary Clinton’ Education Policy
• Hillary Clinton’s Presidential Candidate’s Position
• Hilary Clinton and Bernie Sanders’ Debates
• George Washington: Servant Leadership and Communication
• Marcus Garvey: Afro-American Political Leader
• New York Times: Obama Vows to Push Immigration Changes
• Presidential Elections Analysis: Clinton vs. Cruz
• The Congress by George Bush
• Barrack Obama and Mitt Romney’s Economic Plans
• First Presidential Debate: Mitt Romney and Barack Obama
• Political Issues of Marijuana in America
• Presidential Campaign: Barack Obama’s Message and Its Power
• King’s and Obama’s Views on Racism in America
• Press and Politics Relations in America
• Historical Event: Barack Obama’s Election
• Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton – Leaders Comparison
• Political Sciences: American Immigration
• Political Rhetoric: Barack Obama’s March 18 Speech
• Washington, Jefferson and Parker’ Role in the US History
• Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s Era
• Roosevelt’s Plan to End the Great Depression
• Donald Trump: His Political Course and Contribution as a President
• President Clinton’s Impeachment
• The Challenges That Being Black Creates for Douglass and Obama
• George W. Bush Role in Foreign Policy of the United States
• American National Politics
• Ronald Reagan Revolution Through Obama
• President Barack Obama’s Healthcare Reforms
• Effects of the Indigenous Movements to the Politics of Modern Latin America
• Obama’s First Election and Racism
• Has President Obama’s Presidency Changed the US?
• The Political Views of Muslim Americans
• Economic, Political, Social, and Racial Concerns Affecting Mexican Americans
• How Obama’s First Election Has Been Affected by Racism?
• The Controversial Health Policy in the USA Initiated by the Obama’s Administration
• Features of Bill Clinton’s Obituary
• US Foreign Policy During Obama Presidency
• President Obama’s Higher Education Agenda
• The Monroe Doctrine and Its Roosevelt Corollary
• Latin American Government and Politics
• American Government and Politics Today
• Bush Tax Cuts Debate
• President Obama’s National Export Initiative
• Political Leadership: Bill Clinton and John Kennedy
• Republican Presidents Theodore Roosevelt & Taft
• President Obama’s Duties as the American CEO in His Second Term
• President Obama’s Foreign Policy
• President Obama: Manager of the Economy
• Did Obama’s Stimulus Work?
• Sumner, Wilson, Reagan, and Obama
• Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal
• Abraham Lincoln’s Cultural and Political Legacy on Central America
• Bill Clinton Leadership
• African American Political History
• Political Regimes and Business Environment Comparison Between China and USA
• Clinton Homosexual Discrimination Policy
• Theodore Roosevelt Role in the American History
• Obama’s American Jobs Act
• Cultural and Political History in the USA: Flight to Canada by Ishmael Reed and The Making of Americans by Gertrude Stein
• American Political Parties in the Late Nineteenth Century
• General George Washington. Life of the Commander in Chief
• Religion and American Politics
• Lifespan & Personality: Towards Explaining President Barrack Obama’s Personality Traits
• Role of Politics in American Social Microstructures
• Role of Politics in American Society
• Print Media Journalism: Obama Campaign
• Politics in America: President and Congress
• American Political Culture
• Addressing Barack Obama’s Presidency Issues
• Barrack Obama and Race in Politics and Culture
• Political Structure and Process in America
• American Political Culture History
• Obama’s Administration Seeking Peace With Iran
• Obama and Romney’s Plans for Higher Education
• Barrack Obama and Mitt Romney on Health Care
• Eric Rauchway’s Murdering McKinley: The Making of Theodore Roosevelt’s America
• The Views on the Debate of President Obama and Romney on 10/3/12
• American Politics and British Taxation
• Rhetoric in American Politics
• Public Speaking by American Politicians
• The Political Landscape of America
• Bush Doctrine, Explanation of the Administration and War on Terror
• Immigration as Political Issue in the USA
• Welfare Expenditure Reduction: Obama’s Federal Worker “Tax”
• Role of Judicial Review: Bush vs. Gore
• Political Causes of WWII for America and Germany
• President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt
• Evaluating Obama’s Presidency
• Concepts of Bill Clinton
• President Obama’s State of the Union Address on January 1, 2011
• Role of the American Constitution in America’s Political Process
• Barack Obama as President of the United States
• Compare and Contrast of the Historical Figures: Barrack Obama and Joel Osteen
• Fiscal Policies by President Barrack Obama
• The Era of Franklin D. Roosevelt
• The Legacy of George W. Bush
• Bill Clinton’s Foreign Policies
• Barack Obama and Nicolas Sarkozy: Partners or Opponents?
• Roles That Political Parties Play and Have Played in American Politics
• T. Roosevelt as a Rough Rider
• California History Essay Titles
• Civil War Titles
• Federalism Research Ideas
• Cold War Topics
• Democracy Titles
• Immigration Titles
• Franklin Roosevelt Questions
• International Politics Questions
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2024, March 2). 381 American Politics Essay Topic Ideas & Examples. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/american-politics-essay-topics/

"381 American Politics Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." IvyPanda , 2 Mar. 2024, ivypanda.com/essays/topic/american-politics-essay-topics/.

IvyPanda . (2024) '381 American Politics Essay Topic Ideas & Examples'. 2 March.

IvyPanda . 2024. "381 American Politics Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." March 2, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/american-politics-essay-topics/.

1. IvyPanda . "381 American Politics Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." March 2, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/american-politics-essay-topics/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "381 American Politics Essay Topic Ideas & Examples." March 2, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/essays/topic/american-politics-essay-topics/.

460 Excellent Political Topics to Write about in 2024

If you have an assignment in politics, look no further—this article will help you ace your paper. Here, you will find a list of unique political topics to write about compiled by our custom writing team .

But that’s not all of it! Keep reading if you want to:

• See how to tackle political essay topics in your paper;
• Choose a topic that will be interesting for you to research;
• Refresh your knowledge of essential political concepts.

Now, without further ado, let’s get started! Below, you’ll find political topics and questions for your task.

• 🔝 Top 10 Topics
• ✅ Main Political Concepts
• 🇺🇸 American Politics Topics
• 🌐 Global Politics
• 📚 Political Science
• 🏛️ Political Philosophy
• ⚖️ Comparative Politics
• 💵 Political Economy
• 🍴 Food Politics
• 🌱 Environmental Politics
• 📖 Political Case Study Topics
• ✍️ How to Write a Political Essay

🔍 References

🔝 top 10 political topics to write about.

• The political causes of terrorism
• Why do we need political parties?
• Is politics connected to religion?
• Does an ideal political system exist?
• How to prevent ideological conflicts
• Electoral systems around the world
• The role of the UN in the world politics
• Should nuclear weapons be banned?
• The importance of international relations
• Should the government control the internet?

✅ Main Political Concepts to Focus On

Politics is an exciting and versatile subject. Contrary to popular belief, it’s not confined to senates and debate chambers. It also takes place on the streets and in your home. You can even say that everything is political.

Politics has so many areas to study—it may be hard to decide what to choose. Let’s see what interesting concepts you can focus on:

• Government and all that concerns the state. It includes actions that involve state institutions and people serving them. You might want to concentrate on voting, transnational interactions, or acts of politicians.
• We’ve all heard that conflict is a healthy part of every relationship. Do you believe that politics should embrace the differences? Then you may want to study the mechanisms of protests and revolutions.
• Or, you can focus on methods of nonviolent conflict resolution .
• Execution of power . Here the question is: what is power? Study various definitions and choose the ones you like best.
• Maybe you consider politics a social activity . You can also think of it as more of a public activity . Look into these concepts and see where politics takes place.

Does any of these ideas seem particularly interesting to you? Write an essay about it! Or, if you want inspiration, check our extensive list of ideas covering every major branch of politics. Below you will find current political topics as well as historical ones.

🇺🇸 American Politics Essay Topics

Inner social and economic tensions have led to drastic changes in America’s political climate. The divide between Democrats and Republicans grows more resonant by the minute. What is your opinion on these developments? Have a closer look at it with one of our engaging topics:

• Discuss gun control measures and crime rates reduction in the US.
• Analyze Kanye West’s presidential campaign.
• What are the crucial current issues to voters in America?
• Do national politics in the USA neglect older adults?
• Why isn’t the right to privacy listed in the US constitution?
• The American government has extensive plans concerning the closure of Purdue Pharma. But are they acting in the public’s best interest?
• Pros and cons of raising the number of justices at the Supreme Court.
• Write about American neutrality and contribution in the Great War.
• Discuss the pros and cons of building a fortified border wall between the USA and Mexico.
• What would happen to California if it became an independent country?
• Who should pay for essential healthcare services in America?
• Does the two-party-system do more harm than good?

• What did President Trump achieve by pulling out of the Paris Climate Accord?
• Describe how the American states collaborate in the federal system .
• Is a cap on immigration to the US necessary?
• How does wealth inadequacy affect American democracy?
• The role of freedom in American politics.
• How does the Electoral College work?
• What are the implications of Donald Trump’s revealed tax statements?
• Political impact of the body positivity movement in America.
• The BLM movement as covered by Fox News vs. CNN.
• The US-Australian cooperation and its implications.
• Should the US seek tighter bonds with China?
• What’s the easiest way to become politically involved in the US?
• Why should you join a political party?
• Effects of the war on drugs.
• Debate implementing more restrictive gun laws nationwide.
• America’s role in restoring Europe after World War II.
• How does social media influence political decisions in America?
• Is capitalism the best system for the US?
• Why don’t LGBT people in America have the same rights as straight people?
• How did the legalization of dispensaries in California impact consumer behavior ?
• What branches does the American government consist of?
• How is poverty affecting rural communities in the US?
• Explore law enforcement in the US on local, state, and federal levels.
• Discuss the limits of executive power in New Jersey.
• Should Oregon implement a cap on the price of medicines?
• What caused healthcare in America to become so expensive?
• Religious extremism in the US after 9/11.
• Your position on the American intervention in Syria.
• What caused many people to lose trust in President Trump’s government?
• Describe the state of affairs that allowed Donald Trump to win the 2016 election.
• What laws restrict campaign financing in Florida?
• Discuss the budgeting of the US Environmental Protection Agency.
• Evaluate President Trump’s crisis response.
• Outline the ideas of American politicians from parties on the margin.
• The importance of the Hispanic vote.
• The Patriot Act: facts and controversies.
• How do stereotypes towards Asian Americans influence their opportunities?
• The power of line-item vetoes in Wisconsin.

🌐 Global Political Topics to Talk About

Global politics studies basic political ideas on an international scale. This subject combines multiple social sciences to analyze political activity worldwide. Choose between the topics concerning human rights, development, conflict, and international relations.

• Why did Reporters without Borders build a library in Minecraft?
• How influential are NGOs?
• What are the main functions of the UN?
• Discuss how the 2015 migrant crisis affected European politics.
• What are the drawbacks of being stateless ?
• African socialism in the 1950s and 1960s.
• Has the US become estranged from its European allies?
• What is the Human Development Index?
• Explain the three waves of democratization .
• Why do some countries suffer from terrorism more than others?
• Discuss methods of conflict resolution used by the African Union.
• At what point does a crisis justify international intervention?
• Trace the events of the 2020 election in Belarus.
• What caused the Eastern Mediterranean to be war-torn?
• Discuss the role of gender in modern Africa.
• How did the California Gold Rush in 1848 impact global politics?
• The development of Latin American cities in the past 30 years.
• Why was Germany hesitant to participate in colonization? What led to the change of heart?
• Israeli-Palestine conflict and the global community.
• How do countries reconcile after being at war with each other?
• What is the Spratly Islands dispute?
• Why does China claim ownership of the South China Sea? What makes it a globally important issue?
• The threats of transnational organized crime.
• What are the effects of Brexit on the UK and international relations?
• How does a country’s geography shape its politics?
• US foreign policy: criticism and problems.
• The purpose and importance of global health.
• Discuss how Sub-Saharan Africa can become independent of foreign aid.
• Global citizenship: characteristics and responsibilities.
• How does feminism influence global relations?
• What does deterrence theory entail?
• Explain how the International Court of Justice works.
• Global war in terrorism: what are its main challenges?
• What causes interdependence between nations?
• Why do states need to be internationally acknowledged? What happens if they aren’t?
• Structural effects of uneven resource distribution.
• Gender bias in global politics.
• Explore the history of Cambodian politics.
• Kazakhstan: the proposal to switch the alphabet from Cyrillic to Latin.
• What factors determine if a country is safe to travel to?
• Discuss Daniel Drezner’s theories of global politics.
• The development of the UK’s global political influence.
• Compare how various countries protect their indigenous cultures.
• Should the EU be dissolved?
• What is Wilsonianism?
• Characterize America’s foreign affairs in the Middle East.
• What rights does a stateless person have?
• Amnesty international: criticism and controversies.
• What has the Pan-African movement achieved?
• How did American government respond to the Arab Spring?

📚 Political Science Topics to Research

Political science studies collective decisions and their consequences. Part of this process is analyzing the structure and mechanisms of government. Researchers in this field consider psychological, social, and cultural aspects of political activity.

• The rise of Austria’s Freedom Party in 2000.
• What can game theory tell us about society?
• Discuss the concept of nationhood, its benefits, and pitfalls.
• Trace the development of the Nigerian government from the ’60s up to now.
• The impact of celebrities on political campaigning.
• Describe the goals of the anti-globalization movement.
• Why did all Germany’s attempts to form a republic fail until after World War II?
• The effects of poverty on Australian indigenous peoples.
• What type of events affect voting behavior the most?
• Examine historical examples of anarchist societies.
• Does a president need to represent all of their country’s citizens ?
• What are the advantages of polling?
• Can monarchies be democratic?
• What influences people’s political beliefs?
• The regulation of water supply in Latin American countries.
• Describe how the media affects cultural globalization.
• Compare right and left-wing terrorist groups.
• What constitutes tyranny?
• How does the Saudi Arabian government work?

• The relationship between the automobile industry and politics in Japan.
• Crisis theory, its strengths, and its weaknesses.
• What are the goals of the alt-right?
• The historical significance of the treaty of Westphalia.
• Was the Equal Rights Amendment doomed to fail? What is its current status?
• How does tourism affect Caribbean politics?
• What makes someone a leader?
• Discuss how powerful states influence poorer ones.
• How does the EU make decisions?
• Examine the success rate of petitions.
• The psychology behind supporting extremist groups.
• The mechanics of propaganda: when language becomes a political tool.
• Class 12 political education: preparing students to vote in their first election.
• Analyze the structure of the Chinese Communist Party.
• What does the Lemon test determine?
• Is fear a good instrument of control?
• The political danger of fake news.
• How do civil wars happen?
• Political culture: why did democracy in Iraq fail?
• Investigate the conflict between China and Tibet.
• Should institutions benefit society’s poorest members?
• The role of poverty in driving the popularity of Boko Haram in Nigeria.
• Why do some people miss the Soviet Union?
• What are the differences between the IS and al-Qaeda?
• Organization of the Taliban government in Afghanistan from 1996 to 2001.
• Political radicalization on the internet.
• The importance of women in governments.
• Balance of power theory and modern world order.
• The dangers of neopatrimonialism in African politics.
• Why was the French Revolution an important event in history?
• What influences outside the government can impact policymaking?

🏛️ Best Political Philosophy Essay Topics

What type of systems can ensure a happy life for everyone? Political philosophy, or political theory, seeks to answer this question. Its goal is to create a social standard by applying ethics to politics. Get contemplative with our interesting political theory paper topics:

• How ethical is capitalism ?
• Explore the ideological connection between liberalism and feminism.
• How close is your community to Plato’s ideal society?
• What would happen if we leave capitalism behind?
• Discuss the concept of democracy in political theory.
• Ethical issues concerning globalization .
• What would Aristotle say about the world’s current state of affairs?
• Marx’s and Lenin’s imperialism theories.
• Was Jean-Jacques Rousseau right in saying that a civil society began with a fence?
• Is restricting immigration an ethical way to increase wages?
• How relevant is John Locke’s social contract theory today?
• Explore the problems of democratic transition and consolidation.
• Analyze the shortcomings of positivism.
• Discuss John Rawls’ position on justice.
• What is philosophical anarchism?
• How does Michel Foucault explain the development of Western penal systems in Discipline and Punish ?
• Discuss grounds on which war is morally permissible or even necessary.
• The influence of existentialism on Western politics.
• What events sparked the foundation of the Paris Commune?
• How can governments and communities cooperate?
• Can religion have a positive influence on lawmaking?
• What does it mean to have authority ?
• Should governments provide stability or freedom of choice?
• The influence of revisionism on the German Social Democratic Party policies.
• Is gerrymandering always unjust?
• How did the idea of democracy change from ancient Greece to modern times?
• Is the law always morally right?
• The role of violence in the ideologies of Pyotr Kropotkin and Mikhail Bakunin.
• Police corruption: understanding and prevention.
• Is democracy indeed a rule by the people?
• What’s the difference between nationalism and patriotism?
• The role of power from the post-structuralist perspective.
• Is there a big divide between Asian and Western political ideology?
• What motivates someone to be politically active?
• Why are students typically engaged in politics?
• Is populism ethical?
• Provide an advanced perspective of public policy.
• Should the state be allowed to decide whether an individual can end their life?
• The meaning of the term “liberalism” from its origins to this day.
• What do feminists mean by saying “the personal is political”?
• How do you define the word “ political ”?
• Discuss dehumanization and its evolution in warfare.
• If you could start a whole culture anew, what would its principles be?
• Analyze how pornography can be political.
• Policymaking: systemic thinking on various levels.
• Are liberal government models the end of political development?
• How did the US government morally justify the Vietnam war?
• According to Thomas Hobbes, why do citizens need a Leviathan ?
• Describe Machiavelli’s position concerning the role of religion in politics.
• The influence of Ayn Rand’s objectivism on libertarian movements.

⚖️ Comparative Politics Essay Topics

Have you ever wondered how the state influences a nation’s economy? Scholars of comparative politics know the answer. They analyze governments by comparing and contrasting them. Choose a topic in this category to discover the differences between various political systems.

• What causes nations to transform their governments?
• Define the differences between a nation and a nation-state.
• Causes of war: comparative politics and peace studies.
• The politics of baby boomers vs. millennials.
• Is the “tyranny of the majority” an unavoidable weakness of democracy?
• Characteristics of authoritarian vs. totalitarian regimes.

• What are the differences between laws and executive orders?
• How does bureaucracy work in Norway vs. Russia?
• Living conditions in South African squatter settlements and Brazilian favelas.
• Compare conservative ideology in the US vs. the Netherlands.
• What is the ideological difference between liberalism and conservatism?
• Discuss the advantages of a participatory vs. a representative democracy.
• What are the current trends in democratization?
• Compare the contents of the French vs. the British constitution.
• Describe the differences between federal and unitary governments.
• The executive’s role in Japan vs. China.
• Political parties in Canada: ideological analysis.
• What does it take to pass a law in Finland as compared to Sweden?
• How does the naturalization process work in Canada vs. the US?
• What factors impact political participation in different countries?
• How does a country’s education influence its citizens’ political activity?
• Analyze the role of interest groups in the USA and Poland.
• How do presidential systems work in comparison to parliamentary systems?
• Idealism versus realism in international politics
• Ownership laws in Nigeria vs. Eritrea.
• Compare Saddam Hussein’s regime with societies from Orwell’s 1984 .
• Identify current trends in voter turnout.
• What constitutes the civil society in India and Pakistan?
• Contrast the structures and influence of the top five grassroots movements.
• The role of independent media in political education.
• What factors determine whether a societal change is successful?
• Compare American and Icelandic healthcare systems.
• Protest votes: in which system do they work best?
• Which fundamental ideologies do most of the world’s democracies share?
• The social consequences of corruption in Mexico vs. Venezuela.
• The perception of conservatism in the US vs. other countries.
• Analyze Indian and Brazilian democracies.
• Revolving door politics in Japan vs. Australia.
• How is gender equality institutionalized in different countries?
• Why are green parties more successful in Europe than in the US?
• Contrast political education across the states of the former Soviet Union.
• The influence of the military on the government in the US vs. New Zealand.
• Achievements of the LGBT movement in Poland and the Czech Republic.
• What are sustainability measures in South Africa vs. Senegal?
• The evolution of women’s rights in Russia vs. Switzerland.
• How does federalism in Brazil differ from the one in America?
• Compare Peru’s and Lesotho’s unitary systems.
• Comparison between Florida and Maryland’s legislative frameworks.
• Contrast various military governments. Can they be beneficial for the public?
• Political socialization in France vs. India.

💵 Political Economy Topics to Write About

Are you interested in how trade relates to a nation’s law and government? Then this section is for you. Scholars in this field study how economic theories influence societies. On top of that, they advise governments on economic policies and proposals. Find a great topic in the list below:

• Economic interdependence theory and future of trade.
• How do oligopolies influence the market?
• What are the economic effects of taxation?
• Do democratic countries have better economies than autocratic states?
• Did NAFTA overall benefit Mexico’s economy?
• The oil industry in Saudi Arabia: analysis and strategies.
• Globalization and the economy: interrelations and consequences.
• What are the goals of the WTO?
• How did the foundation of OPEC shape oil trade?
• What factors influence the global GMO market?
• Explain the concept of the invisible hand.
• What are the characteristics of public goods?
• Does private ownership necessarily lead to inequality?
• How did mercantilism affect colonized countries?
• Define critical political economy theory.
• What role does mass media play in a nation’s economic decisions?
• The current revival of neoliberalism .
• Why does the exchange rate matter?
• The role of competition in politics.
• How did the development of financial systems impact governments?
• Why did President Trump’s tax reports cause a scandal?
• How did economic troubles lead to political tensions in the EU?
• What policies did countries in South-East Asia implement to drive economic growth?
• Can guaranteed income prevent socio-economic crises?
• How are pension age policies connected to a country’s economic situation?
• The impact of terrorism on oil prices and production.
• What were the political pros and cons of the gold standard?
• Does the trade war between the US and China have the potential to affect global trade?
• What types of governments are more likely to engage in protectionism?
• How is America “weaponizing” the dollar?
• Discuss risk management strategies during the financial crisis in the US.
• Utilitarian ethics in political economy.
• What is the minimum wage, and how do you calculate it?
• Do big companies have too much political influence?
• The effects of gender-biased laws on economic systems .
• What are the economic concerns behind sustainable policies?
• Why are European countries struggling to convert to green energies?
• Does turning away from fossil fuels automatically mean a decrease in economic growth?
• How do policies create wealth gaps?
• What do wealthy countries do to stay rich?
• Describe the political consequences of outsourcing.
• The connection between political instability and widespread poverty.
• The political economy of financing conflicts in the Middle East.
• Why do countries export weapons to war-torn areas?
• How do political power balances create inequality?
• The politics of free markets vs. planned economies.
• What are the key elements of the political economy, according to Marxism?
• Explain the 19th-century socialist ideology.
• What effects do a country’s political institutions have on the development of organized crime ?
• Feminism in the political economy.

🍴 Food Politics Essay Topics

Decisions concerning packaging labels and food safety regulations belong in the realm of food politics. This branch also encompasses aspects related to food production, distribution, and consumption. Dive into the world of food politics with one of our popular writing ideas:

• How much should the government influence our food choices?
• What’s political about our diet?
• How do food politics influence our eating habits ?
• Why do most American food production companies add sugar and syrup to bread?
• The politics of kid-targeted food advertising.
• What are the differences between the major labels of organic food ?
• Should conventional agriculture still be subsidized?
• What are the most dominant conflicts of interest in the agricultural industry today?
• What can governments do to make fresh and healthy foods more accessible?
• Compare various government-sponsored programs to promote a healthy diet .
• How does the demand regulate the market in terms of food products ?
• Will we ever be able to eradicate hunger globally? 
• How can policies and restrictions make the food industry more sustainable?
• Why are food politics crucial to achieving development goals?
• Should governments ban plastic bags and packaging? 
• Following the annexation of Crimea, Russia received heavy sanctions. It prompted President Putin to ban the import of food products from Europe and the US. How does this affect the country?
• Monsanto: the political influence of America’s former biggest GMO seed distributor.
• What issues are associated with eco-friendly food packaging?
• What would be the consequences of outlawing alcohol?

• Should there be a ban on advertisements for unhealthy foods?
• Lobbying tactics in the alcohol industry.
• Discuss the benefits of implementing higher taxes on soft drinks.
• When can a company label their product as “natural”?
• Discuss the problems related to US school cafeterias. 
• The danger of alcopops: policies that prevent early alcohol consumption.
• Challenges of regulating deceptive health claims.
• How does sponsored research influence nutritional guidelines?
• The biopolitics of nutrition and food distribution.
• What should all food labels contain to ensure safe consumption?
• The vegan movement’s impact on the organic food market.
• How did industrialization change the way we eat?
• Is ethnic food underrepresented in nutritional guidelines? If so, why?
• Discuss the role of price in alcohol consumption. 
• Why is cannabis banned in many countries, but cigarettes aren’t?
• Sin tax: what are its unintended social repercussions?
• How do gruesome pictures on cigarette packages influence smoking behavior?
• Consumption of harmful products in states with and without a sin tax.
• Treatment of migrant fruit pickers in Texas.
• California removed sugary drinks and sweets from its public schools. Did this lead to a decrease in youth obesity?
• Food safety: a policy issue in agriculture today. 
• What would sustainable policies on regulating food waste be?
• Should governments allocate more resources into cloning research to satisfy the meat demand?
• The political influence of the American meat industry.
• Should animal rights be secured in the constitution? 
• The development of whale hunting laws in Japan.
• What type of regulations could ensure sustainable fishing?
• What’s the problem with “Big food”?
• Examine the food vs. fuel dilemma.
• Discuss the court case in which a Colorado bakery refused to bake a wedding cake for a gay couple.
• Denial of food access as a war weapon.

🌱 Environmental Political Research Topics

Issues like sustainability and climate change need coordinated political decisions. That’s where environmental politics comes into play. This branch analyzes policymaking as well as political theories and ideas concerning the environment. Besides, it investigates what position political parties and social movements have on the matter. If you want to address environmental concerns in your essay, this section is for you.

• How can the global power of the church be used to drive sustainability agendas?
• Why do some arid countries want to tow icebergs? What are the environmental consequences of this practice?
• What are the goals of the carbon tax?
• Why should cities endorse greenways in their urban planning?
• How did Nigerian activists react to the environmental consequences of the country’s excessive oil production?
• Political strategies to preserve biodiversity. 
• What did the Kyoto protocol achieve?
• Why didn’t Iran and Turkey sign the Paris Agreement?
• Explore the environmental positions of various parties across the political spectrum.
• Is sustainability a viable aspiration for a community?
• Why are liberal governments more likely to address environmental concerns than conservative ones?
• Does it take an authoritarian state to combat global warming effectively?
• The benefits of environmental education in class 11.
• How do interest groups manipulate political action against environmental problems ?
• Is lobbyism responsible for the hesitation in terms of setting strict sustainability goals?
• The Clean Water Act: achievements and shortcomings. 
• Are governments doing enough to tackle environmental issues? 
• The success of market mechanisms in environmental policymaking.
• Discuss the progress made to control air pollution in China.
• What roles do NGOs play in driving policies to protect nature?
• Are environmental politics mostly moving forward in times of a crisis?
• Geoengineering: should governments rely on changing the weather instead of adjusting regulations?
• Discuss the correlation between energy crisis and climate change.
• How will Indonesia’s new Omnibus Law impact environmental politics?
• The influence of social movements in making the fishery industry more sustainable.
• How can governments ensure green conservation without reducing their country’s living standards?
• Is ecoterrorism a good way to bring attention to under-discussed problems?
• Investigate how environmental politics can reconcile its proponents with its adversaries.
• How did Hannah Arendt influence modern political thought about nature?
• What is ecofeminism, and what are its goals?
• Implications of the Gaia hypothesis for environmental politics.
• Provide an outline of an environmental conservation project.
• Al Gore’s influence on environmental decisions during his time as vice president.
• Sustainability initiatives in the US vs. Europe.
• The significance of environmental politics in international relations.
• Discuss the link between social justice movements and the rise of green parties.
• Should the California government promote native fire tending techniques to save the state’s forests?
• An Inconvenient Truth : legacy and criticism.
• Do not let Belgrade d(r)own: environmental activism in the Balkans.
• The role of the military in protecting nature.
• What plans does the New Zealand government have to reduce carbon emissions?
• Responsible mining practices in the Philippines.

• Political cooperation efforts for protecting the Caspian Sea.
• Discuss the benefits and costs of the US acid rain program. 
• How did the COVID-19 pandemic impact environmental policymaking?
• The role of populism in addressing climate change .
• Radioactive waste management policies in the EU.
• Contrast the methods of various climate justice organizations.
• How can we use AI to protect the environment?
• Combating food waste in Norway: consequences of introducing the phrase “best before, often good after” on food labels.

📖 Political Case Study Topics to Look Into

Case studies are valued among all social sciences. They are an excellent method to learn from real-life examples. What’s even better, you can apply the information you’ve gathered from them to a broader framework. If you prefer a practical approach to politics, check out these compelling ideas:

• The 2011 drought caused the Yangtze River to carry significantly less water. How did this affect Chinese politics? 
• The Arctic ice is melting at an unprecedented pace. How do politicians cooperate in combating it? 
• Pollution has caused an ecological disaster in Kamchatka. What was the Russian government’s response to the crisis?
• The economic growth of Asian countries has put them on the radar of potential Western allies. What stands in the way of a successful partnership?
• Apartheid in South Africa didn’t end until the 1990s. What events led up to the system’s abolishment?
• Botswana used to be one of the world’s poorest countries. Now, it’s considered a role model for African development. How did it achieve its wealth?
• Environmental NGOs have positioned themselves against fracking from the very beginning. How do their actions impact congressional decision making?
• Guinea-Bissau is a haven for the illegal drug trade. Politicians are not able to contain it. How did the situation develop?
• In Nigeria, ethnic minorities and the state claim ownership over the country’s oil reserves. How did this conflict emerge? What has been done to solve it?
• In 2016, military troops attempted to overthrow the Turkish government. Why did they fail?
• In 2020, the military took over the Mali government. How did it happen? What was the international response?
• Kenya remained under British rule until 1963. Describe the consequences colonization had on the country. 
• Nornickel is a Russian Nickel and Palladium production company. In 2020, it has caused two major environmental disasters: an oil leakage and a wastewater spill. What were the consequences? What did officials do to cover it up?
• In the 20th century, Latin America was home to many dictatorships. To this day, some countries in the area are struggling with their governments. How did this happen?
• The Universal Child Allowance is a conditional cash transfer designed to help underage Argentinian children from low-income families. Investigate their impact.
• Microfinancing has created a debt trap for women in Sri Lanka. As a result, they formed a cooperative movement with better credit conditions. Could such cooperatives be an alternative to microfinancing worldwide?
• Greece’s refugee camps are notorious for their harsh living conditions. Investigate their access to healthcare.
• Few countries are as affected by HIV as India. Identify how this phenomenon connects to the nation’s high poverty rate.
• Civil conflict in Columbia between the far-right, far-left, and the government has been ravaging the country for decades. What strategies could restore peace?
• Bhutan has recently transitioned from an absolutist monarchy to a democracy. How did religion influence this development?
• Class identity has been a central topic in post-apartheid South Africa. How are changes in identity perception impacting politics? 
• Incarceration rates among black citizens in America are significantly higher than among white people. Discuss how this is linked to racial profiling. 
• The Hungarian Prime Minister Victor Orbán funds populist propaganda campaigns. How does he instrumentalize the national identity to drive his agenda?
• During the 2020 elections in the United States, there was no clear result on the election night. Yet, Donald Trump has falsely declared himself the winner before the official announcement. What political intentions did he have?
• In 2014, Scotland tried to gain independence from Great Britain through a referendum. Why did it fail? Would it be more likely to succeed now?
• Women’s rights in countries under Islamic rule are often underdeveloped. How did the Musawah movement influence lawmaking in these nations?
• Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion is the world’s most secure airport. Explore its history. What makes it unique?
• Ever since its foundation, the US has been a dream destination for many immigrants. How did this situation change since President Trump promised to build the wall?
• The Antarctic has plenty of lands to offer. Currently, governments are engaging in territorial disputes. Who does this land belong to? Why is this debate relevant?
• Since 2019, Hong Kong people have been protesting laws that potentially impose closer legal bonds with mainland China. How did these protests influence the legislature so far? How did the governments in Hong Kong and China react?
• The Gaza strip has been a center of an ongoing conflict between Palestine and Israel. How did its latest developments influence Israeli security politics?
• Child labor is a significant problem in the Philippines. What does the country do to tackle it?
• South Ossetia is a Caucasus region fighting for autonomy. It is officially recognized as part of Georgia by most countries. Plans to integrate the de facto state with Russian North Ossetia have failed. What caused the fights? What can be done to solve the conflict?
• Asian countries are developing rapidly. It causes economic competition for the neighboring nations. What factors led China and Japan to emerge as global players?
• In Vietnam, agriculture has undergone significant changes in the past decades. How have these transformations impacted farmers?
• The Ottoman Empire used to be an enormous state. It encompassed most of Southeastern Europe and much of Arabia. How did its dissolution lead to modern-day conflicts on the Arabian Peninsula?
• Tokyo is one of the most densely populated cities in the world. How does the government ensure enough housing opportunities? 
• The Saudi Arabian crown prince Mohammad bin Salman was celebrated for his liberal economic and social reforms. Why was he suspected of ordering the assassination of journalist and government critic Jamal Khashoggi? 
• Colton is a valuable mineral found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The excessive mining of the resource has led to increased criminal activity and conflict. How is this impacting the local civilians? What solutions have been proposed?
• Sierra Leone was engaged in a war with the Revolutionary United Front for 11 years. How did foreign intervention resolve the conflict? How did this experience impact the current political situation?
• Until its criminalization in 1997, cannabis has been a medicinal staple in Pakistan . Recently, the government approved the industrial production of the drug. What were the reasons for it? How is this going to affect the country’s economy?
• In Japan, decreasing birth rates have led to a steep decline in the population. What plans does the government have to tackle this problem?
• 4chan is an anonymous forum that caters to all kinds of interests. It is infamous for spreading hate and online radicalization. Some of America’s recent mass shooters were connected with the site, as is QAnon. What led to this development? Should the website be taken down?
• In 2019, American colleges were at the center of a bribery scandal. Celebrities tried to enroll their children with substandard grades into prestigious schools such as USC and Yale. How can colleges maintain their funding while ensuring equal opportunities for the less wealthy candidates?
• In the Ice Bucket Challenge , people poured a bucket of ice water over their heads. It was supposed to raise awareness for ALS. How did this activity impact disease research funding?
• In 2017 and 2018, Finland studied the consequences of universal basic income. What did the findings suggest? Should other countries adopt this strategy?
• Tesla electric car company has reinvented the automobile industry with its vehicles. What role did the company play in raising awareness of sustainability issues? 
• Facebook is financed by targeted ads and data trade. How is this influencing voter behavior? 
• The Interview is a 2014 political satire film in which American journalists plot to kill Kim-Jong Un. The film sparked outrage in North Korea. How did this impact US-North Korean political relations?
• In the US, advertisements for prescription drugs aren’t illegal. How does this influence consumer behavior in comparison with the countries where such advertisements are banned?

✍️ How to Write an Essay on Politics

Are you eager to start your paper right away? Check these helpful essay writing tips! Keep them in mind when talking about political issue topics:

• Research. Read your notes first, then search the internet. Academic journals and government sites are an excellent place to start. Stay on point; don’t waste your time with sources that are not relevant to your topic.
• The introduction presents all the essential terms and relevant literature. Your thesis statement belongs there.
• Your paper’s body includes your arguments and supporting evidence. Use topic sentences to introduce your point.
• The conclusion contains a summary of the essay’s key points.
• Style and format. Write concisely in a formal manner. Ask your tutor for formatting requirements such as font, size, space, or margin. Don’t forget to include a reference list at the end.
• Editing and proofreading. Check for spelling and grammar mistakes. Make sure all your arguments are directly connected to your topic. Lastly, make sure to cite all your sources properly.

That’s all we’ve got for you. We hope this article was useful and wish you good luck with your assignment!

Further reading:

• 512 Research Topics on HumSS (Humanities & Social Sciences)
• 430 Philosophy Topics & Questions for Your Essay
• 560 Unique Controversial Topics & Tips for a Great Essay
• 240 Controversial Debate Topics and Questions for Discussion
• 625 Excellent Presentation Topics & Tips
• A List of 212 Brilliant Research Proposal Topics to Investigate
• 497 Interesting History Topics to Research
• 435 Literary Analysis Essay Topics and Prompts [Upd]
• 417 Business Research Topics for ABM Students
• What Is Politics?: The Open University
• Political Topics: Pew Research Center
• Politics & Political Systems: Encyclopedia Britannica
• Studying Global Politics: International Baccalaureate
• Global Politics from the View of the Political Economy Trilemma: VOX EU
• Managing 21st Century Political Risk: Harvard Business Review
• US President Donald Trump and His Administration: Statistics & Facts: Statista.com
• The Purposes of Government: US History
• Undergraduate Sample Research Topics: Political Science: Western Michigan University
• US Government and Politics: History.com
• What is Political Science?: University of Washington
• Political Philosophy: Methodology: Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
• Social Science and Comparative Politics: Saylor Academy
• Research Guides: Writing a Case Study: University of Southern California
• Political Economy: Corporate Finance Institute
• Topics in Political Economy: Trinity College Dublin
• Food Politics and Development: Science Direct
• Food Politics: United States: Encyclopedia.com
• Importance of Environmental Ethics: Maryville University
• American Politics Courses: University of California San Diego
• Political Philosophy: Routledge.com
• Overview of Comparative Politics: Oxford Handbooks
• Share to Facebook
• Share to LinkedIn
• Share to email

In modern societies, people do everything to live peacefully. Still, tensions often arise. We call them social issues when they start negatively impacting a specific group of people. Poverty, discrimination, and addiction are examples of such problems. We need to confront them to ensure equal treatment for everyone.

There are many ways to define popular culture. Here’s one of them: pop culture includes mainstream preferences in society within a specific time frame. It covers fashion, music, language, and even food. Pop culture is always evolving, engaging in new trends, and leaving the old ones behind.

Sociology is a study that focuses on people’s interactions. It looks at structures and changes in social life. Any situation involving people can become a topic of sociology. This article is designed to help high school and college students with sociology assignments. Whether you’re writing an essay, creating a presentation,...

Plates break when you drop them. Glasses help you see better. Have you ever wondered why? Physics has the answer. It studies the observable as well as invisible aspects of nature. An essential part of this is examining the structure and interactions of matter.

Biology is often called the science of life. From bacteria to whales, biologists study all kinds of organisms. Have you ever wondered why bees dance? Or how can chickens be the closest modern relatives to dinosaurs? The buzzing world is full of complex wonders like these. That’s why it’s so...

Chemistry studies matter and what it’s made of. It tells us how substances change and what properties they have. Chemistry seeks to answer questions such as: What is the Universe made of? How do elements react with each other? Read our article to dive deeper into this intricate subject. What...

Culture is a set of knowledge, behaviors, and beliefs shared by a group of people. You would probably agree that it’s an integral part of humanity. It’s no wonder that students are often assigned to write about it. That’s why we came up with a list of interesting and creative...

The Earth is a complex system. To understand it, geologists examine the lithosphere and its layers. They trace our planet’s history by using physical and chemical methods. At the same time, geographers observe environmental patterns. They also focus on the interaction between humans and nature. Keep reading to find out...

Mathematics is the science of numbers and shapes. Writing about it can give you a fresh perspective and help to clarify difficult concepts. You can even use mathematical writing as a tool in problem-solving. In this article, you will find plenty of interesting math topics. Besides, you will learn about...

Cause and effect essays examine how an event happened and what consequences it had. Gaining weight after eating lots of fast food is an example of a cause-and-effect relationship. Possible topics cover a variety of subjects ranging from mental health to history and politics. This article gives you an outline...

An analysis essay aims to break down the subject in order to understand it. You can choose to analyze a text, a process, or an idea. This article will help you write a great essay! Selecting an interesting topic makes writing a lot easier. We’ve prepared a list of excellent...

Everybody knows that being healthy requires effort. We should exercise regularly and maintain a balanced diet. However, the reward is worth it. A healthy lifestyle prevents chronic illnesses and leads to better body performance. Besides, if you improve your physical well-being, your mental health will strengthen as well! In this...

• Dissertation
• PowerPoint Presentation
• Book Report/Review
• Research Proposal
• Math Problems
• Proofreading
• Movie Review
• Cover Letter Writing
• Personal Statement
• Nursing Paper
• Argumentative Essay
• Research Paper
• Discussion Board Post

TOP 65 Greatest Political Essay Topics

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.

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…

105 Microeconomics Research Topics

20 Most Prominent Technology Essay Topics And Writing Hints

What does medical assistant essays entail?

Want to create or adapt books like this? Learn more about how Pressbooks supports open publishing practices.

How To Write A Presidential Speech

Katie Clower

The Importance of a Presidential Speech

Presidential speeches have been a prevalent and important part of our country’s society and culture since Washington’s inauguration in April of 1789 in which the first inaugural address, and presidential speech in general, was delivered. Since then, we as a country have beared witness to countless presidential and political speeches. Some have been moving, some inspirational and motivating, some heartbreaking and tear-jerking. Others have made us cringe out of anger, fear, or disappointment. Some have simply fallen flat, having been described as boring or awkward or unsettling.

Many presidential speeches are remembered and regarded to this day, despite how many decades or centuries ago they were delivered. Often, we remember and reflect on those which were the most special and important. But, in some cases the horribly written or delivered ones stick out in our minds, too. This writing guide is designed, in part, for those presidential or politician candidates and hopefuls to use as a tool to ensure their own speeches will be remembered and reflected on for years to come, for their positive messages and audience responses, not the opposite.

If you are not or do not plan to be a politician or president, do not stop reading! This guide is also written with the average person, even one with little to no political ties or aspirations, in mind. Public speech is a large aspect and topic of discussion in our society, one that has become critical to the presidential process. As such, many of us may be fascinated by and curious about the process of constructing and delivering a successful presidential speech. This guide will convey all of this information via data and analyses of previous both renowned and failed presidential speeches, deductions of what it was that made them so great or so catastrophic, syntheses of expert research and findings on the topic, and more. It does so in a casual, easy-to-follow tone, further making it a read for all.

Another reason this guide is applicable to everyone is because the speech-making tips and techniques shared throughout the text are true for not just political speech, but any form. Everyone has to deliver pitches, speeches, or presentations at some point in their lives or careers. The conclusion section emphasizes how the information and advice shared in this guide can apply to and help with all other forms of speech writing and delivering. With all of this in mind, this guide is meant for truly anyone who wants to take the time to read and be informed.

Goals of the Speech

Presidential speeches have become increasingly important over time as a means to connect with and appeal to the people in order to articulate and drive forward presidential goals, deliver or reflect on tragic or positive news, and more. As Teten put it in his study, “speeches are the core of the modern presidency” (334). He finds that while “in the past, speechmaking, as well as public appeal in the content of speeches, was not only infrequent but discouraged due to precedent and technology,” today it is one of the most important and most frequently utilized presidential tools (Teten, 334). Allison Mcnearney states that “even in an age of Twitter, the formal, spoken word from the White House carries great weight and can move, anger or inspire at home and around the world.” These findings make perfecting this method of communication with the people even more crucial to master. One part of doing so requires keeping in mind what the main, general goals of these speeches are.

Connection to Audience

While presidents and politicians deliver many different types of speeches which often have contrasting tones and messages depending on the occasion, there is always an exigence for politicians to make efforts to connect with their audience. This in turn results in a more positive audience perception and reaction to both the president and his speech. Later in the guide, specific rhetorical and linguistic strategies and moves will be discussed which have proven effective in fostering a connection with audience members through speech.

This overall notion of establishing connection works to break down barriers and make the audience feel more comfortable with and trusting of the speech giver. McNearney points to FDR as a president who successfully connected with the people, largely, she claims, through his fireside chats. The fireside chats exemplified a president making use of the media for the first time “to present a very carefully crafted message that was unfiltered and unchallenged by the press” (McNearney). Today, we often see our presidents use Twitter as a media avenue to connect and present their “unfiltered” version of a policy or goal.

Lasting Message

Another central and overarching goal presidents and politicians should keep in mind when writing and delivering a speech is to make it lasting and memorable. It is challenging to predict what exactly will resonate with people in a way that makes a speech long remembered. Many of the various rhetorical and linguistic techniques outlined in section III have helped former presidents deliver speeches that have become known as some of “the greats.”

Sometimes it is a matter of taking risks with a speech. Martin Luther King and Barack Obama are among some of the most powerful speech-givers our country has seen. Both men took risks in many of their speeches. Mcnearney points to Obama’s “A More Perfect Union” speech as being “risky” in its focus and discussion on racial tensions in the country, an often avoided or untouched conversation. But, the speech was well-received and well-remembered, proving this risk was worth it.

What to Do: Rhetorical and Linguistic Moves

A conjunction of previous findings from various scholars and my own research make up this section to portray the effective rhetorical and linguistic strategies that have been employed in successful presidential speech.

Emotive Language

In section II one of the central goals discussed in a presidential speech is to appeal to one’s audience . An effective way to do so is through emotive language and general emotional appeal. In their study, Erisen et al. note the value of “strik[ing] an emotional chord with the public” as a means to gain public support, increase public awareness, and overall aid presidents in pursuing their political agendas (469). They work to prove the effectiveness of this strategy through an analysis of an Obama speech, delivered during a time of growing economic crisis in the country.

Erisen et al. identify Obama’s implementation of both emotional and optimistic tones as rhetorical moves to connect with and appeal to his audience of constituents. The success of his use of emotionally-related rhetorical strategies are evident findings that came out of a survey that “reported that 68% of speech-watchers had a ‘positive reaction’ and that 85% felt ‘more optimistic’ about the direction the country was heading” (Erisen et al., 470). Stewart et al. also find that “more emotionally evocative messages… lead to higher levels of affective response by viewers” (125). This clear data indicates the power connecting with an audience through emotion can have on their response and future outlook.

Optimistic Tone

Along with Obama’s “optimistic tone” described above, others have employed what has been described as both hopeful and reassuring tones as rhetorical moves to appeal to an audience. Two of the ten “most important modern presidential speeches,” as selected by the nonpartisan affiliated scholars of the University of Virginia’s Miller Center, are JFK’s address on the space effort and FDR’s first inaugural address (McNearney). JFK’s address was successful and well-received because of the hopeful tone he employs when discussing the goal to land a man on the moon. He gave the people an optimistic perspective on this lofty goal, making “Americans feel like there was nothing we couldn’t do” (McNearney). In his inaugural address, Roosevelt too pairs bold claims with optimism and reassurance to his audience.

Inclusive Language

Another found strategy utilized by presidents to appeal to their audience through speech is the use of inclusive language. In Teten’s study, he looks at the use of the words “we” and “our”, specifically, in presidential State of the Union Addressesses over time. His findings revealed a steady increase in these words within the speeches over time. The usage of these “public address and inclusion words” create an appeal with presidents’ audiences because they help presidents in creating “an imagined community in which the president and his listeners coexist on a level plane (Teten, 339-342). These findings illustrate the importance of not presenting oneself as an omnipotent power and leader, but rather a normal citizen of the country like all of those watching. Identifying oneself with the audience this way breaks down any barriers present.

Persuasive Language

Persuasion is another often-used rhetorical strategy, especially during presidential campaigns. In their study about “language intensity,” Clementson et al. look at the use of “persuasive language” as a strategy presidential candidates employ during their campaigns. They assert that “candidates seem to vary their language as they try to persuade audiences to perceive them favorably” (Clementson et al., 592). In referring to this persuasive rhetorical strategy, they utilize the term “problem-solution structure” as one which is often well-received by an audience. People appreciate hearing exactly how a president or presidential candidate plans to fix a problem at hand.

What Not to Do

  As stated earlier, while there are many speeches that are excellently written and delivered, there, too, are many speeches that flop. Alexander Meddings wrote an article which spotlights a number of political speeches which he deems some of the “worst” in modern history. In comparing what makes a good versus a bad speech he asserts that “a bad speech must, by definition, be flat, garbled and publicly damaging either for the speaker or for the cause they’re seeking to promote” (Meddings). In looking at some of the characteristics that make up some of the “worst” speeches, this section will highlight what not to do in the process of working to compose and deliver a successful speech.

The research demonstrates that length of speech actually proves very important. In Teten’s study, in addition to looking at inclusive language over time in presidential State of the Union Addresses, he also graphically measured the length, specifically number of words, of the addresses across time. His results proved interesting. There was a rise in length of these speeches from the first one delivered to those delivered in the early 1900s and then there was a sudden and far drop. There was a movement around the time of the drop to make speeches more concise, and it is clear, since they have remained much shorter as time has gone on, this choice was well-received.

Meddings alludes to this in his piece, describing both William Henry Harrison’s presidential inaugural address and Andrew Johnson’s vice-presidential inaugural address as some of the worst speeches, largely because of how dragged out they were. A very important aspect of speech-giving is capturing the audience’s attention, and this cannot be accomplished through a lengthy, uninteresting oration.

Lying And/or Contradiction

Though it should be fairly obvious that one should not lie in a speech, for the consequences will be great, there have been a number of presidents and politicians who have done so. Regan, Clinton, and Trump are all among the presidents and politicians who have made false statements or promises within speeches. Though it is understandable that a politician would want to speak towards what he or she knows will resonate and appeal to the audience, doing so in a false or manipulative way is not commendable and will lead to much greater backlash than just being honest.

Word Choice

Some politicians have been caught lying in speeches when trying to cover up a controversy or scandal. Though one should try to avoid any sort of controversy, a president or person in power has to expect to have to talk on some difficult or delicate topics. This is where careful word choice becomes vital. Often the way to ensure a speech is written eloquently, carefully, and inoffensively is through various rounds of editing from a number of different eyes.

Applications to All Forms of Speech-Giving

This guide should prove helpful for not only those looking to run for office, but for everyone. The various strategies and techniques given within this guide are, for the most part, broad enough that they can be applied to any form of speech-giving or presenting. We will all have to give a speech, a toast, a presentation, and countless other forms of written or oral works in our lives. Refer to this guide when doing so.

In terms of political or presidential speech specifically, though, in a sense there is not a clear formula for how to write and deliver them. In studies looking at various different successful presidential speeches, orators, and speechwriters, it is clear they all have their own unique style and form that works for them. But, the tips provided in this guide will certainly work to help to create a proficient and successful political speech writer and orator.

Works Cited

Clementson, David E., Paola Pascual-Ferr, and Michael J. Beatty. “When does a Presidential Candidate seem Presidential and Trustworthy? Campaign Messages through the Lens of Language Expectancy Theory.” Presidential Studies Quarterly 46.3 (2016): 592-617.  ProQuest. Web. 10 Dec. 2019.

Erisen, Cengiz, and José D. Villalotbos. “Exploring the Invocation of Emotion in Presidential Speeches.” Contemporary Politics , vol. 20, no. 4, 2014, pp. 469–488., doi:10.1080/13569775.2014.968472.

McNearney, Allison. “10 Modern Presidential Speeches Every American Should Know.”

History.com , A&E Television Networks, 16 Feb. 2018, www.history.com/news/10-modern-presidential-speeches-every-american-should-know.

Meddings, Alexander. “The 8 Worst Speeches in Modern Political History.”

HistoryCollection.co , 9 Nov. 2018, historycollection.co/8-worst-speeches-modern-political-history/7/.

Stewart, Patrick A., Bridget M. Waller, and James N. Schubert. “Presidential Speechmaking

Style: Emotional Response to Micro-Expressions of Facial Affect.” Motivation and Emotion 33.2 (2009): 125-35. ProQuest. Web. 1 Oct. 2019.

Teten, Ryan. “Evolution of the Modern Rhetorical Presidency: Presidential Presentation and

Development of the State of the Union Address.” Presidential Studies Quarterly 33.2 (2003): 333-46. ProQuest. Web. 30 Sep. 2019.

Writing Guides for (Almost) Every Occasion Copyright © 2020 by Katie Clower is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Share This Book

Political Speech Writing: How Candidates Can Craft Compelling Messages

Understanding the Power of Political Speeches

Political speeches play a pivotal role in shaping the course of nations and can shape the trajectory of societies. Effective speech writing for elections allows leaders to communicate their vision, values, and policy objectives to the public. These speeches serve as a means of persuasion, providing a platform for leaders to connect with their constituents emotionally. Through carefully tailoring speeches, a political oratory has the potential to inspire, mobilize, and unite people around common goals and ideals.

One key aspect of political speeches is their ability to inform and educate the public. In a democratic society, an informed citizenry is essential for making sound election decisions and understanding government policy implications. A well-done political oratory allows leaders to clarify their positions and present evidence and data. Speechwriting for elections often requires addressing complex issues and helping citizens make informed choices about how they want the country to move. Moreover, political speeches serve as a channel for transparency and accountability.

Beyond their informational role, a well-crafted political oratory fosters unity and social cohesion by containing messages of hope, unity and inclusivity. They can transcend political divides and unite people, transcending differences of opinion and background. In times of crisis or uncertainty, campaign speeches provide reassurance and a sense of purpose. Furthermore, campaign speeches help a nation navigate challenges and emerge stronger.

Well-crafted campaign speeches can be transformative in elections by serving as a dynamic tool for candidates to connect with voters, sway public opinion and ultimately change the outcome of an election. When a candidate speaks passionately about issues that resonate with your audience, it creates a sense of trust and authenticity by tapping into the electorate's hopes, fears, and aspirations.

Speechwriting for elections helps to clarify a candidate's policy positions and goals, providing voters with a clearer understanding of what they stand for, allowing them to set themselves apart from their opponents and creating a sense of confidence in their leadership. A well-crafted political speech can sway undecided voters to the candidate's side.

Rousing persuasive communication can galvanize volunteers and grassroots activists , encouraging them to work harder for the candidate, leading to a higher voter turnout among the candidate's base.

Steps to Effective Political Speechwriting

Here are five tips for crafting an effective political speech:

#1: Make time for research.

Digging deep to find relevant information is crucial when writing a political speech because it adds depth and credibility to the discourse. Great research also ensures that the political speech addresses the complexities of voters' concerns. A speechwriter can write informative and persuasive communication by seeking out comprehensive data.

#2: Consider your audience.

Analyzing a target audience is essential for understanding their demographics, values, beliefs, and concerns. It allows speechwriters to tailor their message to resonate with their intended listeners' specific needs and interests. This analysis enables speechwriters to speak directly to the heart of the issues that matter most to the target audience. It also helps avoid potential pitfalls, such as using language or framing that might alienate or offend specific target audience segments.

Free tools to power your campaign

#3: Draw on the elements of storytelling.

Storytelling in politics is essential for political speechwriters because it helps engage and persuade the audience effectively. Furthermore, storytelling in politics captures the audience's attention by connecting them emotionally with the message. The right message provides a relatable and human dimension to the content. Furthermore, storytelling in politics helps create a cohesive speech that flows seamlessly, ensuring listeners understand and retain key points. Whether it is rallying support for a candidate, advocating for a policy change, or fostering a sense of unity, a well-crafted narrative can convey a compelling vision for the future and ignite a sense of purpose among the audience.

#4: Set the right tone.

A campaign speech must set the right mood because the emotional tone and atmosphere it creates can significantly impact how the audience receives and responds to the message. By establishing a positive and receptive attitude, the audience is more likely to be engaged and attentive to the speaker's message, which can inspire hope, rally support, and forge meaningful connections. Crafting a political speech that is positive and relatable makes the audience more receptive to the speaker's arguments, so it is a vital political communication strategy. A speech promoting a mood of unity helps to bridge divides, bringing people together.

#5: Edit and practice ahead of time.

Editing and rehearsing a political speech is essential because it ensures the message is clear, concise and free from ambiguity. A well-edited speech enhances the speaker's credibility by demonstrating that the candidate has thoroughly researched and prepared their remarks. Therefore, giving speeches can be a key political communication strategy.

Practicing a speech allows the speaker to fine-tune their delivery and tone to maintain the audience's engagement. Furthermore, practice enables the speaker to reinforce the critical points of the speech, ensuring that they communicate central ideas in an easily memorable way.

Examples of Memorable Political Speeches

Let's turn our attention to some political speechwriting examples. These political speechwriting examples can serve as a powerful guide for candidates.

#1: Abraham Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address

Consider Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, as it is one of American history's most impactful political speeches. Presented during the Civil War at the dedication of the Soldiers' National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, the speech was concise, lasting just over two minutes, but its impact was profound. Lincoln eloquently emphasized the principles of equality and liberty and redefined the purpose of the American government as a "government of the people, by the people, for the people." This speech solidified the United States' commitment to democracy and freedom. It also marked a turning point in the Civil War, as it galvanized public sentiment and reinvigorated the Union's resolve to preserve the nation.

#2: Martin Luther King, Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” Speech

Another of the most impactful political speeches was Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech, delivered during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. This political speechwriting example was pivotal in the American civil rights movement. King's eloquent articulation of his dream for a racially integrated and just society resonated deeply with millions. The speech helped mobilize support for civil rights legislation and highlighted the urgent need for racial equality. King's call for nonviolent protest and his vision for a future where individuals would be judged by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin inspired generations of activists. It was crucial in advancing civil rights legislation, culminating in the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

#3: Ronald Reagan’s “Tear Down This Wall” Speech

One of the most impactful political speeches ever given was the one delivered at the Brandenburg Gate in West Berlin, during which President Ronald Reagan issued a powerful challenge to the Soviet Union by demanding, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" The Berlin Wall, which had divided East and West Berlin for decades, symbolized the Cold War's division. This political speechwriting example indicated the West's commitment to freedom and democracy. While the immediate impact of the speech was limited, it contributed to the eventual fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War. Reagan's words resonated with people on both sides of the Iron Curtain, serving as a rallying cry for change.

Studying these speeches and tailoring speeches after them and other iconic speeches is a great way to learn public speaking strategies. These American political speeches share the theme of advocating for equality, justice and freedom. They transcended their immediate contexts to become lasting symbols of American ideals and continue inspiring generations of Americans and people worldwide. 

Here are some public speaking strategies to employ based on these inspirational speeches:

Ensure that the central theme of your political campaign communication resonates with the target audience and keep it at the forefront of the speech.

Using metaphors, similes, and emotionally resonant phrases to evoke powerful imagery and emotions in the audience is a critical speech delivery technique that can help your political campaign communications.

Understanding the audience's needs, aspirations, and concerns so that the message connects deeply is a speechwriting best practice you will want to remember.

Incorporating a clear and compelling call to action into the speech is an essential political communication strategy.

Be aware of historical contexts when crafting political persuasions for political campaign communications.

Align messages with the speaker's personality and values.

Employ strategic repetition to emphasize critical political persuasions because it will make them more memorable.

Use speech writing techniques to capture the speaker's authentic voice and beliefs.

Tips for Effective Speech Delivery

Candidates often ask speechwriters to give them speech delivery techniques. They may recommend several public speaking strategies that will help you with effective speech delivery. These include:

Using body gestures and body language to enhance the message's impact is a critical speech delivery technique as it helps convey confidence and credibility so that the audience connects to you better.

Connecting with the audience is paramount because it establishes rapport, fosters voter engagement and ensures the message resonates with the listeners personally. Therefore, it is crucial to remember this idea while focusing on speech delivery techniques as you build your political communication strategy.

Breathing deeply right before giving a speech is a vital speech delivery technique that can help you overcome stage fright as it calms nerves and boosts confidence.

Adapting Your Speech for Different Audiences

Among speech writing best practices is to adapt a speech to different audiences and your audience's demographics. This is essential for ensuring political persuasion as the message is relevant, relatable, and inclusive. Practicing this as you concentrate on other speech writing best practices ensures audience engagement occurs and that they will understand your messaging better.

Another key among speech writing best practices is remembering to be specific during a speech. This is vital as it adds credibility and clarity to the candidate messaging, helping to ensure audience engagement. Therefore, ensure that you use speech writing techniques for persuasive communication that address specific issues and concerns experienced by the audience.

Navigating Ethical Considerations in Political Speechwriting

Honesty is a fundamental pillar of trust and accountability in a democratic society, so when politicians are truthful in their political campaign messaging, they build integrity and foster the public's faith in their leadership. Citizens can make informed decisions when a politician uses truthful political campaign messaging. Therefore, make sure to always practice ethical speech writing.

Ethical speech writing also means avoiding divisive rhetoric because it often deepens existing divisions, polarizes communities, and makes finding common ground on important issues more difficult. Divisive rhetoric hinders constructive dialogue between political opponents. Using speech writing techniques that are inclusive, respectful, and constructive fosters unity, promotes understanding and achieves positive outcomes, which is essential for driving audience engagement in your political campaign messaging.

Leveraging Technology for Speechwriting

Many speech writing resources can help you. Let these speechwriting resources serve as a guide, but do not rely totally on speech writing resources, or you will block out the candidate's personality. Among the most effective speech writing tips is to let speechwriting tools enhance the speech writing process by using them to improve speech writing techniques. Among these speech writing tools, speech writing software is a vital resource that plays a pivotal role in organizing thoughts, structuring arguments, and drafting coherent content while creating political discourse and crafting political messages. Utilizing these effective speech writing tips gives you access to templates, outlines, and organization features that help transform ideas into well-structured political discourses. Even if you usually shy away from technology, try speech writing software.

An easy place to start is GoodParty.org’s AI Campaign Manager , which can help candidates draft launch speeches with ease, saving time and energy. 

Additionally, another favorite among effective speech writing tips is to use research databases. These are invaluable tools for the speech writing process as they allow you to access vast amounts of information, including historical data, statistics, and policy details. Therefore, they are an invaluable speech writing resource, enabling speechwriters to conduct thorough research, fact-check statements, and bolster arguments with credible sources.

Furthermore, grammar and style-checking software is another indispensable software component critical to the speech writing process. This speech writing resource helps to refine language and ensure that the political rhetoric is clear, is grammatically correct, and resonates with the intended audience. These tools help avoid common language pitfalls and enhance the overall quality of the writing.

Another effective speech writing tip is to incorporate digital elements into political discourse, as using them engages a more diverse audience. Integrating visuals, such as infographics and charts, can make complex data more accessible by providing a visual context that aids comprehension. These graphic elements enhance understanding, make the speech more memorable, and help to ensure that crucial candidate messaging resonates with broader demographics.

Speech writing and public relations are intrinsically linked, playing a pivotal role in shaping the perception of individuals. Effective speechmaking in public relations allows for the dissemination of critical messages to target audiences. Through speechwriting and public relations strategies, public figures can build and maintain trust, manage their reputation and foster meaningful connections with voters, underscoring the indispensable synergy between speech writing and public relations in elections.

The Role of Speechwriters in Political Campaigns

Speechwriters often collaborate closely with candidates to help them build political communication skills. These political communication skills include articulating their vision, values and policy positions. Ethical speech writing requires you to lay aside your ideas and write from the candidate's point of view. This effective speech writing tip often begins with in-depth interviews to understand the candidate's personality, goals and key messages. Speechwriters then craft political rhetoric aligning with the candidate's voice and resonating with their intended audience. Regular communication and feedback loops are vital for crafting political messages, allowing for revisions and fine-tuning political communication skills to ensure that inspirational speeches are authentic and compelling. The partnership between speechwriters and candidates when crafting political messages is a dynamic process that must convey the candidate's vision effectively and connect with voters.

However, not all candidates need to hire speechwriters. With GoodParty.org’s AI Campaign Manager , candidates can generate drafts of political speeches, completely for free. Our tools are especially helpful for crafting launch speeches, which candidates can give at campaign launch events and to kick off their campaigns.

Inspirational speeches, meticulously tailored to resonate with diverse audiences and delivered with authenticity, possess the potential to inspire, inform and mobilize voters, encapsulating a candidate's vision and values. Often, the words spoken reverberate in the electorate's hearts and minds. Tailoring speeches in this way gives them the power to shape the outcome of campaigns and the nation's course. Political rhetoric bridges the divide between candidates and voters, uniting diverse communities under a shared vision. Overall, remember that the qualities of a great speech rely on elements of style, elements of substance, and elements of impact.

• 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.

Related Posts

• 130 Immigration Essay topics
• 130 Social Media Essay Topics
• 100 Example Essay Topics
• 50 I Believe Essay Topics
• 100 Mental Health Essay Topics

Categories:

• Essay Samples
• Essay Topics
• Essay Writing Guides

Recent posts:

• 170 Ethics Essay Topics
• 160 Satire Essay Topics
• 160 Rhetorical Essay Topics
• 155 Criminal Justice Essay Topics
• 145 Classification Essay Topics
• 140 Sociology Essay Topics
• 140 Opinion Essay Topics
• 140 Environmental Essay Topics
• 135 Controversial Essay Topics
• 125 Classification and Division Essay Topics
• 120 Literary Essay Topics
• 100 Profile Essay Topics
• 90 Heart of Darkness Essay Topics
• 80 Holocaust Essay Topics

Testimonials

• History Classics
• Your Profile
• Find History on Facebook (Opens in a new window)
• Find History on Twitter (Opens in a new window)
• Find History on YouTube (Opens in a new window)
• Find History on Instagram (Opens in a new window)
• Find History on TikTok (Opens in a new window)
• This Day In History
• History Podcasts
• History Vault

10 Modern Presidential Speeches Every American Should Know

By: Allison McNearney

Updated: October 18, 2023 | Original: February 16, 2018

Presidential speeches reveal the United States’ challenges, hopes, dreams and temperature of the nation, as much as they do the wisdom and perspective of the leader speaking them. Even in the age of Twitter, the formal, spoken word from the White House carries great weight and can move, anger or inspire at home and around the world.

Here are the 10 most important modern presidential speeches selected by scholars at the Miller Center —a nonpartisan affiliate of the University of Virginia that specializes in presidential scholarship—and professors from other universities, as well.

1. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s First Inaugural Address

When: 1933, during the Great Depression

What Roosevelt Said: “This is preeminently the time to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly. Nor need we shrink from honestly facing conditions in our country today. This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself… Our greatest primary task is to put people to work. This is no unsolvable problem if we face it wisely and courageously. It can be accomplished in part by direct recruiting by the Government itself, treating the task as we would treat the emergency of a war.”

Why It Was Important: Roosevelt is embarking on something audacious, proposing that the national government has an obligation to provide an economic safety net for its citizens to protect them from the unpredictability of the market. In making a case for bold intervention in markets, he’s also making a case for a stronger executive at the top. But for all the disruptive talk in this speech, Roosevelt delivers reassurance. I think a hallmark of the speeches that we remember the most by presidents from both parties are ones that not only address the circumstances at hand, but also give people some hope.

— Margaret O’Mara, professor of history, University of Washington

2. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s First Fireside Chat 'On Banking'

When: March 1933

What Roosevelt Said: “My friends, I want to talk for a few minutes with the people of the United States about banking…confidence and courage are the essentials of success in carrying out our plan. You people must have faith. You must not be stampeded by rumors or guesses. Let us unite in banishing fear. We have provided the machinery to restore our financial system, and it is up to you to support and make it work. It is your problem, my friends. Your problem no less than it is mine. Together, we cannot fail.”

Why It Was Important: Beginning with the simple phrase, “My friends,” the stage was set for the personalization of the presidency that continued throughout FDR’s administration. Roosevelt received an outpouring of support from the public and used the power of media to connect with his constituents. Recognizing publicity as essential to policymaking, he crafted a very intricate public relations plan for all of his New Deal legislation. The media allowed him to present a very carefully crafted message that was unfiltered and unchallenged by the press. Many newspapers were critical of his New Deal programs, so turning to radio and motion pictures allowed him to present his version of a particular policy directly to the people. Today, we see parallels in the use of Twitter to bypass opponents and critics of the administration to appeal directly to the American people. And that all started with FDR and his first fireside chat.

— Kathryn Cramer Brownell, Assistant Professor of History, Purdue University

3. Dwight Eisenhower’s 'Atoms for Peace' Speech to the United Nations

What Eisenhower Said: “I feel impelled to speak today in a language that, in a sense, is new. One which I, who have spent so much of my life in the military profession, would have preferred never to use: That new language is the language of atomic warfare…Against the dark background of the atomic bomb, the United States does not wish merely to present strength, but also the desire and the hope for peace. To the makers of these fateful decisions, the United States pledges before you, and therefore before the world, its determination to help solve the fearful atomic dilemma. To devote its entire heart and mind to find the way by which the miraculous inventiveness of man shall not be dedicated to his death, but consecrated to his life.”

Why It Was Important: Eisenhower believed in the political power of nuclear weapons, but in this speech, he talks about their dangers. He speaks about the importance of preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and proposes that the U.S. and Soviet Union cooperate to reduce their nuclear stockpiles. Keep in mind that there were just 1,300 nuclear weapons in the world in 1953 compared with more than seven times that number today. But Eisenhower is also a realist. He understands the importance of nuclear deterrence and he reminds his audience that his proposal comes from a position of American strength, not weakness.

— Todd Sechser, Professor of Politics, University of Virginia and Senior Fellow, Miller Center

4. Dwight Eisenhower’s Farewell Address

What Eisenhower Said: “Until the latest of our world conflicts, the United States had no armaments industry. But we can no longer risk emergency improvisation of national defense. We have been compelled to create a permanent armaments industry of vast proportion…In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic process.”

Why It Was Important: That speech gave a name to our modern era. Eisenhower was telling us that we now live in a time when government, the military and the corporate world all have joined together into a powerful alliance that shapes the basic democratic functioning of the country. Eisenhower understood that Americans wanted both security and liberty, and it’s a fundamental paradox of the American experiment. In order to have security, we need to have a large defense establishment. But he asks, who is going to be the guardian of our freedoms in a world where we have to have a permanent arms industry? What he was saying in the speech is that we have to learn how to live with it, and control it, rather than having it control us.

— Will Hitchcock, Randolph P. Compton Professor at the Miller Center and professor of history, University of Virginia

5. Lyndon B. Johnson’s 'Great Society' Speech at the University of Michigan

When: May 22, 1964

What Johnson Said: “For a century, we labored to settle and to subdue a continent. For half a century, we called upon unbounded invention and untiring industry to create an order of plenty for all of our people. The challenge of the next half-century is whether we have the wisdom to use that wealth to enrich and elevate our national life, and to advance the quality of our American civilization. Your imagination and your initiative and your indignation will determine whether we build a society where progress is the servant of our needs, or a society where old values and new visions are buried under unbridled growth. For, in your time, we have the opportunity to move not only toward the rich society and the powerful society, but upward to the Great Society. “

Why It Was Important: LBJ called on all Americans to move upward to a Great Society in which wealth is used for more than personal enrichment and is instead used to improve communities, protect the natural world, and allow all Americans, regardless of race or class, to fully develop their innate talents and abilities. The message of Johnson’s speech resonates today because we have lost not only that self-confidence and that idealism but also the vision to recognize that prosperity can be used for something greater than the self.

— Guian McKee, Associate Professor of Presidential Studies, the Miller Center

6. John F. Kennedy’s Address on the Space Effort

When: September 1962

What Kennedy Said: “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard…Those who came before us made certain that this country rode the first waves of the Industrial Revolution, the first waves of modern invention and the first wave of nuclear power. And this generation does not intend to founder in the backwash of the coming age of space, we mean to be a part of it, we mean to lead it.”

Why It Was Important: We were in a new age of technology and space exploration. President Kennedy made Americans feel that there was nothing that we couldn’t do, no challenge we couldn’t conquer. It was before Vietnam, before Watergate, before the deaths of our heroes like Jack and Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King —when we had a sense in this country that if we all joined together we could fulfill our loftiest goals.

— Barbara Perry, Director of Presidential Studies, the Miller Center

7. Ronald Reagan’s Speech Commemorating the 40th Anniversary of D-Day

When: June 6, 1984

What Reagan Said: “The rangers looked up and saw the enemy soldiers at the edge of the cliffs shooting down at them with machine guns and throwing grenades, and the American rangers began to climb. They shot rope ladders over the face of these cliffs and began to pull themselves up. When one ranger fell, another would take his place. When one rope was cut, a ranger would grab another and begin his climb again. They climbed, shot back, and held their footing. Soon, one by one, the rangers pulled themselves over the top, and in seizing the firm land at the top of these cliffs they began to seize back the continent of Europe… (to veterans) You all knew that some things are worth dying for. One’s country is worth dying for, and Democracy is worth dying for because it’s the most deeply honorable form of government ever devised by man.

Why It’s Important: That day in June of 1984, before  Band of Brothers  and  Saving Private Ryan  ever came to be, President Reagan paid tribute to the heroism of those we now call the Greatest Generation, the men and women who liberated Europe and ensured freedom for generations to come.  But for the first time, he also tied resistance to totalitarianism in World War II to opposition to the Soviet Union during the Cold War . President Reagan’s words at the end of that speech, again in the second person, to our Allies that “we were with you then, and we are with you now,” when he called upon the West to “renew our commitment to each other, to our freedom, and to the alliance that protects it” kept the coalition in place that later defeated the Soviet Union and ended the Cold War. The “boys of Pointe du Hoc” saved the world, and, in many ways, they did so more than once.

— Mary Kate Cary, Senior Fellow, the Miller Center

8. Ronald Reagan’s Address on the Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster

When: January 1986

What Reagan Said: “The future doesn’t belong to the faint-hearted but to the brave. The Challenger crew was pulling us into the future, and we’ll continue to follow them…The crew of the space shuttle Challenger honored us by the manner in which they lived their lives. We will never forget them nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for their journey and waved goodbye, and slipped the surly bonds of Earth to touch the face of God.”

Why It Was Important: In our current era of political divisiveness, we tend to think of presidents as partisan leaders. But the president’s role as “comforter in chief” is one of the most important functions. The great presidents are distinguished by their ability to set aside partisanship in times of tragedy to speak words that comfort a nation and remind us that, despite our differences, we are all, in the end, Americans.

— Chris Lu, Senior Fellow, the Miller Center

9. George W. Bush’s 'Get On Board' Speech

When: After the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks

What Bush Said: “When they struck they wanted to create an atmosphere of fear, and one of the great goals of this war is…to tell the traveling public: Get on board. Do your business around the country. Fly and enjoy America’s great destination spots. Get down to Disney World in Florida. Take your families and enjoy life the way we want it to be enjoyed.”

Why It Was Important: In short, Bush was saying don’t let the terrorists deter you from spending—the economy needs you. More specifically, Bush’s remarks demonstrated the importance that consumption had come to play in the economy by the twenty-first century. He was carrying out what had become an essential responsibility of the 21st-century president. Even as Bush modeled what it meant to be a strong commander in chief, he juggled another role that had become almost as important: “consumer in chief.”

— Brian Balogh, Dorothy Compton Professor of History, the Miller Center

10. Barack Obama’s 'A More Perfect Union' Speech

What Obama Said: “Contrary to the claim of some of my critics, black and white, I have never been so naïve to think as to believe we can get beyond our racial divisions on a single election cycle or with a single candidate, particularly a candidacy as imperfect as my own. But I have asserted a firm conviction, a conviction rooted in my faith in God and my faith in the American people, that working together we can move beyond some of our old racial wounds, and that in fact we have no choice. We have no choice if we are to continue on the path of a more perfect union…What we know, what we have seen, is that America can change. That is the true genius of this nation. What we have already achieved gives us hope, the audacity to hope, for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.”

Why It Was Important: Conventional wisdom wouldn’t recommend a speech on race. But Obama ran to the challenge, not away from it. Uniquely positioned to do so, he welcomed listeners to places many have never experienced—a predominantly black church, a cringe-worthy conversation with a beloved relative of a different race, the kitchen tables of white Americans who feel resentful and left behind—and he recounted Americans often divergent perspectives. He asked us to be honest about our past while connecting it to the structural barriers faced by African Americans and other people of color today…Direct, honest, but nuanced, Obama believed that most Americans were ready to hear the truth and make a choice, to move beyond racial stalemate, face our challenges, and act accordingly.

 — Melody Barnes, a Senior Fellow, the Miller Center

The American Presidency with Bill Clinton

Explore the history of the U.S. presidency across six themed episodes: race, extremism, the struggle for rights, presidential vision and global power. 

Sign up for Inside History

Get HISTORY’s most fascinating stories delivered to your inbox three times a week.

By submitting your information, you agree to receive emails from HISTORY and A+E Networks. You can opt out at any time. You must be 16 years or older and a resident of the United States.

More details : Privacy Notice | Terms of Use | Contact Us

How To Write A Political Speech

11 min read

Crafting a compelling political speech holds immense importance for any aspiring politician and successful political campaign. It is a powerful tool for connecting with the audience, influencing opinions, and igniting action. To make speeches truly impactful, harnessing the power of voter engagement and direct sourcing is key. Politicians can gather valuable insights directly from the people they aim to represent by actively engaging with voters and listening to their concerns.

This approach adds significant value to speeches and establishes an authentic connection with voters. This blog post will explore the significance of delivering compelling political speeches and highlight the benefits of incorporating voter engagement and direct sourcing techniques. By the end, you'll gain practical insights into creating lessons that resonate with your audience and make a lasting impact. Revise your political speechwriting skills with valuable tips and actionable strategies!

Writing a compelling political speech that resonates with your audience is vital for any politician. Two key factors are crucial to achieving this: defining your objectives and knowing your target audience.

• Defining the objectives: Your speech should have a clear purpose, whether it is to persuade, inspire, or educate your listeners. You can shape your address by defining your goals to achieve those desired outcomes effectively. ‍
• Knowing your target audience: Understanding your audience's demographics, concerns, and aspirations is fundamental. This knowledge allows you to tailor your message in a way that connects with them on a personal level. You can create a speech that resonates deeply and captures their attention by addressing their needs and desires.

Research and Preparation

Research and preparation are vital steps in writing an impactful political speech. By gathering comprehensive data from various sources, conducting surveys, and analyzing voter demographics, you can enhance the effectiveness of your address. Here are key actions to take:

• Collecting data from various sources: Traditional media such as newspapers, TV, and radio provide insights into current political events and public sentiment. Social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube offer information on trending topics and public discourse. Online forums and communities like Reddit, Quora, and specialized political forums allow you to tap into discussions and understand different perspectives. ‍
• Conducting surveys and opinion polls: ‍ Engaging in surveys and opinion polls helps you gauge your target audience's opinions, preferences, and concerns. This data provides valuable insights to shape your speech accordingly. ‍
• Analyzing voter demographics and specific concerns: ‍ Understanding your audience's demographics, including age, gender, and location, enables you to tailor your speech to resonate with their unique backgrounds and experiences. Additionally, identifying specific concerns and issues that matter to voters allows you to address them directly in your speech, making it more relevant and impactful.

By undertaking thorough research and preparation, you will have a solid foundation for crafting a compelling political speech that speaks directly to your audience's needs and aspirations. In the upcoming sections, we will explore these topics in more detail, providing you with practical strategies to integrate the collected data effectively into your speechwriting process. Get ready to take your political speechwriting skills to the next level!

Crafting a Compelling Political Speech

Crafting a powerful political speech requires careful consideration of the message you want to convey. Here are key steps to help you create a compelling address:

• Identifying key issues and topics: Start by identifying crucial issues such as the economy and jobs, healthcare and social welfare, education and student debt, climate change and environmental policies, and national security and foreign affairs. These topics are often at the forefront of public discourse and resonate with voters. ‍
• Prioritizing topics based on voter feedback and relevance: ‍ Listen to the feedback and concerns of voters through surveys, town hall meetings, and direct engagement. Prioritize the topics that resonate most with your audience, ensuring your speech addresses their pressing issues. ‍
• Developing a compelling narrative: ‍ Structure your speech with a clear introduction, body, and conclusion to provide a cohesive flow. Utilize storytelling techniques to make your message engaging and relatable, capturing your audience's attention. Connect your experiences to policy proposals, humanizing your speech and showing your understanding of real-life impacts. Emphasize empathy and relatability to establish a genuine connection with your audience, showcasing that you understand and share their concerns.

Following these steps, you can craft a persuasive political speech highlighting key issues, resonating with voters, and inspiring action. In the following sections, we will delve deeper into each aspect, providing you with practical tips and techniques to enhance the impact of your speech. Prepare to deliver a memorable and influential address that leaves a lasting impression!

Rehearsing your political speech is a critical step that significantly aids your confidence and overall delivery. Here are some valuable tips to consider when it comes to rehearsing:

• Practice makes perfect: Dedicate ample time to rehearsing your speech before presenting it to an audience. Aim to rehearse your address at least five times to familiarize yourself with the content, structure, and flow. ‍
• Seek feedback from your team: Once you've practiced independently, deliver your speech to your team and invite their constructive criticism. Their feedback can provide valuable insights and help you refine your points, delivery, and overall performance. ‍
• Conduct a full dress rehearsal: Organize a complete dress rehearsal with your team, where they play the roles of a moderator and your competition. This simulation allows you to identify potential weaknesses in your arguments, anticipate challenging questions, and fine-tune your delivery. ‍
• Capture and review your performance: Consider filming yourself giving the speech during rehearsal. Watching the recording afterwards lets you objectively evaluate your performance, body language, and speaking style. Take note of areas where improvements can be made and make adjustments accordingly. ‍
• Ensure accessibility through simplicity: While rehearsing, approach your speech from the perspective of someone unfamiliar with the topics you're addressing. Use simple language and many analogies to make your political speech accessible to many listeners. This approach enhances understanding and enables your message to resonate with the entire electorate.

By incorporating rehearsal into your speechwriting process, you can boost your confidence, identify areas for improvement, and deliver a polished and impactful speech. Remember, rehearsing allows you to refine your points, connect with your audience effectively, and ensure your message is conveyed clearly, concisely, and relatable. ‍

Use Common Language

Using common language in political speech writing is essential to effectively connect with your audience and ensure your message resonates with a wide range of listeners. Here are key considerations when it comes to using common language:

• ‍ Speak in an accessible manner:   Communicate in a way that is easily understandable to all. Avoid excessive jargon, complex terminology, or convoluted sentences that may confuse or alienate your audience. Use clear and concise language that allows anyone to grasp your message. ‍ ‍
• Avoid offensive terms:   Maintaining a respectful and inclusive tone during your speech is important. Steer clear of profane or derogatory language that could offend or marginalize certain groups. Treat your audience with respect, emphasizing unity and understanding. ‍ ‍
• Harness the power of stories and personal accounts:   Stories and first-person narratives profoundly impact your audience. Utilize relatable anecdotes and real-life experiences to illustrate your points, making your arguments more engaging, relatable, and emotionally compelling. ‍ ‍
• Balance simplicity with depth:   While most of your content should be easily understandable by anyone, it is acceptable to incorporate academic research, quotations, or statistics that may require additional explanation. Find a balance between simplicity and depth, ensuring that even complex ideas can be grasped by your listeners with the appropriate context and explanation.

Using common language can effectively bridge the gap between complex ideas and the understanding of your audience. Remember, the goal is to connect with as many people as possible, making your message accessible, relatable, and impactful. So, craft your speech with clarity and simplicity while utilizing stories and personal accounts to create an emotional connection that resonates with your listeners.

How to Construct An Argument

Constructing a compelling argument is crucial to writing a persuasive political speech. Here's a step-by-step guide to help you build a strong and impactful argument:

• Clearly state your thesis: Begin by articulating your main point or thesis statement. This sets the foundation for your argument and provides a clear focus for your speech. ‍
• Gather supporting evidence: Collect relevant facts, statistics, expert opinions, and real-life examples that support your thesis. Strong evidence adds credibility and strengthens your argument. ‍
• Organize your points logically: Structure your argument logically and coherently. Present your facts in a sequence that builds upon each other, leading your audience towards your main thesis. ‍
• Anticipate counterarguments: Consider potential counterarguments to your position and address them proactively. This demonstrates thoroughness and strengthens your overall argument. ‍
• Use persuasive language: Choose words and phrases that are persuasive and compelling. Craft your message to resonate with your audience emotionally and intellectually. ‍
• Appeal to logic and emotions: Blend logical reasoning with emotional appeals to make your argument more persuasive. Use rational evidence to support your claims and evoke emotions to connect with your audience more deeply. ‍
• Use rhetorical devices: Employ rhetorical devices such as repetition, analogy, and rhetorical questions to enhance the impact of your argument and make it more memorable. ‍
• Summarize and restate your main points: Conclude your argument by summarizing your main points and restating your thesis. Leave your audience clearly understanding your position and a compelling call to action.

These steps can construct a strong and persuasive argument in your political speech. Remember to support your claims with evidence, organize your points effectively, and appeal to logic and emotions. With a well-constructed argument, your address will be poised to influence opinions and inspire action.

Voter Engagement for your Speech

Engaging with voters through various tactics is essential to crafting a compelling political speech. Here's why it matters and how you can make the most of it:

importance of voter contact tactics:

• Door-to-door canvassing allows you to connect with voters on a personal level, fostering trust and building rapport.
• Town hall meetings provide a platform for open dialogue, enabling you to directly understand local issues and concerns of the community.
• Phone calls and text messages offer an opportunity to engage voters individually, creating a sense of importance and personal connection.

Benefits of engaging voters directly:

• Building trust and rapport strengthens your relationship with voters, making your message more impactful and memorable.
• Understanding local issues and concerns firsthand helps you address them effectively in your speech, showing your commitment to representing the community's needs.
• Obtaining firsthand stories and anecdotes allows you to humanize your speech, adding authenticity and relatability to your message.

Techniques for effective voter engagement:

• Active listening and showing empathy demonstrate your genuine interest in understanding voters' perspectives and concerns.
• Asking open-ended questions encourages voters to share their thoughts and experiences, providing valuable insights for shaping your speech.
• Encouraging voter participation in the speechwriting process empowers them. It ensures their voices are heard, enhancing the authenticity of your speech.
• Utilizing social media platforms to solicit input and feedback broadens your reach. It allows you to engage with a wider audience, gathering diverse perspectives and ideas.

By actively engaging voters through canvassing and other community outreach , you gain invaluable insights, stories, and anecdotes that can greatly enrich your political speech. In the upcoming sections, we will delve deeper into these techniques, providing you with practical strategies to maximize voter engagement and create lessons that truly resonate with your audience. Get ready to harness the power of direct sourcing and make a meaningful impact with your speech!

Incorporating voter input into your speechwriting process is a powerful way to create speeches that truly resonate with your audience. Here's how you can leverage voter input, with a special emphasis on the significance of canvassing:

• ‍ Analyzing and categorizing voter stories and concerns: By carefully listening to voters' stories and concerns gathered through canvassing, town hall meetings, and other engagement tactics, you can analyze and categorize them to identify common threads and key issues. ‍ ‍
• Identifying common themes and patterns: By recognizing recurring themes and patterns in voter input, you gain insights into your constituency's collective concerns and aspirations. This knowledge allows you to address them effectively in your speech. ‍ ‍
• Integrating voter anecdotes into the speech: Personalizing the message by incorporating specific anecdotes and stories voters share, you personalize your speech, making it relatable and impactful. Highlighting real-life impacts: Sharing how specific policies or decisions affect real people helps create a deeper understanding and empathy among your audience. ‍ ‍
• Acknowledging and addressing dissenting viewpoints: While incorporating voter input, it's important to acknowledge and address dissenting views. By respectfully engaging with opposing perspectives, you demonstrate inclusivity and a willingness to consider all voices.

By actively involving voters in the speechwriting process, you ensure their concerns and experiences are reflected in your message. This adds authenticity and relatability and strengthens your connection with your audience. In the subsequent sections, we will delve deeper into these strategies, providing you with practical tips to seamlessly integrate voter input into your political speeches. Get ready to create addresses that truly resonate and engage your audience profoundly!

The Ten Minutes Beforehand

The ten minutes beforehand hold significant value in maximizing the impact of your political speech. Here's how you can make the most of this crucial time, offering practical strategies to enhance your performance and connect with your audience:

Center yourself through mindfulness techniques:

• Take deep breaths to calm your nerves and center your mind.
• Practice mindfulness or meditation to focus your thoughts and promote a sense of presence.

Review your key talking points:

• Take a moment to mentally review the main points and messages you want to convey.
• Ensure that your speech aligns with your objectives and resonates with your audience.

Visualize success:

• Visualize yourself delivering a powerful and impactful speech with confidence and clarity.
• Envision a positive response from your audience, creating a sense of belief and determination.

Positive self-talk:

• Engage in positive self-talk to boost your confidence and banish self-doubt.
• Remind yourself of your strengths, expertise, and message value.

Establish a connection with your audience:

• Scan the room and make eye contact with individuals in the audience.
• This brief interaction establishes an initial connection and helps you establish rapport.

Review technical aspects:

• Double-check any specialized equipment or visual aids to ensure they are functioning properly.
• Familiarize yourself with the stage setup and microphone placement for seamless delivery.

Warm up your voice and body:

• Perform vocal warm-up exercises to ensure clarity and projection in your speech.
• Engage in gentle stretches or movements to release tension and promote a relaxed body language.

By utilizing these strategies ten minutes beforehand, you can optimize your mindset, refine your delivery, and establish an immediate connection with your audience. Remember that these moments set the stage for a memorable speech, allowing you to effectively convey your message, inspire your audience, and leave a lasting impact.

Engaging voters through direct sourcing, especially through canvassing, holds immense power in creating impactful political speeches. By incorporating voter input, speeches can exude authenticity and relatability, connecting with the concerns and aspirations of the electorate. This approach inspires trust and establishes a strong connection between politicians and the people they aim to represent. Crafting well-articulated speeches that resonate with voters is a transformative way to influence opinions and ignite action. As you refine your speech writing skills, remember the significance of actively engaging voters, listening to their stories, and addressing their concerns. By doing so, you will deliver speeches that make a lasting impact, inspire change, and foster a deeper connection with your audience.

Get your free 7-day trial of Ecanvasser

How to win a political election...anywhere in the world.

Discover the top strategies used by winning campaigns

Sign up now to have our campaign consultants guide you through your 7-day trial

You may also be interested in

Calculate How Many Votes You Need To Win Your Election

A Guide to the Essential Political Campaign Tools

Copyright © 2023 Ecanvasser - All rights reserved.

What’s a Rich Text element?

The rich text element allows you to create and format headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, images, and video all in one place instead of having to add and format them individually. Just double-click and easily create content.

Static and dynamic content editing

A rich text element can be used with static or dynamic content. for static content, just drop it into any page and begin editing. for dynamic content, add a rich text field to any collection and then connect a rich text element to that field in the settings panel. voila.

How to customize formatting for each rich text

Headings, paragraphs, blockquotes, figures, images, and figure captions can all be styled after a class is added to the rich text element using the "When inside of" nested selector system.

Read more articles.

New Product Update: Smarter Field Mapping

Introducing Custom Reports and Dashboards to Boost Team Productivity

Let's inspire your inbox.

Listening to our current users,  we are aware that there can be an internal struggle of team management when it comes to.

+91 9848321284

Political Marketing

Public Speaking for Politicians: Tips for Improving Public Speaking Skills for Leaders

Jun 16, 2020

Politicians are often required to speak in public. Still, it is incredibly challenging for politicians to maintain their composure and establish trust with the audience while demonstrating their expertise on the subject. To succeed as a politician, you need confidence, which can only come from being well-prepared.

“Public Speaking for Politicians is a guide that will teach politicians how to speak before an audience and on TV. It includes tips for speaking without notes, what to wear, how to get the most attention from your audience, and more.”

This blog post will help politicians learn public speaking skills, like what not to do in front of an audience. It also offers tips for pacing, gestures, and other techniques during speeches.

What is Political Speech?

Political speech is a way of expressing one’s opinion on political or social issues. It usually involves public speaking and can be used to persuade people to think about the topic differently.

Political speech is a form of public speaking that involves discussing and debating politics.

The New Way to Be a Better Politician

Public speaking for politicians.

Public speaking is critical for politicians because it helps them spread their messages and learn more about voters’ minds.

For politicians, public speaking is crucial. If you’re not a good speaker, it’s unlikely that people will vote for you.

One of the most critical skills a politician can have is public speaking, which allows them to communicate their ideas effectively.

Public Speaking For Leaders

Speaking in front of groups is a good idea if you’re trying to lead people.

Public Speaking for Leaders by Steve Krug is one of the best books I’ve ever read because it focuses on what’s important: how to make a speech.

Public Speaking For Leaders can help you become a better speaker. If you are a leader, you must get your message across effectively.

It’s a skill set you need to be a successful politician.

How to write a political speech.

If you’re running for office or looking to get into politics, one of the first things you’ll need is a good speech. You have three options for writing your political address: write it yourself, hire someone to do it, or use a professional.

Initially, it would be best if you decided on your message. Do you want to convey specific values or facts? It would help to brainstorm before writing the speech, which would be much easier.

There are many ways to write a political speech. You could start with the good things your candidate has done for the nation or focus on what needs improvement. The key is to keep it short and simple so everyone can understand.

Political Speech on Social Media Platforms

Social media platforms help to communicate with people from all walks of life. The media like Twitter and Facebook have enabled politicians to connect with voters through their policy platforms in a way that was not.

Facebook and Twitter are the most prominent ways to engage in political debates . When debating, it’s essential to remain civil and avoid being too judgmental about each other’s opinions.

Social media platforms are one trending way to practice free speech. People can share their opinions on anything without worrying about being censored or punished, but some may take that freedom too far and say things that could be hurtful or offensive to others.

Remember to succeed on social media platforms and stick with a clear message and your target demographic.

I’m going to make an argument in favor of political speech on social media platforms. There’s no point in censoring what people say, and it’s better for the public when they know other people’s opinions.

An Election Campaign Speech Best Practices

There are so many things that you should do to have a successful election campaign . The first thing that you need is a great slogan and logo. As for the speech, it’s essential to be unique and relatable.

Many people are misinformed and do not know what the candidates stand for. Some spend thousands on television commercials to tell others about their platform.

• Please speak to the people, not to them
• Be passionate about your beliefs and policies
• Keep it short and sweet- a long speech will cause you to lose the audience’s attention.
• Use a mix of personal anecdotes and statistics when making your points
• Get out and meet people in the community, not just during elections
• Have a clear message with achievable goals and objectives
• Keep your promises- don’t say something if you can’t or won’t do it!
• Identify your audience
• Research the issues and speak about them in an informed way
• Speak with conviction
• Be passionate in your presentation but not too wordy or condescending
• Build up trust by being open and credible
• Make eye contact with the audience
• Speak clearly and confidently
• Use short sentences to make your points clear
• Tell personal stories that illustrate why you’re qualified for office
• Stay on topic, but be ready to answer questions about any subject
• Introduce yourself and your qualifications
• Discuss the current state of affairs in the country
• Explain why you are best suited to lead this country forward
• Address any controversies or criticisms that have been thrown at you by opponents, and explain how these allegations are false or misleading

Ways to Write a Campaign Speech

It’s best to start with some background information about the candidate and then move on to essential issues in the campaign.

The speech should be short, persuasive, creative, and exciting enough to keep your audience engaged.

There are many ways to write a campaign speech. First, grab the audience’s attention by greeting them properly and telling a short story about your background or why you’re running for office. Furthermore, it’s essential to answer any questions people have.

For a campaign speech, it’s essential to be passionate. You’ll want to have examples of what you’ve done in the past and how that will affect your potential constituents.

If you like to learn how to write a campaign speech, make sure it’s clear and straightforward. Be sincere in your message because that will translate well for the audience.

• Introduce yourself
• Tell the audience about your personal story
• Give a brief overview of what you stand for
• Give an outline of your plan to solve problems in the country or state, such as education, healthcare, etc.
• Start with a strong opening line that will get the audience’s attention
• Use familiar words and relate to people’s everyday lives, like “You.”
• Have a clear message- what you want people to leave your speech feeling about themselves or their country.
• Be confident in yourself and your ideas- if you don’t believe in them, how can anyone else?
• Address the audience with a call to action
• Explain why you are running for office, what you will do if elected, or both
• Offer a solution to the problem at hand (if applicable)
• Emphasize your strengths and accomplishments
• Finish by asking for their vote

Practical Tips for a Political Speech

Be sure to stick with the main points of your speech. It is easy to go off on a tangent and lose people’s attention, but a compelling talk will be more effective if you stay focused on what you want to convey.

I recommend using common words. This will ensure that your audience can easily understand and remember how to pronounce what you say.

Speak from the heart. To ensure your speech is sincere, think about what you want to say beforehand and rehearse it often. When delivering a speech, don’t read off a piece of paper – instead, look.

The first tip I have for a political speech is to be prepared. You should know what you’ll say before the day of your address, and it’s best if you create outlines beforehand as well.

The goal of the speech is to convince people that your platform is best for them.

• Keep it short but powerful – no more than 10 minutes
• State a clear thesis statement at the beginning and end of the speech
• Use anecdotes to back up your claims with real-life examples
• Be confident in what you’re saying
• Maintain eye contact with the audience
• Speak clearly and concisely, don’t talk too much or go off on tangents
• Be mindful of your body language- make sure you’re not slouching or fidgeting
• Use a confident voice that is loud enough to be heard by the whole audience without being too loud
• Address the audience directly
• Use a clear and commanding tone of voice
• Please keep your hands visible to show you are not hiding anything, but keep them.
• Show emotion will make you more relatable and humanize you to the audience.
• Know the audience and tailor your speech to their needs
• Make sure to connect with them on a personal level
• Use specific examples that are relevant to your audience’s lives

Tips for Improving Public Speaking Skills for Politicians

If you’re a politician looking for suggestions on improving your public speaking skills, there’s a lot you can do. Be prepared to speak slowly and clearly, so people understand what you’re saying. Don’t mumble or talk too fast.

The best way to improve your public speaking skills is to stand in front of a mirror and practice. Also, try practicing at home or in the office with a co-worker who can give you feedback on your speech.

• Practice speech in front of a mirror, recording it on video
• Speak slowly and clearly, using short sentences
• Keep eye contact with the audience when you speak
• Use gestures to emphasize points or show the audience what you’re discussing.
• Smile while speaking; make sure your voice is pleasant and not too loud
• Use hand gestures to emphasize points
• Speak slowly and clearly, with pauses between sentences for emphasis
• Be passionate about the topic you are discussing- it will come through in your voice
• Try to practice your speech in front of a mirror
• Use gestures to emphasize what you are saying
• Talk with conviction and passion about the topic at hand
• Smile often, even if it’s fake
• Use a conversational tone, but don’t be too casual
• Speak slowly and clearly
• Don’t rush through your words
• Take a deep breath before you speak to help steady your nerves
• Stand up straight with good posture and use gestures for emphasis
• Speak slowly
• Practice in front of a mirror and have someone else watch you help with eye contact.
• Smile at the audience, even if you’re not feeling it on the inside
• Keep your hands still while speaking- don’t play with your hair or move them around too much
• Find out what topics are going to be discussed beforehand so that you can prepare for any questions that might be asked Reasons Why Public Speaking is Important for Politicians

The campaign is full of ups and downs for politicians. They must be ready to speak in front of large crowds, win debates, and network with supporters. Public speaking offers many benefits that can help them succeed during the campaign.

In my opinion, public speaking is essential for politicians. It helps them to become more well-known and trustworthy in their communities.

A politician must speak confidently because an excellent public speaker will probably become the next generation of leaders.

A politician must know how to speak in public. When speaking, they will inform the people what they have achieved and what they plan on doing if re-elected.

• Public speaking is a great way to connect with voters
• The ability to speak well in public will help you get elected and re-elected
• You’ll be able to have a more persuasive voice if you’re good at public speaking
• politicians need to know how to communicate their ideas clearly and effectively, especially when it comes time for debates or speeches before the House of Commons
• Politicians have to speak in public often
• Public speaking is a great way to connect with the people they represent
• They need to be able to make speeches and give interviews about their policies and ideas
• If they can’t do well at public speaking, it will affect how successful they are as politicians
• Politicians are expected to speak publicly on a variety of issues
• Public speaking is an essential skill for getting elected and can even be used as a campaign tool
• It’s helpful for politicians to have experience in public speaking because they will likely need it at some point during their career
• Public speaking helps politicians gain the trust of voters
• It’s a meaningful way to get your message across and show people what you stand for
• You have the chance to connect with voters on a personal level, which is very powerful
• Public speaking can be used in any profession
• A politician’s success relies on their ability to communicate with voters and convince them of the importance of their plan.
• It improves people’s self-esteem by presenting themselves as confident, intelligent, and knowledgeable about an issue.
• It builds up your resume for future jobs or positions
• In a democracy, citizens have the right to hear and express their opinions
• Citizens can’t make informed decisions without access to information
• Public speaking skills are necessary for politicians because they’re often asked to speak in front of large groups of people
• Politicians need general speaking skills so they can get their message across effectively and persuasively
• It’s an opportunity to share your story with a broader audience
• You can address the public about issues that are important to you and your constituents
• It helps you understand what people care about to make better decisions on their behalf
• Public speaking is a skill that all politicians should have
• It builds confidence
• It teaches them how to articulate their thoughts and ideas better
• It helps the public understand what they stand for and why it’s important
• Public speaking is a core skill that can be used in many other fields, such as business or law
• It gives you a chance to show off your personality
• Public speaking is one of the essential skills for a politician
• Without public speaking, politicians are unable to reach their constituents and communicate with them
• To be successful in politics, it’s necessary to have a strong voice that can resonate well with an audience
• Being able to speak publicly helps politicians establish themselves as experts on essential topics
• Public speaking allows politicians to develop their ability to think on their feet, which is necessary in the political world

Public speaking has been a challenge for many politicians. This issue can be solved with the right public speaking strategies.

Contact me for Public Speaking Strategies For Politicians. The blog post offers public speaking tips for politicians, which might be a topic on which you would like to improve your skills as an orator and politician.

If this sounds like something you would like assistance with, please get in touch with me anytime! I have many years of experience helping others succeed in their speech-giving endeavors. Let’s discuss how we can help make your next presentation more successful!

One way to get in touch is by filling out our online form on this site or give us a call at +91 9848321284. Let’s work together today!

Subscribe To Receive The Latest News

Curabitur ac leo nunc. Vestibulum et mauris vel ante finibus maximus.

Add notice about your Privacy Policy here.

Related Posts

Political Memes for Political Campaigns

Political PRO Roles and Responsibilities

AI Marketing Analytics for Politics

Election Protection Consultant

Use basic attention token to maximize political strategy impact.

Call me +91 9848321284

[email protected]

Study at Cambridge

About the university, research at cambridge.

• For Cambridge students
• For our researchers
• Business and enterprise
• Colleges and Departments
• Email and phone search
• Give to Cambridge
• Museums and collections
• Events and open days
• Fees and finance
• Postgraduate courses
• How to apply
• Fees and funding
• Postgraduate events
• International students
• Continuing education
• Executive and professional education
• Courses in education
• How the University and Colleges work
• Visiting the University
• Annual reports
• Equality and diversity
• A global university
• Public engagement

What makes a great political speech?

• Research home
• About research overview
• Animal research overview
• Overseeing animal research overview
• The Animal Welfare and Ethical Review Body
• Animal welfare and ethics
• Report on the allegations and matters raised in the BUAV report
• What types of animal do we use? overview
• Guinea pigs
• Equine species
• Naked mole-rats
• Non-human primates (marmosets)
• Other birds
• Non-technical summaries
• Animal Welfare Policy
• Alternatives to animal use
• Further information
• Funding Agency Committee Members
• Research integrity
• Horizons magazine
• Strategic Initiatives & Networks
• Nobel Prize
• Interdisciplinary Research Centres
• Open access
• Energy sector partnerships
• Podcasts overview
• S2 ep1: What is the future?
• S2 ep2: What did the future look like in the past?
• S2 ep3: What is the future of wellbeing?
• S2 ep4 What would a more just future look like?

Cambridge Festival of Ideas debate to examine the changing nature of political speeches.

Martin Luther King could get away with elevated language because his cause was a noble one. You can’t really do that when you are talking about the reform of local government. It just isn’t as big an affront to justice. Phil Collins

All eyes will be on Ed Miliband today and much has been written about the importance of his party conference speech.

But what makes a good political speech? Inevitably, Ed Miliband will be compared with Labour leaders of the past, particularly Tony Blair who was known for his persuasive powers. Phil Collins, who wrote many of Blair's speeches, says that great political speeches need a big event or a rallying cause and there are just less of them than there were in the past.

He will be speaking in a debate on political rhetoric at this year's Cambridge Festival of Ideas next month. Other speakers include David Runciman, reader in political thought at the University of Cambridge, author Piers Brendon, former Keeper of the Churchill Archives Centre and Michael White, the Guardian's political editor. The event will be held at Churchill College, Cambridge on October 20th.

For Collins, great political speeches need three key ingredients: a serious argument which leaves the audience thinking something new or resolved to act; great delivery that stirs the emotions as well as appealing to reason; and a sense of occasion.

He says: “Martin Luther King could get away with elevated language because his cause was a noble one. You can’t really do that when you are talking about the reform of local government. It just isn’t as big an affront to justice. So, there is a very good reason we have fewer remarkable speeches which is that we don’t need them as much as we did.”

Collins also justifies the use of sound bites, although he says he always worked by building a solid argument first and then trying to distil the best possible phrase out of the argument rather than the other way around. He says that not only are soundbites vital in a world where a 24/7 media edits chunks of speeches down to one phrase, but all the great writers are full of them. “We should guard against the derogatory association of the word soundbite,” he says. “All we mean, really, is a pithy way of capturing the essence of the point. To be or not to be – that really was the question. It was a soundbite too.”

He adds that the emphasis on soundbites is likely to increase. “The endless fragmentation that results from the coverage of modern media is the main reason that the soundbite has become such a ubiquitous part of political discourse. Your words are going to be chopped into pieces in any case so you might as well offer up the encapsulation you think is the best one.”

Collins says that one of the potential pitfalls of modern party conference speech is the number of people who vet it. “The big conference speeches have many authors, or at least many contributors,” he says.  “It is inevitable, when there are lots of hands at work, that the integrity of the argument goes missing. The task for a conference speech is always to recuperate the argument. The more a single person can be in overall control, as a sort of editor-in-chief, the better. Writing by committee is rarely a good way to work.”

Nevertheless, a good political speech can make all the difference. David Cameron owes his leadership of the Conservatives to two speeches, he says – one he gave which was well received and one given by his rival David Davis which “bombed”. He adds that it is hard to imagine Barack Obama would have become President without his oratory powers.

The audience is clearly vital for any speech writer and Collins says people's attention spans have declined, as has the breadth of their vocabulary and range of reference. Mass democracy means that references to  high culture divide an audience where they would once have united it, he says. There are also more political speeches than there used to be.

“Gladstone and Disraeli used to speak rarely every year. Each speech was an epic, months in the preparation, but they would not be doing speeches three times a week, as many politicians are now,” he says. “In the process, we have devalued the currency a little. The effective political speech, though, remains what it has always been – a mixture of reasoned argument and emotional passion.”

Other speakers at the Festival of Ideas debate will focus on the historical or wider issues associated with political speech-making. Piers Brendon, for instance, will talk about Churchill's use of political rhetoric, which he likens to the style of a music-hall performer, and contrast it with today's more colloquial, television-orientated and soundbiteish delivery.

• The event, to be held at Wolfson Theatre, Churchill College from 6-7.15pm on Thursday, 20 October, will be chaired by Allen Packwood, Keeper of the Churchill Archives Centre. Arrive at 5.30pm to see an exhibition of documents from the Centre.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Licence . If you use this content on your site please link back to this page.

Read this next

Opinion: Britain needs to clean up its politics by reforming Whitehall and Westminster

Spitting Image: A Controversial History

Search engine data reveals Russian discontent after invasion of Ukraine

England needs a Secretary of State and ‘council of mayors’ at the heart of Whitehall

Standing ovation

Credit: DISAMISTADE_my life is a reportage! from Flickr

Search research

Sign up to receive our weekly research email.

Our selection of the week's biggest Cambridge research news sent directly to your inbox. Enter your email address, confirm you're happy to receive our emails and then select 'Subscribe'.

I wish to receive a weekly Cambridge research news summary by email.

The University of Cambridge will use your email address to send you our weekly research news email. We are committed to protecting your personal information and being transparent about what information we hold. Please read our email privacy notice for details.

• Festival of Ideas

Find out more

Connect with us.

© 2024 University of Cambridge

• Contact the University
• Accessibility statement
• Freedom of information
• Privacy policy and cookies
• Statement on Modern Slavery
• Terms and conditions
• University A-Z
• Undergraduate
• Postgraduate
• Cambridge University Press & Assessment
• Research news
• About research at Cambridge
• Spotlight on...

My Speech Class

Public Speaking Tips & Speech Topics

259 Interesting Speech Topics [Examples + Outlines]

Jim Peterson has over 20 years experience on speech writing. He wrote over 300 free speech topic ideas and how-to guides for any kind of public speaking and speech writing assignments at My Speech Class.

The most asked question I get almost every day from students is this:

What makes a topic interesting?

Well, the answer is simple. You have to like it yourself, the subject has to be appropriate to the rules of the assignment, to the audience and the setting of the meeting:

In this article:

How To Find An Interesting Topic

Best interesting speech topics, interesting persuasive speech topics, interesting informative speech topics, topics with outline.

1 – Look in magazines, journals, and newspapers for events.

Can We Write Your Speech?

Get your audience blown away with help from a professional speechwriter. Free proofreading and copy-editing included.

Current or historical, that does not matter at this point, both are okay – and recent engaging and exciting facts, and perhaps valuable information that attracts the attention.

Articles about subjects that interests you and that are comfortable for you to talk about are good indications.

2 – Jot down any possible idea that comes up for interesting speech topics. I always draft a short list for myself of candidate issues if I am contracted for a public speaking engagement.

And then I skip the ones that are too difficult and too complex to prepare and master in 8 to 10 minutes time.

3 – Review some online books on the subject for more detailed current information about your topic. Or go to a library and ask for books and reference articles about your subject.

Without exception, all librarians I know will help you sorting out the speechwriter subject with their advice and recommendations. For example you choose for an alluring pleasure physical activity or farming and countryside topic.

Try to understand how the author has covered it. What’s his structure? What points, information or arguments are the strongest? What examples and illustrations has she or he used?

4 – Peerless reliable statistics and new discoveries can help writing and refining.

Look for controversies, rare and strange opinions. What do you think of it? What do you want your audience to think of it?

5 – Think about related engaging interpretive hints to talk about. When you view your rough list, try to find new points, different angles of view or just turn your thoughts upside down. Look at the special aspects that surprise the listeners.

>>>  For example try these 2 more detailed summary outlines with main points and subpoints. Use my sample structure to add or otherwise wipe steps and stages you do not need.

>>>  In addition to these patterns, you find more ideas for outlined main points in my Minute Section (in the navigation menu bar right on your left of this portal page). Or move straight to sixty plus lineups for speechwriters.

That can be very enlighting for enhancing public discernment. They also can  see , feel, or even  taste  and  smell  what you try to explain or demonstrate in a couple of minutes.

6 – Look for supporting and also for opposing opinions, plus interesting speech topics statements. Add visual aids where you want to emphasize or to give some prominence to an unimaginable point in your interesting topic idea.

7 – Watch news shows, history documentaries and debating programs – for example, the morning shows and the evening news. They are especially helpful for developing a rough list of wheedling brainstorms.

Interesting Speech Topic Examples

Don’t have time to read our full list of 200+ topic ideas? Here is our list of 10 interesting speech topics.

• Beauty is not only in the eye of the beholder
• Children don’t play enough
• Animal testing is necessary
• Girls are too mean to each other
• Men should get paternity leave
• Tattoos are an addiction
• If I had a year to do what I want
• Butterflies: deadly creatures
• How to ruin a date in the first minute
• The meaning of dreams

Here is our list of top interesting persuasive speech topics.

• Beauty is not only in the eye of the beholder.
• Hyper active kids don’t need medication.
• Books are always better than the movie.
• Pick up lines do work.
• Televise all court proceedings.
• Suspend referees that are found to show too much bias.
• There is no place for monarchs any more.
• It is false that no one is above the law.
• You tube needs to monitor comments.
• Online friends show more compassion.
• Cross cultural couples respect each other more.
• Graffiti must be recognised as art.
• You can loose weight without exercising.
• Children don’t play enough.
• Carpets are harmful and shouldn’t be in homes.
• Sex education doesn’t work.
• Ban smoking in all public places.
• Women cheat just as much as men.
• Prohibit destruction of rainforests.
• Global warming is a myth.
• Justice is never the same for all.
• Video games are not the blame of violence at school.
• Financial rewards is the only way employees stay loyal.
• The world isn’t only black and white.
• Give girls over 16 contraceptives without parents consent.
• Calories should be included in restaurant menus.
• Sugar tax won’t reduce obesity.
• Pregnancy as a result of rape should be terminated.
• All couples must live together before getting married.
• Animal testing is necessary.
• Children’s beauty pageants are wrong.
• There are not enough cameras in public spaces.
• Freedom of speech rights needs to be rewritten.
• Random DUI test should be done on parents picking up children after school.
• Atheists are more peaceful than religious people.
• Heterosexual men and women can be just friends.
• Adoptive parents need maternity leave too.
• Print advertisements don’t work.
• Click bate headlines are the cause of less followers.
• Don’t give children allowances.
• Stop checking in on social media.
• There would be more divorces if couples didn’t have children.
• Compensate organ donors.
• Celebrities are not role models.
• Do drug tests on welfare recipients.
• Stem cell research is murder.
• People should be considered adults at 21.
• Religion is the cause of war.
• Life was not easier a century ago.
• Men are better forgivers.
• Making substances illegal only makes people want them more.
• Parenting classes must be compulsory.
• Helicopter parents are damaging their children.
• Give working moms special privileges.
• Social media fame is a scam.
• Make paparazzi photographing children a criminal offence.
• Food should never be seen as a reward.
• 6 hours is not enough sleep for an adult.
• People can live without eating meat.
• Curfews do not keep teens out of trouble.
• Electronic textbooks don’t have the same impact as the printed version.
• This generation cannot fix anything.
• Boredom always leads to trouble.
• Girls are too mean to each other.
• Affirmative action isn’t right.
• School system is responsible for low test scores.
• Men should get paternity leave.
• Fast food needs to come with more warnings.
• Killing a murderer is immoral.
• Famous people must stay away from politics.
• Long distance relationships do work.
• Men are the stronger sex.
• Jobs shouldn’t be gender specific.
• Religion won’t die away.
• Women shouldn’t give birth after 40.
• Abortion is murder.
• Tattoos are an addiction.
• Drug addiction is a choice.
• Social media will run it’s course and die out.
• Caesarian sections are safer than normal births.
• There is a connection between science and religion.
• Never pay children for good grades.
• People in open marriages are not happy.
• The soul does exist.
• People’s salaries should reflect their performances.
• English will always be the business language of the world.
• Why you should always put yourself first.
• Earth has not been explored properly.
• Women are more intelligent than they give away.
• Alternatives to evolution exist.
• Prisons create criminals.
• Sick building syndromes exist.
• Strategic defense and ethics do not match.
• The War on Terror is based on a hidden agenda.
• Aging is a threat to pension funding.
• Airline safety restrictions won’t stop terrorists.
• Alcohol advertising stimulates underage alcohol use.
• All humans are spiritual in one way or another.
• Arts express the level of quality in different cultures.
• Atheists do care about Christmas.
• Australian aboriginal tattooing is art.
• Ban the filibuster from Congress.
• Body piercings can cause serious complications.
• Books are outdated.
• Censorship is a violation of freedom of speech.
• Charities must minimize the organizational and overhead costs.
• Child testimonies in abuse cases are not credible.
• Corporal punishment could be ethical, provided that it is proportional.
• Creative expression and creativity are not the same.
• Electronic baby timeshare does help to prevent teen pregnancy.
• English and Spanish should be the only languages in the world.
• Establishing democracy in Iraq is mission impossible.
• Fashion gurus have good reasons to promote skinny girls.
• Female genital mutilation is not unethical when done by cosmetic surgery doctors.
• Feminism will help improve the position of females in Africa.
• Fill in a country … should be condemned as human rights violator.
• Future generations have to keep their jobs until they drop.
• George Orwell was just right when he wrote his novel ‘1984’ … Big Brother is watching us all the time.
• Governments should not own news broadcasting corporations.
• Granting amnesty perpetuates immigration and makes border patrols fruitless.
• Harry Potter books are more popular among elderly persons.
• Hollywood movies have a bad influence on the world.
• Homelessness in rural areas is substantially undercounted compared to metropolitan and suburban areas.
• Hospitality is a valuable instrument to better foreign relationships.
• Houses affected by natural disasters should not be rebuilt.
• International satellite news broadcasting poses a threat to indigenous cultures.
• It is possible to be pro-life and pro-choice.
• It’s a myth that bottled water is better than tap water.
• Journalism codes are no longer respected by journalists.
• Limiting immigration is limiting opportunities.
• Link debt relief of developing countries to carbon emission reduction.
• Local aid to African communities is more effective than national aid.
• Mentally disabled people cannot be executed.
• Motivation courses only have one objective: to fund the instructor’s bank account.
• MP3 music belongs in the free public domain for educational institutions and the general public.
• News programs must be interesting rather than important.
• Open source software is better than Microsoft.
• Parental advisory labels hinder the freedom of speech of artists.
• People have the right to decide about their own life and death.
• Political correctness kills freedom of speech.
• Poverty can be cut by half in this century.
• Princess Diana’s death was not a tragic accident.
• Public insults should be considered as hate speech and should not be protected by the First Amendment to the Constitution.
• Right to work laws are useless.
• Robin Hood was a not a hero.
• Sex and sexuality are from different hemispheres.
• Telling lies is a justifiable instrument.
• The local council elections in Cuba are no elections at all.
• The right to privacy is not absolute.
• There is no secure protection of property rights in developing countries.
• There should be cultural content quotas in broadcasting.
• Tobacco and alcohol billboards litter the streets.
• United Nations will never truly exist in Europe.
• Vegetarians would not eat vegetables if they were born in rural Africa.
• We should have a king instead of a president.
• Weblogs are intellectual property and therefore must be legally protected.
• With the current economic situation, we will all be working until we are old and grey.
• Zero tolerance is a useful instrument to prevent violence.

Here is our list of top interesting informative speech topics.

• A comparison of the official definition of terrorism in different parts of the world.
• A week of monastery life.
• Abu Sayyaf links to global terror organizations.
• Architectural movements in the late nineteenth century.
• Armed conflicts in Africa.
• Artificial intelligence opportunities.
• Biochemical weapons explained.
• Bioethics versus human rights.
• Combatting modern slavery.
• Debunking weight loss myths.
• Development goals of the United Nations.
• Everything we can find in our Solar System.
• Five ways to give and donate to charity funds.
• Forms of public diplomacy.
• Fraud detection systems explained.
• How giant sea aquariums are constructed.
• How nepotisms started in the Middle Ages.
• How the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is structured.
• How the American Civil War began.
• How the application for immigration and naturalization works.
• How the CIA can track terrorists.
• How to apply Feng Shui to your bedroom.
• How to outlaw reactionary conservative groups and individuals.
• Is it possible to clone humans?
• Major incidents and consequences in the first decade of this millennium.
• Middle East roadmap for peace.
• Migration trends.
• Offshore installation accidents over the years.
• Racism and cultural diversity in mass media.
• Refugees and forced displacement.
• Result on foreign aid funding in the long term.
• Scientific explanations for the mysteries of the Bermuda Triangle.
• State sponsored tyranny explained.
• The 9/11 Commission assignment and its main conclusions.
• The best consumer electronics innovations to date.
• The chain of cargo and freight services at international airports.
• The difference between soft and hard drugs.
• The effect of counter terrorism legislation on ordinary people.
• The European convention on human rights explained.
• The flying fortress called Air Force One.
• The four general goals of the Homeland Security Department.
• The functions of Samurai warriors in Ancient Japan.
• The future of fashion.
• The Geneva Convention on the treatment of prisoners of war.
• The governing system of rules during the Middle Ages.
• The history of Amtrak.
• The innovative and unique styling of Dodge trucks.
• The long term complications of sunburn.
• The philosophical doctrine of Nihilism.
• The pros and cons of pacifism.
• The relations between federal budget deficit, national debt and trade balance.
• The role of Emperor Akihito in Japan.
• The secrets of crop circles revealed.
• The short history of the second man on the Moon, Buzz Aldrin.
• The struggle to patent computer software.
• The war costs in Iraq and Afghanistan
• Two party system compared multiple party systems.
• What is acne and what are its causes.
• Why the NASA shuttle program was stopped.
• Why the Romans built huge aqueducts in France.
• Venezuela and the constitutional power crisis.
• A diamond exploration certification system will not prevent conflict-diamonds trade.
• Handwriting analysis and how it reveals aspects of your personality.
• Hindu Cinema: not just Bollywood movies.
• How many disasters always happen at Christmas time.
• How sleepwalkers perform the most unusual things while asleep.
• Different lifestyles of generations.
• Importance of sleeping
• What makes me happy
• My ideal trip to Asia
• What would it be like to live with a famous person?
• If I were a volcano
• If l could the queen
• Benefits of being a vegetarian
• How girls worldwide are treated differently
• History of Mainamati in Bangladesh
• Broccoli flavored Oreos
• The Importance of public speaking
• A world without boundaries
• Stars and shooting stars
• How I came to school for the first time
• Conspiracy theories
• The pros and cons of being dead
• Confusing grammar
• When my birthday was there
• Importance of languages
• How to study effectively
• If I walked backwards
• The power of a lie
• Power of words
• If I was invisible
• Why I smile
• Fear of the unknown
• Fashion trends I hate
• Why do we have toes?
• Why I want to be a lawyer (or whatever job u pick)
• How colours affect your mood

Need a topic for your speech about an interesting persuasion statement?

Here are some of the best speech ideas and two easy informative subjects you can alter into a firm convincing claim.

Need other attracting ideas?

Check the navbar on the left and you will find thousands of special hints and tips for your public presentation 🙂

1. Whistleblower Protection Is Not Effective

• Whistleblower laws don’t protect against reprisals, disciplinary measures and spin from superiors.
• Huge companies have enough money to buy legal advice for a long period, laws offer employees no financial shield.
• Legislation often doesn’t address the issue itself, the problem, the allegations often are not investigated.

Another topic for your speech on business could be on fair trade:

2. Is Fair Trade Really Fair?

• Protectionism and markets are often stronger than fair trade appointments.
• Buying products is subsidizing poor farmers and manufacturers in developing countries. It isn’t helping them to make them stronger.
• It is anti-competitive and it undermines the economy in Third World nations.

And what do you think of this explosive persuasive topic for your speech?

3. Nuclear Power Is Dangerous Stuff

• An accident could cause thousands of fatalities and for billions of dollars property damage.
• There is no proper technology to handle radioactive waste material.
• Health risks for people working in the plant and for those who are living nearby could not be foreseen in advance and certainly not at the long term.
• Costs of nuclear plant safety measurements are very high.

And now two informative suggestions for a topic for your speech. But you easily transform them into some of the best speech ideas for persuasion speeches:

4. Checklist Before Taking A New Job

• A bigger company means more interesting job and task opportunities.
• It makes it possible to extend your existing network of trusted contacts.
• Like to travel abroad? Is it a Yes or No?
• How about the probability that you will keep your job – in other words what about the job security? What are the hidden clues?
• Is there a chance you can make you professional dreams and personal goals come true?
• How about the pay? Get all salary information, and decide on how much you want to earn from the start.
• Are there other requirements? Some personal wishes you would like to fulfill?

5. The Advantages Of Working In The Night

• No disturbing by telephone.
• No traffic jam.
• Not being awakened by the alarm clock in early morning hours …

You can think about the disadvantages too … Approach this subject from different sides and you double your opportunities!

89 Medical Speech Topic Ideas [Persuasive, Informative, Nursing]

292 Sports Speech Topics [Persuasive, Informative]

10 thoughts on “259 Interesting Speech Topics [Examples + Outlines]”

Are you in the Now?

Renewable energy pros and cons.

I want to learn the most detailed writing. Am a New student and i need to improve my own My subject is an informative one : Ivorians women teaching in Abidjan universites.

I need more topics to choose from for my oral presentation

Hello, I’d appreciate it if you’d stop perpetuating falseties about global warming and climate change. They are very much real, and putting them on a list like this only further pushes the myth that they are false. These topics are not up for debate.

Some of these are really creative.

#184 made me laugh. As someone who grew up with Harry Potter, perhaps students these days will consider me an older person ha.

Regards, Chris

thaaaank you very much this is help me a lot

Thanks for the ideas!

A lot of these “creative” topics are not only offensive but help push distructive rhetoric.

this helped me out so much.was just sitting there lost about what to speak at the academic decathlon.thanks

Leave a Comment

I accept the Privacy Policy

Reach out to us for sponsorship opportunities

Vivamus integer non suscipit taciti mus etiam at primis tempor sagittis euismod libero facilisi.

© 2024 My Speech Class

Samantha Putterman, PolitiFact Samantha Putterman, PolitiFact

Leave your feedback

• Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/fact-checking-warnings-from-democrats-about-project-2025-and-donald-trump

Fact-checking warnings from Democrats about Project 2025 and Donald Trump

This fact check originally appeared on PolitiFact .

Project 2025 has a starring role in this week’s Democratic National Convention.

And it was front and center on Night 1.

WATCH: Hauling large copy of Project 2025, Michigan state Sen. McMorrow speaks at 2024 DNC

“This is Project 2025,” Michigan state Sen. Mallory McMorrow, D-Royal Oak, said as she laid a hardbound copy of the 900-page document on the lectern. “Over the next four nights, you are going to hear a lot about what is in this 900-page document. Why? Because this is the Republican blueprint for a second Trump term.”

Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, has warned Americans about “Trump’s Project 2025” agenda — even though former President Donald Trump doesn’t claim the conservative presidential transition document.

“Donald Trump wants to take our country backward,” Harris said July 23 in Milwaukee. “He and his extreme Project 2025 agenda will weaken the middle class. Like, we know we got to take this seriously, and can you believe they put that thing in writing?”

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Harris’ running mate, has joined in on the talking point.

“Don’t believe (Trump) when he’s playing dumb about this Project 2025. He knows exactly what it’ll do,” Walz said Aug. 9 in Glendale, Arizona.

Trump’s campaign has worked to build distance from the project, which the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, led with contributions from dozens of conservative groups.

Much of the plan calls for extensive executive-branch overhauls and draws on both long-standing conservative principles, such as tax cuts, and more recent culture war issues. It lays out recommendations for disbanding the Commerce and Education departments, eliminating certain climate protections and consolidating more power to the president.

Project 2025 offers a sweeping vision for a Republican-led executive branch, and some of its policies mirror Trump’s 2024 agenda, But Harris and her presidential campaign have at times gone too far in describing what the project calls for and how closely the plans overlap with Trump’s campaign.

PolitiFact researched Harris’ warnings about how the plan would affect reproductive rights, federal entitlement programs and education, just as we did for President Joe Biden’s Project 2025 rhetoric. Here’s what the project does and doesn’t call for, and how it squares with Trump’s positions.

Are Trump and Project 2025 connected?

To distance himself from Project 2025 amid the Democratic attacks, Trump wrote on Truth Social that he “knows nothing” about it and has “no idea” who is in charge of it. (CNN identified at least 140 former advisers from the Trump administration who have been involved.)

The Heritage Foundation sought contributions from more than 100 conservative organizations for its policy vision for the next Republican presidency, which was published in 2023.

Project 2025 is now winding down some of its policy operations, and director Paul Dans, a former Trump administration official, is stepping down, The Washington Post reported July 30. Trump campaign managers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita denounced the document.

WATCH: A look at the Project 2025 plan to reshape government and Trump’s links to its authors

However, Project 2025 contributors include a number of high-ranking officials from Trump’s first administration, including former White House adviser Peter Navarro and former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson.

A recently released recording of Russell Vought, a Project 2025 author and the former director of Trump’s Office of Management and Budget, showed Vought saying Trump’s “very supportive of what we do.” He said Trump was only distancing himself because Democrats were making a bogeyman out of the document.

Project 2025 wouldn’t ban abortion outright, but would curtail access

The Harris campaign shared a graphic on X that claimed “Trump’s Project 2025 plan for workers” would “go after birth control and ban abortion nationwide.”

The plan doesn’t call to ban abortion nationwide, though its recommendations could curtail some contraceptives and limit abortion access.

What’s known about Trump’s abortion agenda neither lines up with Harris’ description nor Project 2025’s wish list.

Project 2025 says the Department of Health and Human Services Department should “return to being known as the Department of Life by explicitly rejecting the notion that abortion is health care.”

It recommends that the Food and Drug Administration reverse its 2000 approval of mifepristone, the first pill taken in a two-drug regimen for a medication abortion. Medication is the most common form of abortion in the U.S. — accounting for around 63 percent in 2023.

If mifepristone were to remain approved, Project 2025 recommends new rules, such as cutting its use from 10 weeks into pregnancy to seven. It would have to be provided to patients in person — part of the group’s efforts to limit access to the drug by mail. In June, the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a legal challenge to mifepristone’s FDA approval over procedural grounds.

WATCH: Trump’s plans for health care and reproductive rights if he returns to White House The manual also calls for the Justice Department to enforce the 1873 Comstock Act on mifepristone, which bans the mailing of “obscene” materials. Abortion access supporters fear that a strict interpretation of the law could go further to ban mailing the materials used in procedural abortions, such as surgical instruments and equipment.

The plan proposes withholding federal money from states that don’t report to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention how many abortions take place within their borders. The plan also would prohibit abortion providers, such as Planned Parenthood, from receiving Medicaid funds. It also calls for the Department of Health and Human Services to ensure that the training of medical professionals, including doctors and nurses, omits abortion training.

The document says some forms of emergency contraception — particularly Ella, a pill that can be taken within five days of unprotected sex to prevent pregnancy — should be excluded from no-cost coverage. The Affordable Care Act requires most private health insurers to cover recommended preventive services, which involves a range of birth control methods, including emergency contraception.

Trump has recently said states should decide abortion regulations and that he wouldn’t block access to contraceptives. Trump said during his June 27 debate with Biden that he wouldn’t ban mifepristone after the Supreme Court “approved” it. But the court rejected the lawsuit based on standing, not the case’s merits. He has not weighed in on the Comstock Act or said whether he supports it being used to block abortion medication, or other kinds of abortions.

Project 2025 doesn’t call for cutting Social Security, but proposes some changes to Medicare

“When you read (Project 2025),” Harris told a crowd July 23 in Wisconsin, “you will see, Donald Trump intends to cut Social Security and Medicare.”

The Project 2025 document does not call for Social Security cuts. None of its 10 references to Social Security addresses plans for cutting the program.

Harris also misleads about Trump’s Social Security views.

In his earlier campaigns and before he was a politician, Trump said about a half-dozen times that he’s open to major overhauls of Social Security, including cuts and privatization. More recently, in a March 2024 CNBC interview, Trump said of entitlement programs such as Social Security, “There’s a lot you can do in terms of entitlements, in terms of cutting.” However, he quickly walked that statement back, and his CNBC comment stands at odds with essentially everything else Trump has said during the 2024 presidential campaign.

Trump’s campaign website says that not “a single penny” should be cut from Social Security. We rated Harris’ claim that Trump intends to cut Social Security Mostly False.

Project 2025 does propose changes to Medicare, including making Medicare Advantage, the private insurance offering in Medicare, the “default” enrollment option. Unlike Original Medicare, Medicare Advantage plans have provider networks and can also require prior authorization, meaning that the plan can approve or deny certain services. Original Medicare plans don’t have prior authorization requirements.

The manual also calls for repealing health policies enacted under Biden, such as the Inflation Reduction Act. The law enabled Medicare to negotiate with drugmakers for the first time in history, and recently resulted in an agreement with drug companies to lower the prices of 10 expensive prescriptions for Medicare enrollees.

Trump, however, has said repeatedly during the 2024 presidential campaign that he will not cut Medicare.

Project 2025 would eliminate the Education Department, which Trump supports

The Harris campaign said Project 2025 would “eliminate the U.S. Department of Education” — and that’s accurate. Project 2025 says federal education policy “should be limited and, ultimately, the federal Department of Education should be eliminated.” The plan scales back the federal government’s role in education policy and devolves the functions that remain to other agencies.

Aside from eliminating the department, the project also proposes scrapping the Biden administration’s Title IX revision, which prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. It also would let states opt out of federal education programs and calls for passing a federal parents’ bill of rights similar to ones passed in some Republican-led state legislatures.

Republicans, including Trump, have pledged to close the department, which gained its status in 1979 within Democratic President Jimmy Carter’s presidential Cabinet.

In one of his Agenda 47 policy videos, Trump promised to close the department and “to send all education work and needs back to the states.” Eliminating the department would have to go through Congress.

What Project 2025, Trump would do on overtime pay

In the graphic, the Harris campaign says Project 2025 allows “employers to stop paying workers for overtime work.”

The plan doesn’t call for banning overtime wages. It recommends changes to some Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, regulations and to overtime rules. Some changes, if enacted, could result in some people losing overtime protections, experts told us.

The document proposes that the Labor Department maintain an overtime threshold “that does not punish businesses in lower-cost regions (e.g., the southeast United States).” This threshold is the amount of money executive, administrative or professional employees need to make for an employer to exempt them from overtime pay under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

In 2019, the Trump’s administration finalized a rule that expanded overtime pay eligibility to most salaried workers earning less than about $35,568, which it said made about 1.3 million more workers eligible for overtime pay. The Trump-era threshold is high enough to cover most line workers in lower-cost regions, Project 2025 said.

The Biden administration raised that threshold to $43,888 beginning July 1, and that will rise to $58,656 on Jan. 1, 2025. That would grant overtime eligibility to about 4 million workers, the Labor Department said.

It’s unclear how many workers Project 2025’s proposal to return to the Trump-era overtime threshold in some parts of the country would affect, but experts said some would presumably lose the right to overtime wages.

Other overtime proposals in Project 2025’s plan include allowing some workers to choose to accumulate paid time off instead of overtime pay, or to work more hours in one week and fewer in the next, rather than receive overtime.

Trump’s past with overtime pay is complicated. In 2016, the Obama administration said it would raise the overtime to salaried workers earning less than $47,476 a year, about double the exemption level set in 2004 of $23,660 a year.

But when a judge blocked the Obama rule, the Trump administration didn’t challenge the court ruling. Instead it set its own overtime threshold, which raised the amount, but by less than Obama.

Support Provided By: Learn more

Educate your inbox

Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else.

Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm.

Advertisement

Where Kamala Harris Stands on the Issues: Abortion, Immigration and More

She wants to protect the right to abortion nationally. Here’s what else to know about her positions.

• Share full article

By Maggie Astor

• Published July 21, 2024 Updated Aug. 24, 2024

With Vice President Kamala Harris having replaced President Biden on the Democratic ticket, her stances on key issues will be scrutinized by both parties and the nation’s voters.

She has a long record in politics: as district attorney of San Francisco, as attorney general of California, as a senator, as a presidential candidate and as vice president.

Here is an overview of where she stands.

Ms. Harris supports legislation that would protect the right to abortion nationally, as Roe v. Wade did before it was overturned in 2022, in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization.

After the Dobbs ruling, she became central to the Biden campaign’s efforts to keep the spotlight on abortion, given that Mr. Biden — with his personal discomfort with abortion and his support for restrictions earlier in his career — was a flawed messenger. In March, she made what was believed to be the first official visit to an abortion clinic by a president or vice president.

She consistently supported abortion rights during her time in the Senate, including cosponsoring legislation that would have banned common state-level restrictions, like requiring doctors to perform specific tests or have hospital admitting privileges in order to provide abortions.

As a presidential candidate in 2019, she argued that states with a history of restricting abortion rights in violation of Roe should be subject to what is known as pre-clearance for new abortion laws — those laws would have to be federally approved before they could take effect. That proposal is not viable now that the Supreme Court has overturned Roe.

We are having trouble retrieving the article content.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and  log into  your Times account, or  subscribe  for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?  Log in .

Want all of The Times?  Subscribe .

In the US, political opponents are swapping values. In Australia, it's all kind of up for grabs

By Annabel Crabb

Topic: Elections

Australia's election will be fought — as it has been on all but one occasion — between two ageing white guys. ( ABC News )

Elections are always promoted as crucial turning points by anyone with a vested interest in making them sound more compelling. 

I mean, have you ever heard a politician on the stump (or a political journo with election copy to flog, or an industry group with a log to roll) say: "This election takes place at what historians will years from now recognise to have been one of this nation's less consequential junctures"?

Of course you haven't. So do please season what follows with salt, to taste.

But the elections this year in the two nations from which we borrowed to design our "Washminster" system of national government (from Britain we nicked the parliamentary system and prime minister, and from the US we borrowed the ideas of having an obstructive Senate and state governments with which the national one could incessantly bicker) both are proving to be significant flex points, and that has consequences for us.

The United Kingdom overthrew 14 years of Tory rule last month . And in November, t he United States faces a choice between two paths of national identity so dramatically forked that barely anyone's bothering with policy announcements of any kind.

Demographers project that in about 2045, white, non-Hispanic Americans will no longer constitute the majority of the population.

The resignation of President Biden and the ascension of Kamala Harris means the forthcoming poll is unavoidably suffused with questions of identity. The choice is literally between a white billionaire in his late 70s, and a biracial woman who was raised by a single mother and bussed to school as a child in the age of racial desegregation.

The forthcoming US election is unavoidably suffused with questions of identity. ( Reuters: Stephanie Scarbrough (pool)/David Swanson )

There are policy questions, but many of them are kind of nested into this "forwards or backwards" question that Harris has quickly adopted as her campaign theme. Does the US paddle back towards a whiter population by expelling millions of immigrants as Trump wishes? To a protectionist, America-first foreign policy? To a regulatory stance in which the state reserves to itself the power to intervene in women's bodies? Or does it move forward to a candidate who looks like the American population increasingly does, even though that candidate has effectively bypassed what is normally an exacting democratic process to secure her party's nomination?

Here in Australia, the identity question is far less dramatic. Our election will be fought — as it has been on all but one of the 47 occasions since Federation that Australians have voted to form a government in the House of Representatives — between two aging white guys.

But we are labouring through our own set of wrenching transitions.

The world we live in is changing, rapidly and confusingly

We are converting our energy system from fossil fuels to renewables. Our democracy is changing. Our Parliament has already stopped being a white male preserve, and is looking more every election like the population it represents. We're also gathering speed in the transition from a two-party system to… whatever this is.

Last month, Labor's Fatima Payman quit her party after crossing the floor during a vote concerning the status of Palestine. This week, the LNP's Queensland senator Gerard Rennick also headed for the crossbench, having failed to secure the number three spot on the party's forthcoming Senate ticket. He is suing everyone involved, but in the interim has set about registering his own party. It's to be called the Gerard Rennick People First Party, which no doubt has a nicer ring to its founder than the Gerard Rennick People Not Even Third mission of his previous gang.

The Senate now has 25 government senators, 30 Coalition senators, and a record crossbench of 21.

Our workforce is changing. The big growth areas are in the service and "care" sectors. This has involved paying for things we didn't previously assign a particular value. The NDIS, for instance, is often characterised as a new and ballooning national expense. Actually, the care of and support for Australians living with disability has always been costly; it's just that before the NDIS, much of this work was done for free, mainly by women, and not counted towards any government's bottom line.

And the world we live in is changing hugely, rapidly, confusingly. Conflicts abound. Tyrants proliferate. Certain global companies function more like nation states than commercial entities; they are based nowhere, and cannot be held accountable even though they reach directly into our lives and those of our children. COVID has taught governments around the world that they can't expect to rely on international supply lines of anything; recent years have brought an international wave of protectionism and populism, not assisted by the decline of the World Trade Organisation, once the global enforcer of free trade and now not much more than a suggestion box.

All of this is a lot of upheaval to handle at once. And in Australia, it's led to some counterintuitive political behaviour, which presumably contributes to the demonstrable loss of faith in mainstream politics. Labor — the party that opened the Australian economy to the world — doling out tax breaks to big business to accelerate green energy? The Coalition — the party of small government — fancying a crack at building publicly owned nuclear reactors?

Michelle Obama's speech shows how values can be co-opted

The only way political leaders can get people through pinch points like this is by articulating their values, communicating those values powerfully, and making decisions that are consistent with them. 

If you're any good at this, you can survive even hectic periods of upheaval as a leader. And sometimes, the inattention of your adversary can even allow you to colonise one of the values traditionally thought to be "theirs".

Michelle Obama's speech espoused values that wouldn't have seemed out of place in a speech by George W Bush.   ( Reuters: Elizabeth Frantz )

This happens regularly, because inattention is rife in politics. How else did freedom of speech stop being the property of the left and start being the property of the right, to take one example? How did blue-collar workers drift from their traditional Labor roots to the Coalition? How did the Liberal Party — which formed under Menzies in the 1940s with the explicit and well-before-time involvement of powerful women's groups and a quota of party positions for women — wind up as the worst-performing party in the Parliament on women's representation?

Have a look at Michelle Obama's speech at the Democratic National Convention for a truly masterful demonstration of values-snaffling. Ms Obama isn't a politician, and she doesn't give too many speeches. But her 20-minute speech to the DNC achieved about five very smart things.

She talked about her own parents through the frame of self-sacrifice and community:

"She [my mother] and my father did not aspire to be wealthy. In fact, they were suspicious of folks who took more than they needed."

She cited Kamala Harris's mother and her now-famous exhortation: "Don't sit around and complain. Do something!"

She employed the language of the Bible, citing "the belief that if you do unto others, if you love thy neighbour, if you work and scrape and sacrifice, it will pay off. If not for you, then maybe for your children or your grandchildren."

She used humour instead of outrage to deflate the threat of Donald Trump: "I want to know… who's going to tell him? Who's going to tell him that the job he is currently seeking might just be … one of those Black jobs?"

And in conclusion, she pivoted and took a pre-emptive bite out of her own side of politics:

"We cannot get a Goldilocks complex about whether everything is just right … Don't complain if no-one from the campaign has specifically reached out to you to ask you for your support. There is simply no time for that kind of foolishness. You know what you need to do. So consider this to be your official ask. Michelle Obama is asking you — no, I'm telling y'all — to do something."

In those 20 minutes, this non-politician – whose inordinate degree of political power probably derives directly from the fact that she's never offered herself as a candidate and uses her words sparingly – pounced at and colonised the traditionally Republican values that Donald Trump has left unattended while off seeking vengeance and complaining about the disappearance of Joe Biden as an adversary.

The lesson? You snooze, you lose. Amazing to think that Michelle Obama — demonised as an angry black woman when her husband first ran for office in 2008, and who religiously straightened her hair and grew vegetables in the White House until the nation got used to her presence — could take the stage 16 years later and effortlessly co-opt the kind of conservative values that would have sounded absolutely unremarkable in a speech by George W Bush.

Clear values: the only workable response to chaos

In Australia, it's all kind of up for grabs still. It's messy. The Opposition professes that its number one priority is ordinary Australians' cost of living, but it spends its time at the dispatch box pursuing the government over visas for Palestinians, giving Treasurer Jim Chalmers in his Curtin Lecture this week the opportunity to suggest, silkily, that Mr Dutton was more interested in the Middle East than middle Australia.

And while the Prime Minister — in this unbelievably awkward video , in which amid brain-bleed-inducing parliamentary bells he receives a walking "briefing" from assistant social services minister Justine Elliott on family violence — insists at the video's all-too-welcome conclusion that there is "nothing more important" than ending violence against women… well.

Is there? Really nothing more important? Why not get the briefing in a quiet place, then? Or not nickel-and-dime your own specialist advisory group on this very subject to defend commercial TV and sporting codes' profits against the welfare of women who pay the price of problem gambling?

Values, and their clear and consistent expression. It's the only workable response to chaos.

• Election 2024
• Entertainment
• Newsletters
• Photography
• AP Buyline Personal Finance
• AP Buyline Shopping
• Press Releases
• Israel-Hamas War
• Russia-Ukraine War
• Global elections
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East
• Delegate Tracker
• AP & Elections
• U.S. Open Tennis
• College football
• Auto Racing
• Movie reviews
• Book reviews
• Financial Markets
• Business Highlights
• Financial wellness
• Artificial Intelligence
• Social Media

Behind the rhetoric, a presidential campaign is a competition about how to tell the American story

Balloons drop onto stage after Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris spoke on the final night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. (Kent Nishimura/The New York Times via AP, Pool)

Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris arrives to speak on the final night of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024. (Kent Nishimura/The New York Times via AP, Pool)

FILE - Hulk Hogan tears off his shirt while speaking on the final night of the Republican National Convention on Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

FILE - Republican presidential candidate and former president, Donald Trump, speaks during the final day of the Republican National Convention Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)

FILE - Kid Rock performs during the 2024 Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum, Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)

Democratic vice presidential nominee Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and wife Gwen react during the Democratic National Convention Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Benjamin C. Ingman, center, former student of Democratic vice presidential candidate Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, is joined on stage by former members of the Mankato West High School football team during the Democratic National Convention Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Adam Kinzinger, former member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois speaks during the Democratic National Convention Thursday, Aug. 22, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg speaks during the Democratic National Convention Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)

Amanda Gorman, National Youth Poet Laureate, recites a poem during the Democratic National Convention Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024, in Chicago. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

• Copy Link copied

NEW YORK (AP) — Kamala Harris accepted the Democratic nomination “on behalf of everyone whose story could only be written in the greatest nation on Earth.” America, Barack Obama thundered, “is ready for a better story.” JD Vance insisted that the Biden administration “is not the end of our story,” and Donald Trump called on fellow Republicans to “write our own thrilling chapter of the American story.”

“This week,” comedian and former Obama administration speechwriter Jon Lovett said Thursday on NBC, “has been about a story.”

In the discourse of American politics, this kind of talk from both sides is unsurprising — fitting, even. Because in the campaign season of 2024, just as in the fabric of American culture at large, the notion of “story” is everywhere.

This year’s political conventions were, like so many of their kind, curated collections of elaborate stories carefully spun to accomplish one goal — getting elected. But lurking behind them was a pitched, high-stakes battle over how to frame the biggest story of all — the one about America that, as Harris put it, should be “the next great chapter in the most extraordinary story ever told.”

The American story — an unlikely one, filled with twists that sometimes feel, as so many enjoy saying, “just like a movie” — sits at the nucleus of American culture for a unique reason.

Americans live in one of the only societies that was built not upon hundreds of years of common culture but upon stories themselves — “the shining city upon the hill,” “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness,” “all men are created equal.” Even memorable ad campaigns — ”Baseball, hot dogs, apple pie and Chevrolet” — are part of this. In some ways, the United States — not coincidentally, the place where the frontier myth, Hollywood and Madison Avenue were all born — willed itself into existence and significance by iterating and reiterating its story as it went.

The campaigns understand that. So they are putting forward to voters two varying — starkly opposite, some might say — versions of the American story.

How the two parties are using stories

From the Republicans comes one flavor of story: an insistence that to “make America great again” in the future we must fight to reinvigorate traditional values and reclaim the moral fiber and stoutheartedness of generations past. In his convention speech last month, Trump invoked three separate conflicts — the Revolutionary War, the Civil War and World War II — in summoning American history’s glories.

To reinforce its vision, the GOP deployed the likes of musician Kid Rock, celebrity wrestler Hulk Hogan and Lee Greenwood singing “God Bless the USA.” Trump genuflected to the firefighting gear of Corey Comperatore , who had been killed in an assassination attempt on the candidate days earlier. Vance spoke of “villains” and offered up the Appalachian coming-of-age story he told in “Hillbilly Elegy.”

The Republicans, as they often do, leaned into military storylines, bringing forth families of slain servicemen to critique President Joe Biden’s “weak” leadership. And they made all efforts to manage their constituencies. Vance’s wife, Usha, who is of Indian descent, lauded him as “a meat-and-potatoes kind of guy” — a classic American trope — while underscoring that he respected her vegetarian diet and had learned how to cook Indian food for her mother.

“What could I say that hasn’t already been said before?” she said, introducing Vance. “After all, the man was already the subject of a Ron Howard movie.”

What to know about the 2024 Election

• Today’s news: Follow live updates from the campaign trail from the AP.
• Ground Game: Sign up for AP’s weekly politics newsletter to get it in your inbox every Monday.
• AP’s Role: The Associated Press is the most trusted source of information on election night, with a history of accuracy dating to 1848. Learn more.

And the Democrats? Their convention last week focused on a new and different future full of “joy” and free of what Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg called “Trump’s politics of darkness.” It was an implied “Star Wars” metaphor if there ever was one.

It was hard to miss that the Democrats were not only coalescing around the multiracial, multicultural nation that Harris personifies but at the same time methodically trying to reclaim the plainspoken slivers of the American story that have rested in Republican hands in recent years.

The flag was everywhere, as was the notion of freedom. Tim Walz entered to the tune of John Mellencamp’s “Small Town,” an ode to the vision of America that Republicans usually trumpet. Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota expounded upon the regular-guy traits that Walz embodies — someone who can change a car light, a hunter, a “dad in plaid.”

The former geography teacher’s football-coach history was mined as well, with beefy guys in Mankato West Scarlets jerseys fanning out across the stage to the marching-band strains of “The Halls of Montezuma.” They even enlisted a former GOP member of Congress to reinforce all the imagery by saying the quiet part loud.

“I want to let my fellow Republicans in on the secret: The Democrats are as patriotic as us,” said Adam Kinzinger, an Illinois Republican critical of Trump.

Bringing it all together

Watching the videos and testimonials at both conventions, one storytelling technique stood tall: what journalists call “character-driven” tales. Whether it’s advocating for abortion rights or warning about mass illegal immigration or channeling anger about inflation, “regular” Americans became the narrative building blocks for national concerns.

Historian Heather Cox Richardson put it this way about the DNC in her Substack, “Letters from an American,” this past week: “The many stories in which ordinary Americans rise from adversity through hard work, decency, and service to others implicitly conflates those individual struggles with the struggles of the United States itself.”

In the past generation, the tools of storytelling have become more democratic. We are all publishers now — on X, on TikTok, on Instagram, on Truth Social. And we are all storytellers, telling mini versions of the American story in whatever ways we wish. Perspectives that have been long silenced and suppressed are making their way into the light.

Putting aside questions of truth and misinformation for a moment, how can a unifying American story be summoned when hundreds of millions of people are now able to tell it differently and from their own vantage points? Democratization is beneficial, but it can also be chaotic and hard to understand.

“A people who cannot stand together cannot stand at all,” poet Amanda Gorman said in her remarks at the DNC. But with so many stories to sort through, is unity more difficult than ever? Is there even a single, unifying “American story” at all? Should there be?

In the end, that’s why this election is about storytelling more than ever. Because the loudest, most persuasive tale — told slickly with the industrial-strength communications tools of the 21st century — will likely win the day.

In the meantime, the attempts to commandeer and amplify versions of that story will continue to Election Day and beyond. As long as there is an American nation, there will be millions of people trying to tell us what it means — desperately, angrily, optimistically, compellingly. Stories are a powerful weapon, and a potent metaphor as well. As Walz said about leaving Trump and Vance behind: “I’m ready to turn the page.”

Ted Anthony, director of new storytelling and newsroom innovation at The Associated Press, has been writing about American culture and politics for 35 years. Follow him at https://x.com/anthonyted