Random Debate Topic Generator: 300 Motions With Both Sides: how it works
This random debate topic generator draws one motion from 300 each time you press New debate topic, with a starter line for each side under it. Two rows of chips narrow the draw: Level (middle school, high school, college) and Type (fun, policy, ethics). The rows combine, so High school plus Ethics draws only from those 33 motions.
How a debate motion is worded
A debate topic is a statement, never a question, because one side must defend it. Put "Resolved:" in front for the style the National Speech and Debate Association publishes, or "This House believes that" for World Schools rounds. Our policy motions say what should change, as Policy and most Public Forum resolutions do. Our ethics motions ask whether something is right, fair or true of people, closest to Lincoln-Douglas value claims.
Level first, then type
A middle school motion names something students have met: homework, uniforms, phones in class. High school motions move out to civic life: the voting age, term limits, free public transport. College motions expect economics or philosophy, from carbon taxes to free will. Fun motions are not filler: arguing that a hot dog is a sandwich lets a new speaker practice claim, reason and example with nothing at stake.
Tips
Flip a coin for sides after the draw: arguing the side you disagree with teaches the other case fastest.
The For and Against lines are one reason each. Speakers add two more and check any fact before using it.
For spontaneous rounds, set the timer to two minutes. A new motion comes up when it ends, so pairs keep rotating.
Questions and answers
Can I use this debate topic generator to prepare for league rounds?
For practice, yes. A league sets its own topics, and this page is not affiliated with or endorsed by the National Speech and Debate Association or any other league. As of September 2026 it keeps one Policy resolution all season and changes its other topics every month or two. No league resolution is reproduced word for word, though some subjects overlap.
Why is there no elementary level?
Formal debate asks a speaker to defend a side they may not hold and to answer the other team, so the list starts where students can do both. Younger children get more from an open question: the questions for kids are sorted by age.
Which topics did you leave out?
Any motion about a protected group's rights or worth, anything naming a living person, a company, a product or a show, and anything that needs graphic detail to open. A motion stayed in only if both sides got an honest starter line. A few lean on American schooling, and two name the United States.
A chatbot should always have to say it is not a person.For: people deserve to know who is talking. Against: a helpful answer helps either way.
A dragon would make a terrible pet.For: fire, claws and a huge food bill. Against: nobody would ever bother you again.
A hot dog is a sandwich.For: it is a filling served inside bread. Against: the bun is one hinged piece, not two slices.
A joke that hurts someone is never just a joke.For: the person it lands on decides. Against: most teasing between friends is meant kindly.
A promise should be kept even when it becomes hard.For: your word is only worth something if it holds. Against: plans must change when life does.
A straw has one hole, not two.For: it is one tunnel from end to end. Against: there is an opening at each end.
A superhero needs a cape.For: it makes the hero easy to spot. Against: a cape snags on everything.
A talking pet would be more trouble than fun.For: it would tell all your secrets. Against: you would finally know what it wants.
Animals should not perform in circuses.For: tricks are trained through stress. Against: well-kept animals bond with their trainers.
The beach is a better vacation than the mountains.For: sea, sand and nothing to climb. Against: cool air and a view worth the walk.
Being a good listener matters more than being a good talker.For: people open up when heard. Against: ideas die if nobody voices them.
Being invisible beats being able to fly.For: nobody can stop what they cannot see. Against: flying gets you anywhere fast.
Board games beat video games.For: everyone sits around one table. Against: a video game never loses its pieces.
The book is always better than the film.For: a book has room for every detail. Against: a film shows what words only describe.
Borrowing without asking is the same as stealing.For: taking is taking without a yes. Against: you always meant to give it back.
Breakfast is the best meal of the day.For: pancakes, eggs and a fresh start. Against: dinner has the most choice.
Breaking a rule is fine if the rule is unfair.For: unfair rules change when people push back. Against: you can argue against a rule and still follow it.
Camping beats staying in a hotel.For: a campfire and a sky full of stars. Against: a bed, a shower and no bugs.
Cats make better pets than dogs.For: a cat looks after itself all day. Against: a dog is glad to see you every time.
Cereal is a kind of soup.For: it is solid food served in a liquid. Against: soup is cooked and savory.
Children should be paid for doing chores.For: earning teaches the value of money. Against: a family helps each other for free.
Children should have a say in family decisions.For: the decision affects them too. Against: parents carry the responsibility.
Children under 13 should not have social media accounts.For: the apps are built to keep you scrolling. Against: it is how friends keep in touch.
City life is better than country life.For: everything you need is close by. Against: the country has more space and less noise.
Competitive video gaming is a real sport.For: it takes skill, practice and teamwork. Against: a sport needs hard physical effort.
Copying homework is as bad as cheating on a test.For: both pass off someone else's work as yours. Against: homework is practice, a test is the measure.
Cursive handwriting should still be taught.For: you need it to sign and to read old letters. Against: keyboards have replaced it.
Every classroom should have a class pet.For: caring for it teaches responsibility. Against: allergies and empty weekends are hard on it.
Every player on a youth team should get equal playing time.For: everyone signed up to play. Against: a real match is played to win.
Every school day should start with recess.For: moving first helps you focus after. Against: you would reach class tired and muddy.
Every student should learn a musical instrument.For: music trains memory and patience. Against: not everyone wants it, and instruments cost a lot.
Every student should learn first aid at school.For: a trained child can save a life. Against: it takes time from core subjects.
Every student should wear a school uniform.For: nobody is judged on their clothes. Against: clothes are how students show who they are.
Everyone should get a trophy for taking part.For: effort deserves to be noticed. Against: a prize for all is a prize for nothing.
Fairness means everyone gets the same.For: same rules, same shares, no favorites. Against: fair means each person gets what they need.
Finders keepers is a fair rule.For: the owner should have taken more care. Against: it still belongs to whoever lost it.
Fruit counts as dessert.For: it is sweet and it ends the meal. Against: dessert should be a treat, not a daily food.
Getting homework help from a parent is cheating.For: the grade should show what you can do. Against: asking for help is how learning works.
Group projects should be graded individually.For: your grade should reflect your work. Against: sharing the result is the whole point.
Gym games that knock players out are unfair.For: those who need practice most sit out first. Against: being out is part of the game.
Hard work matters more than talent.For: practice beats a gift left unused. Against: some heights need a head start.
It is always wrong to tell a lie.For: trust breaks the moment you lie. Against: a kind lie can spare someone's feelings.
It is better to be kind than to be right.For: people remember how you treated them. Against: the truth matters even when it stings.
It is better to be the oldest child than the youngest.For: you get to try everything first. Against: the youngest gets the easier rules.
It is better to give than to receive.For: the glow of giving lasts longer. Against: everyone loves a gift, and that is honest.
It is fair for older children to get more privileges.For: age brings responsibility. Against: house rules should be the same for everyone.
It is fair for parents to read their children's messages.For: safety comes before privacy. Against: trust is built by being trusted.
It is fair to be graded on neat handwriting.For: work nobody can read cannot be marked. Against: ideas matter, not penmanship.
It is okay to quit an activity you no longer enjoy.For: your free time is yours. Against: finishing the season keeps your word to the team.
It is wrong to catch bugs and keep them in jars.For: even a small creature belongs outside. Against: looking closely is how you learn to care.
It is wrong to keep animals in zoos.For: wild animals need far more space. Against: zoos protect species that would die out.
Junk food should not be sold in school cafeterias.For: schools should model good eating. Against: students should learn to choose for themselves.
Learning a second language should start in first grade.For: young children pick up sounds fastest. Against: reading in a first language comes first.
Letting captains pick teams is unfair.For: someone always gets picked last. Against: captains build the most even match.
Living 100 years from now would beat living 100 years ago.For: medicine and machines keep improving. Against: the past is known, the future is a gamble.
Monday is the worst day of the week.For: the weekend is as far away as it gets. Against: a fresh start beats a tired Thursday.
One best friend is better than ten good friends.For: one person knows you fully. Against: with ten, someone is always free.
People should not keep wild animals as pets.For: a living room is not a habitat. Against: some rescued animals can never go back.
Phones should be locked away during the school day.For: no buzzing means better focus. Against: families need to reach students in an emergency.
Physical education should be required every day.For: active bodies help minds settle. Against: daily gym takes an hour from other subjects.
Pineapple belongs on pizza.For: sweet and salty work well together. Against: warm fruit makes the base soggy.
Pluto should be called a planet again.For: it is round and it orbits the Sun. Against: it has not cleared other objects from its path.
Recess should be twice as long.For: play is where students learn to get along. Against: lessons already feel squeezed.
Robots should do all household chores.For: more time for things we enjoy. Against: chores teach skills we need later.
The school day should start an hour later.For: growing brains need the sleep. Against: a later finish leaves less time for clubs.
School rules should apply to teachers too.For: rules work when everyone follows them. Against: adults have different jobs to do.
Schools should ban homework.For: evenings are for rest, family and sport. Against: practice at home makes lessons stick.
Schools should give prizes for effort, not just results.For: effort is the part you control. Against: results are what the world will ask for.
Schools should hold one class outdoors every week.For: fresh air wakes up a tired class. Against: weather and noise wreck the lesson.
Schools should replace letter grades with written comments.For: a comment tells you what to fix. Against: a grade is quick and clear to everyone.
Schools should switch from paper books to tablets.For: one light device holds every book. Against: screens tire eyes and batteries die.
Schools should teach coding to everyone.For: software runs the world students will work in. Against: most jobs will never need it.
Schools should teach cooking to every student.For: everyone has to eat for life. Against: the timetable is already full.
Scientists should bring back dinosaurs if they can.For: we would learn so much from them. Against: there is no habitat left for them.
Screen time at home should be limited to two hours a day.For: more sleep, play and reading. Against: what you do on a screen matters more than how long.
Secrets between friends should always be kept.For: a friend trusted you with it. Against: some secrets need an adult to know.
Single-use plastic bottles should be banned at school.For: refill taps cut waste for good. Against: a forgotten bottle means a thirsty day.
Socks with sandals are perfectly fine.For: warm toes and easy shoes. Against: it is two jobs done badly at once.
Spelling tests should be dropped now that spellcheck exists.For: software fixes spelling for you. Against: spellcheck misses the wrong right word.
Students should be allowed to choose their own seats.For: you work best where you feel at ease. Against: friends sit together and talk.
Students should be allowed to listen to music while they work.For: it blocks out a noisy room. Against: lyrics compete with the words you are reading.
Students should be allowed to retake any test.For: learning matters more than timing. Against: deadlines are part of real life.
Students should grade their teachers.For: feedback helps teachers improve. Against: students may reward easy over good.
Students should help clean their school.For: you look after what you have to clean. Against: cleaning is a paid job with trained staff.
Students should vote on school rules.For: rules you chose are rules you keep. Against: adults are responsible for safety.
Students who live nearby should walk or cycle to school.For: less traffic and fitter students. Against: not every road is safe to walk.
Summer is better than winter.For: long days and no heavy coat. Against: snow days and no sunburn.
Summer vacation should be shorter.For: less is forgotten over a short break. Against: families and teachers need the long rest.
Talking to animals would beat speaking every human language.For: animals have never been heard. Against: people have more to tell you.
Teachers should have to wear a uniform too.For: fair is fair. Against: adults have earned the choice.
Technology makes us lazier.For: we no longer remember, walk or wait. Against: it frees time for harder things.
Tests should be open book.For: real life lets you look things up. Against: you cannot look up what you never learned.
There is life on other planets.For: there are billions of planets out there. Against: no confirmed sign of it has ever been found.
The tortoise deserved to win the race.For: steady effort is what counts. Against: the hare was faster and threw it away.
Water is wet.For: anything covered in water is wet, water included. Against: wet is what water does to other things.
We should fix Earth before we explore space.For: we have one home to repair first. Against: what we learn in space helps on Earth.
We should forgive people who say sorry.For: everyone makes mistakes. Against: sorry is a word, and change is the proof.
The weekend should be three days long.For: rested students learn more. Against: four days cannot hold five days of work.
Winning matters more than taking part.For: trying to win is what makes the game real. Against: you learn from playing, not from the score.
You should tell a teacher if your friend cheats.For: cheating is unfair to the rest of the class. Against: loyalty to a friend comes first.
High school 100
A jack of all trades beats a master of one.For: range lets you adapt. Against: depth is what gets you hired.
A machine that makes a painting is not an artist.For: art needs intent and experience. Against: we judge art by the work, not the maker.
A map is more useful than a compass.For: it shows where things are. Against: it is useless until you know which way you face.
A pen is better than a pencil.For: ink commits you to the thought. Against: a pencil forgives mistakes.
A self-driving car should protect its passengers first.For: nobody buys a car that might sacrifice them. Against: the person outside never chose the risk.
A tomato should be treated as a fruit.For: botany says so: it holds the seeds. Against: cooks use it as a vegetable, and cooks eat it.
A year without your phone would make you happier.For: more sleep, more attention, fewer alerts. Against: you would miss plans, maps and people.
Alphabetical order is unfair.For: the same names always go first. Against: any order has to start somewhere.
Animals should have legal rights.For: they feel pain and fear as we do. Against: rights come with duties animals cannot hold.
Anonymous posting online does more harm than good.For: masks make people cruel. Against: anonymity protects those who speak up.
Art should be separated from the artist.For: a work stands on its own once made. Against: buying it rewards the person.
Audiobooks count as reading.For: the story and the words are the same. Against: reading means decoding the text yourself.
Being famous would be more trouble than it is worth.For: no privacy, ever. Against: doors open that stay shut for everyone else.
Breeding pets for looks is wrong.For: flat faces and weak hips are bred in. Against: breeds keep traits that people rely on.
Cars should be banned from city centers.For: cleaner air and safer streets. Against: shops, deliveries and disabled drivers need access.
Celebrities have a right to a private life.For: fame is a job, not a contract on your life. Against: they trade on attention and profit from it.
Chess is a sport.For: it has rankings, training and pressure. Against: there is no physical contest.
Cities should make public transport free.For: fewer cars, cleaner air, fairer access. Against: fares fund the service people rely on.
Civil disobedience is justified in a democracy.For: unjust laws have fallen because people broke them. Against: a democracy offers lawful ways to change law.
Cliffhanger endings are lazy writing.For: an ending should end. Against: it is the oldest trick for a reason: it works.
Community service should be required for graduation.For: service ties you to the place you live. Against: forced volunteering is not volunteering.
Competition brings out the best in people.For: rivals push each other further. Against: fear of losing narrows what people try.
Cooking is an art and baking is a science.For: cooking lets you improvise, baking punishes it. Against: both are chemistry, both reward flair.
Daylight saving time should be abolished.For: clock changes disrupt sleep for days. Against: summer evenings would lose an hour of light.
Dinosaurs were more impressive than any animal alive today.For: nothing on land has matched their size. Against: the blue whale outweighs any dinosaur with a reliable weight estimate.
The driving age should be raised to 18.For: crash risk falls with age. Against: rural teens need to reach work and school.
Emoji are a real language.For: they carry tone that words alone miss. Against: no grammar, no language.
The ends justify the means.For: results are what change lives. Against: how you act is who you become.
Every song is better live.For: a crowd and a risk of mistakes make it real. Against: the studio take is the one the artist chose.
Every student should learn a trade skill before graduating.For: everyone should be able to fix or build something. Against: workshops are costly and the week is full.
Every student should pass a civics test to graduate.For: voters should know how government works. Against: a test measures memory, not citizenship.
Facial recognition should be banned in schools.For: students should not be tracked all day. Against: it can flag an intruder in seconds.
Financial literacy should be a required class.For: everyone will face loans, rent and tax. Against: electives already fight for room.
Genetically modified crops do more good than harm.For: higher yields on less land and spray. Against: seed patents and unknown long-run effects.
Governments should tax sugary drinks.For: price shifts habits and revenue funds health. Against: it hits poorer shoppers hardest.
Grades do more harm than good.For: students chase marks, not understanding. Against: without a measure, nobody knows where they stand.
Homework should count for no more than ten percent of a grade.For: it measures time at home, not learning. Against: daily effort deserves real weight.
Honesty matters more than loyalty.For: a friend who lies for you will lie to you. Against: loyalty is what makes someone a friend.
Humans will live on another planet within 100 years.For: launch costs keep falling. Against: air, food and radiation are unsolved.
If time travel existed, the past would be the better trip.For: you could see what really happened. Against: the future holds answers we lack.
It is better for a leader to be feared than loved.For: fear is dependable. Against: loyalty freely given lasts longer.
It is better to be a big fish in a small pond.For: confidence grows where you can lead. Against: you only improve among people better than you.
It is fair to judge historical figures by today's standards.For: wrong was wrong then too. Against: people can only know what their age knew.
It is wrong to buy clothes made in sweatshops.For: your money keeps those conditions going. Against: those jobs are often the best on offer.
Keeping whales and dolphins in captivity is wrong.For: no tank matches an ocean range. Against: rescue and research need somewhere to happen.
Living on Mars would beat living under the sea.For: a whole planet to explore. Against: the sea is close to home and full of water.
Math is a language.For: it has symbols, grammar and meaning. Against: nobody chats in algebra.
Minimum wage should be the same for teens and adults.For: same work, same pay. Against: a lower rate gets first-timers hired.
Museums should return artifacts taken during colonial rule.For: they were taken without consent. Against: big museums keep them safe and widely seen.
Naps should be part of the school day.For: tired brains do not learn. Against: a nap cuts teaching time and spoils night sleep.
National lawmakers should have term limits.For: fresh faces and fewer safe seats. Against: lawmaking takes years to learn.
National parks should cap daily visitors.For: crowds wear down what they came to see. Against: public land should stay open to the public.
Nature has value even if no human ever sees it.For: a forest matters without an audience. Against: value is something only minds assign.
Nuclear power should be expanded to fight climate change.For: low carbon and it runs day and night. Against: waste lasts for ages and plants cost a fortune.
Our duty to future generations outweighs our own comfort.For: they inherit whatever we leave. Against: the living have needs now.
The Oxford comma should be required.For: it removes doubt from every list. Against: clear writers manage without it.
Parents should not post photos of their children without consent.For: a child's image is theirs. Against: family albums have always been shared.
People have a moral duty to eat less meat.For: animals suffer and the climate pays. Against: food is culture, and the choice is the eater's.
Poetry should rhyme.For: rhyme is what makes a line stick in the ear. Against: many of the greatest poems do not.
The printed book will outlive the e-reader.For: no battery, no updates, lasts for centuries. Against: the handier format has won every time so far.
Privacy matters more than security.For: a watched people is not a free one. Against: safety is the first duty of any state.
Pro sports should use video review for every close call.For: the right call matters more than the pace. Against: constant stops kill the game.
Professional sports should cap player salaries.For: a cap keeps small clubs in the race. Against: players earn what the market will pay them.
Public college should be free.For: talent should not depend on family income. Against: someone still pays, and places would be rationed.
Public libraries should stop charging late fines.For: fines keep away the readers who need books most. Against: fines bring books back.
Real history is stranger than fiction.For: no writer would dare invent some true events. Against: fiction has no limits at all.
Research paid for by the public should be free to read.For: taxpayers already paid for it. Against: journals need income to check and publish work.
Rich countries owe poorer ones help with climate change.For: those who emitted most should pay most. Against: today's taxpayers did not make the past.
The rich have a moral duty to give most of their wealth away.For: money beyond need could save lives. Against: a gift must be free to count.
Robots will make better teachers than humans.For: endless patience, lessons fitted to you. Against: a robot cannot care if you succeed.
Saturday is better than Sunday.For: no school tomorrow hanging over it. Against: Sunday is the quiet one.
School boards should reserve one seat for a student.For: the decisions land on students first. Against: board members answer to the voters who elected them.
Schools have no right to search student lockers.For: students keep their rights at school. Against: the school owns the locker and owes everyone safety.
Schools should abolish class rank.For: it turns classmates into rivals. Against: colleges and scholarships ask for it.
Schools should replace final exams with year-long projects.For: a project shows what you can really do. Against: exams are harder to fake and faster to mark.
Schools should teach media literacy every year.For: students meet false claims every day. Against: it is a skill for every subject, not a new class.
The sequel is never as good as the original.For: the first one had the fresh idea. Against: a sequel starts with characters you already love.
Small talk is a waste of time.For: weather chat tells you nothing. Against: it is how strangers become friends.
Social media companies should verify the age of every user.For: age limits mean nothing unchecked. Against: ID checks put everyone's privacy at risk.
Space exploration should be funded by governments, not companies.For: space should belong to everyone. Against: private firms have cut launch costs.
Spoilers do not ruin a story.For: a good story survives knowing the end. Against: the surprise only works once.
Standardized tests should be dropped from college admissions.For: one morning should not outweigh four years. Against: grades mean different things at different schools.
Students should be able to opt out of dissection in biology.For: models teach the same anatomy. Against: nothing replaces the real thing.
Students should be allowed to use AI writing tools for schoolwork.For: it is a tool they will use at work. Against: the thinking is the assignment.
Success is mostly luck.For: birthplace and timing are not earned. Against: luck only helps the prepared.
Superpowers would make life worse, not better.For: everyone would want a favor. Against: think of the commute alone.
Technology has made us less connected.For: hundreds of contacts, fewer close friends. Against: distance no longer ends a friendship.
Teleportation is the most useful superpower.For: no commute, and any country for lunch. Against: reading minds tells you what matters.
Testing cosmetics on animals is never justified.For: no lipstick is worth an animal's pain. Against: safety data has to come from somewhere.
Texting has made us better writers.For: we write all day now, and practice counts. Against: short messages train short thoughts.
There is a moral duty to help a stranger in danger.For: a life outweighs your inconvenience. Against: duty cannot demand that you risk yourself.
Tipping should be replaced by higher wages.For: pay should not hang on a stranger's mood. Against: tips reward good service.
Towns should ban gas-powered leaf blowers.For: noise and fumes for a job a rake can do. Against: crews finish in a fraction of the time.
Tradition is a good reason to keep doing something.For: customs carry lessons older than we are. Against: "we always have" is not an argument.
The United States should adopt the metric system.For: science and most of the world use it. Against: the switch would be slow, costly and confusing.
The United States should choose its president by national popular vote.For: every vote would weigh the same. Against: small states would be ignored.
The villain is the most important character in a story.For: no threat, no story. Against: we follow the hero's choices, not the villain's.
The voting age should be lowered to 16.For: sixteen-year-olds can work and pay tax. Against: most still live at home and study full time.
Voting should be compulsory.For: a result should reflect everyone. Against: a forced vote is a careless vote.
Whistleblowers are heroes, not traitors.For: the public cannot fix what it cannot see. Against: some secrets are kept for good reason.
College 100
A conscious machine would deserve rights.For: suffering matters wherever it happens. Against: we could never verify that it feels.
A good society should put happiness above freedom.For: wellbeing is what finally matters. Against: people must be free to choose their own good.
A handwritten note beats any message on a screen.For: the effort is the message. Against: speed and reach matter more.
A library is a better place to study than a cafe.For: silence, and no bill. Against: a low hum helps some minds work.
A life of simple pleasures is as good as a life of learning.For: pleasure is pleasure, whatever its source. Against: some goods are higher and worth the strain.
A promise made under pressure is not binding.For: consent has to be free. Against: the other side relied on your word.
A sandwich cut diagonally tastes better.For: the first bite is all filling and no crust. Against: geometry cannot change flavor.
A true meritocracy would still be unjust.For: talent is as unearned as inheritance. Against: reward for contribution is what fair means.
A year of national service should be compulsory.For: shared service builds a common bond. Against: a conscripted year is a year taken.
The alarm clock is humanity's worst invention.For: it turns every morning into an emergency. Against: without it, nothing would start on time.
The best way to see a city is to get lost in it.For: you find what no guide lists. Against: a plan stops you missing the reason you came.
Bluffing in business is ethical.For: everyone at the table knows the game. Against: deceit is deceit.
Board games reveal a person's true character.For: pressure shows who cheats and who sulks. Against: it is only a game.
Carbon should be taxed at the source.For: price the damage and markets adjust. Against: costs pass to those least able to pay.
Censorship of art is never justified.For: the answer to bad art is criticism. Against: some works cause direct harm.
Charity done for recognition is still good.For: the person helped is helped all the same. Against: motive is what makes an act moral.
Cities should abolish single-family zoning.For: more homes where the jobs are. Against: neighbors chose the area as it is.
Citizens' assemblies chosen by lot should review major laws.For: ordinary people deliberate without donors. Against: random citizens lack expertise and mandate.
Countries should adopt ranked-choice voting.For: fewer wasted votes and fewer spoilers. Against: it is harder to count and to explain.
The dead have a right to privacy.For: their letters and diaries were not meant for us. Against: history needs them and the dead cannot be hurt.
Democracy is valuable even when it makes bad decisions.For: self-rule matters in itself. Against: a system is judged by its results.
Dictionaries should record how people speak, not rule on it.For: usage is what a language is. Against: a standard keeps us clear to each other.
Dying languages should be saved at public expense.For: each holds knowledge found nowhere else. Against: speakers choose the language that serves them.
Economic sanctions do more harm than good.For: they hurt citizens long before leaders. Against: the alternative is force or nothing.
Election day should be a national holiday.For: nobody should choose between a shift and a vote. Against: early and mail voting solve it for less.
Every citizen has a duty to follow the news.For: self-government needs informed voters. Against: attention is limited and nobody can follow it all.
Every degree should include a required core of humanities.For: specialists still need to write and argue. Against: students pay to study what they chose.
Executive pay should be capped at a multiple of the lowest wage.For: gaps this wide corrode trust. Against: talent moves to where it is paid.
The five-paragraph essay should be retired.For: it teaches a template, not thinking. Against: structure comes before style.
Footnotes are better than endnotes.For: the source sits right where you need it. Against: they clutter the page.
Free trade does more good than harm for developing nations.For: market access has lifted incomes. Against: young industries cannot grow against giants.
Free will is an illusion.For: every choice has a prior cause. Against: we deliberate, and that experience is evidence.
Genetic enhancement of humans would be wrong even if safe.For: it would turn advantage into biology. Against: schooling and medicine already enhance us.
Geoengineering research should receive public funding.For: we may need an emergency brake. Against: it eases the pressure to cut emissions.
Gig workers should be classed as employees.For: they work under a platform's control. Against: flexibility is why they chose it.
Governments should adopt a universal basic income.For: a floor under everyone as jobs change. Against: the cost, and the pull away from work.
Governments should break up the largest technology companies.For: scale has become a wall against rivals. Against: users gain from joined-up free services.
Governments should regulate artificial intelligence before wide release.For: harm is easier to prevent than undo. Against: early rules freeze a young field.
The group project is the worst form of assessment.For: one person carries it and all share the grade. Against: work after college is a group project.
High-speed rail should replace short-haul flights.For: far lower emissions, center to center. Against: track costs billions and takes decades.
Historical fiction owes a duty to the facts.For: readers absorb it as history. Against: it is fiction and says so on the cover.
Humans are naturally cooperative, not selfish.For: we share, teach and rescue strangers. Against: cooperation is self-interest played long.
If aliens exist, they would not want to meet us.For: we are loud, young and quarrelsome. Against: curiosity is probably universal.
If we could live forever, we should say no.For: an ending gives the days their weight. Against: more time means more to learn and love.
Individuals are morally responsible for their carbon footprint.For: small choices add up to the problem. Against: systems, not shoppers, set the options.
Internships should always be paid.For: unpaid work shuts out those who cannot afford it. Against: small organizations would offer none.
It is better to be interesting than to be right.For: people act on what holds their attention. Against: a wrong idea told well does more damage.
It is better to be lucky than good.For: luck decides the close calls. Against: skill is what puts you in position to be lucky.
It is right to sacrifice one person to save five.For: five lives outweigh one. Against: using a person as a means crosses a line.
It is wrong to be friends with someone whose values you reject.For: friendship lends approval. Against: friends are how minds change.
It is wrong to believe anything without evidence.For: beliefs drive acts that affect others. Against: trust and hope must run ahead of proof.
Journalists should be objective rather than advocates.For: trust depends on being fair. Against: balance between true and false misleads.
Knowing trivia is useless now.For: any fact is a search away. Against: you cannot search for what you do not know exists.
Landing on the Moon was a greater feat than building the internet.For: it ran on 1960s computers. Against: the internet reshaped daily life.
The lecture is obsolete.For: a recording can be paused and replayed. Against: a room full of people keeps you honest.
"Literally" may be used to mean "figuratively".For: words mean what speakers use them to mean. Against: a word that means its opposite means nothing.
The main purpose of university is to prepare students for work.For: students and taxpayers expect a return. Against: it exists to teach people to think.
Moral truth is relative to culture.For: customs differ and no one stands outside to judge. Against: some acts are wrong whoever does them.
Most meetings should be emails.For: writing forces clear thought and saves hours. Against: tone and trust need a room.
Multitasking is a myth.For: the brain switches tasks, it does not share them. Against: routine tasks pair fine with thought.
Music with lyrics is no good for studying.For: words compete with words. Against: a familiar song fades into the background.
Naming buildings after donors is wrong.For: honor should follow merit, not money. Against: the gift is what builds the library.
National museums should be free to enter.For: culture the public paid for should be open to it. Against: tickets fund conservation.
Nations should abolish agricultural subsidies.For: they distort trade and favor big farms. Against: food security is worth paying for.
Nations should apologize for historical wrongs.For: acknowledgment is where repair begins. Against: the living cannot speak for the dead.
New gasoline and diesel cars should be banned from sale by 2035.For: a firm date drives investment. Against: grids and buyers are not ready.
Nostalgia is a trap.For: it edits out everything that was bad. Against: it reminds us what is worth keeping.
Nudging citizens toward better choices is manipulation.For: it goes around a person's reason. Against: every default nudges, so choose a good one.
Optimists get more done than pessimists.For: belief keeps you going. Against: pessimists plan for what goes wrong.
Organ donation should be opt-out by default.For: many who support donating never register. Against: the state should not presume consent.
Patents on life-saving medicines should last five years at most.For: earlier access saves lives. Against: research is funded by the promise of returns.
People should be able to sell their own personal data.For: it is yours and it has value. Against: the poor would sell the privacy the rich keep.
People should be judged by their intentions, not the results.For: you control the will, not the world. Against: others must live with the outcome.
The printing press is the greatest invention in history.For: it put knowledge in ordinary hands. Against: farming came first, or nobody would have time to read.
Procrastination is a virtue.For: delay lets bad ideas die quietly. Against: done late is usually done badly.
Punishment should aim to reform, not to repay.For: most prisoners return to society. Against: justice means getting what you deserve.
Puns are the highest form of humor.For: two meanings have to land at once. Against: a groan is not a laugh.
Remote work should be a legal right where the job allows it.For: output matters, not the chair. Against: teams and trainees learn in person.
Resources found in space should belong to all nations in common.For: the sky should not go to whoever arrives first. Against: no one invests without a claim.
Rich nations should forgive the debts of the poorest countries.For: repayments crowd out schools and clinics. Against: it rewards bad borrowing.
Routine antibiotic use in healthy farm animals should be banned.For: overuse breeds resistant bacteria. Against: cheap meat depends on it.
Rules are what make games fun.For: limits create the challenge. Against: the best play is improvised.
Scientists are morally responsible for how their discoveries are used.For: they see the risks first. Against: knowledge is neutral and users choose.
Second place is the worst place to finish.For: so close that it stings, while third is glad to medal. Against: it still beats all but one.
Some knowledge is too dangerous to publish.For: a recipe for harm helps only the harmful. Against: secrecy blocks the defenses too.
The standard work week should be four days.For: rested workers get as much done. Against: care, retail and transport cannot compress.
The state may protect adults from their own choices.For: seat belt laws save lives. Against: adults own their risks.
Tech platforms should be liable for what users post.For: they profit from choosing what spreads. Against: they would remove lawful speech to stay safe.
Tenure for professors should be abolished.For: jobs for life shelter poor teaching. Against: tenure protects unpopular research.
The to-do list does more harm than good.For: it rewards small tasks and hides the big one. Against: a mind that is not holding the list is free to think.
Tourism to fragile places is unethical.For: visitors damage what they came for. Against: their money pays to protect it.
The United Nations Security Council veto should be abolished.For: one state should not block the world. Against: great powers would walk away without it.
Universities should abolish legacy admissions.For: a seat should not be inherited. Against: alumni loyalty funds scholarships.
We are obliged to give to the charities that do the most good.For: the same money can save more lives. Against: giving is personal and local ties matter.
We are probably living in a simulation.For: if simulations can be built, most minds are in one. Against: there is no evidence, and nothing changes.
We should explore the deep ocean before outer space.For: it is nearer, cheaper and barely mapped. Against: space tells us where we came from.
Work is essential to a meaningful life.For: purpose comes from being needed. Against: meaning has many sources, paid or not.
The world's biggest sporting events should each have one permanent host city.For: no more stadiums left empty after two weeks. Against: hosting spreads the honor around.
You learn more from failure than from success.For: failure shows exactly what broke. Against: success shows what works, which is the point.
You should never meet your heroes.For: no person matches the picture in your head. Against: a real person teaches more than a legend.
How this list was compiled: All 300 motions and their For and Against starter lines were written for this page by the Random Generator HQ editors; none is copied from a league, a textbook or another list. The format was checked on 2026-09-19 against the National Speech and Debate Association's published topics at https://www.speechanddebate.org/topics/ : every resolution there is a single declarative sentence after the word 'Resolved:'; Policy resolutions name the United States federal government as the actor that 'should' act; most Public Forum resolutions also say what someone should do, and some weigh benefits against harms instead; Lincoln-Douglas resolutions make a value claim, often built on 'ought' or a moral term such as 'just'. Our Policy group says what should change, sometimes naming who should change it and sometimes not. Our Ethics group asks whether something is right, fair or true of people, so it holds a few claims about human nature next to the value claims. No resolution on that page is reproduced word for word. Six of our motions (zoos, gig workers, compulsory voting, national service, a universal basic income and returning museum artifacts) share a subject with options listed there, because these are common debate ground. Resolutions from earlier seasons were not checked. This page is not affiliated with or endorsed by the National Speech and Debate Association or any other league. The 'This House' wording and the Proposition and Opposition side names mentioned in the page copy were checked on 2026-09-19 at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Schools_Style_debate . Each motion was read against four house rules: both sides can be argued in good faith, it needs no specialist knowledge to open, it is never about a protected group's rights or worth, and it names no company, product, show or living person. Most motions work in any country; a few lean on schooling as it runs in the United States, and two name the United States outright. Every motion sits in one level group, Middle school (100), High school (100) or College (100), and one type group, Fun (100), Policy (100) or Ethics (100). The starter lines are openings for an argument, not findings, so speakers should check any factual claim before using it in a round. Two starter lines that state a fact were checked on 2026-09-19: the blue whale against dinosaur weight estimates at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dinosaur_size , and the search for life beyond Earth at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Extraterrestrial_life . First written 2026-09-18. Second pass 2026-09-19 by the Random Generator HQ review desk, separate from the first write: every motion and starter line was read again for sense, safety and duplicates of idea, and ten motions or starter lines were reworded or replaced. Licence: own work