100+ Best Argumentative Speech Topics

“Everything in the world is relative, my dear Watson”, said the legendary fictional detective Sherlock Holmes.

You have accepted the rising of the sun in the East and setting in the East as a gospel. But the sun does not rise, the sun does not set. The sun just sits there; a big yellow ball in the sky. Who is right? It all comes down to who can make the right arguments.

The greatest battles are not fought among the ones who hold the swords. The greatest battles happen when the mind collides.

“God does not play dice with the universe”, said Einstein “Don’t teach god what to do with his dice”, said Neil Bohr. That is what real battle is.

So, here are the things to keep in mind while you are in an argumentative debate:

You are always right.

To doubt yourself when you are in the middle of the debate is to accept you are wrong. So, exclude all the phrases that imply compromise, self-doubt, or give the hint of you being caught in a double mind.

Speak as you mean it.

Speak like the world is listening. Have a commanding voice. Lion is the king not only because it preys on others. There are plenty of other carnivores in the jungle. It’s the authoritative roar that is its crown.

Make eye contact.

This is not new. If you don’t speak by making eye contact, then you don’t become authoritative enough. If you can’t become authoritative, even with the best of the arguments you are not going to win.

Body languages.

Body languages play an important role because it’s not always about what you say but how you say it that catches the attention. So, make sure you are on the top of that game.

Fluctuate the pitch of your voice.

Don’t be monotonous. Make your voice hit the crests, make it hit the trough. This is what will keep the people engaged and make the debate look more spontaneous.

Jokes don’t hurt.

They say the only tool one needs is a sense of humor. In the words of Ayn Rand, “one loses everything when one loses his sense of humor.” So, once you are in the middle of the debate and you’re speaking confidently, making the pitch of your voice go up and down, now a few relevant jokes won’t hurt. It helps to win over the audience and judges.

Business

1. The pros and cons of starting your own business.

2. The benefits and drawbacks of franchising.

3. Is it better to start a small or large business?

4. The government should support small businesses to improve the economy.

8. All businesses should build websites, use social media, and do online marketing.

11. Businesses need to improve on technology to improve operations.

12. What are the benefits and drawbacks of outsourcing?

13. The benefits and drawbacks of working from home.

14. The pros and cons of taking out a loan to start a business.

15. The pros and cons of starting a family-run business.

16. The benefits and drawbacks of venture capitalism.

17. Why small businesses are the backbone of the economy?

18. The pros and cons of crowdfunding.

19. Why customer satisfaction is essential for businesses?

20. Is it better to work for a small or large company?

Constitutional Issues

1. The death penalty is a violation of the Eighth Amendment’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment.

2. The Second Amendment does not protect the right to own assault weapons.

3. The Affordable Care Act is constitutional.

4. States cannot ban same-sex marriage.

5. The Voting Rights Act is constitutional.

6. The Patriot Act violates the Fourth Amendment’s ban on unreasonable searches and seizures.

7. The Affordable Care Act’s individual mandate is constitutional.

8. The Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision was wrongly decided.

9. Redistricting can be used to achieve racial equality.

10. Gerrymandering is unconstitutional.

11. The Electoral College should be abolished.

12. Term limits for members of Congress are constitutional.

13. The President should not have the power to declare war.

14. Congress should have the power to declare war.

15. The government should not tax the elderly.

16. The President should not be able to unilaterally order military action.

17. The use of torture is never justified, even during the war.

18. Enemy combatants should not be denied due process rights.

19. Indefinite detention is unconstitutional.

20. The government should not collect data on its citizens without a warrant.

Economy

1. The government should do more to help small businesses.

2. The national debt is not a big deal.

3. The government should spend less money on the military.

4. We need more tariffs to protect our industries.

5. Cuts to social programs are necessary for the economy.

6. Infrastructure spending is necessary for the economy.

7. The minimum wage should be increased.

8. The government should provide more incentives for businesses to invest in green energy.

9. Majority of Americans believe the economy is rigged against them.

10. Income inequality is a problem in the United States.

11. The wealthy should pay more in taxes.

12. The tax code needs to be reformed.

13. The federal reserve should be abolished.

14. The United States should return to the gold standard.

15. Bitcoin is a good investment.

Education

1. Is homeschooling a good or bad idea?

2. Should all schools be private?

3. Are charter schools better than public schools?

4. Should children be taught sex education in schools?

5. Should prayer be allowed in school?

6. Are single-sex schools better for education than co-ed schools?

7. Should evolution be taught in school?

8. Is the No Child Left Behind Act effective?

9. Are standardized tests a good way to measure student achievement?

10. Should there be more funding for education?

11. Should the government invest more in early childhood education?

12. Are teachers paid enough?

13. Educational disparities between rich and poor students.

14. Should college be free?

15. Is online learning as effective as traditional learning?

16. Are for-profit colleges a good option for students?

17. Should student loan debt be forgiven?

18. The negative effects of homework on students.

19. The over-reliance on technology in education.

20. CPR and first aid-related courses should be mandatory in school.

Environment

1. How climate change is affecting our planet and what we can do to reduce its impact.

2. The dangers of fracking and its potential to contaminate our water supply.

3. Why the world needs to move away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy sources.

4. How overfishing is threatening global fish stocks and what can be done to halt this trend.

5. The devastating effects of deforestation and what needs to be done to stop it.

6. How air pollution is impacting our health and what measures can be taken to reduce its impact.

7. The importance of conserving energy and how we can all do our bit to save energy.

8. Why we need to reduce our reliance on single-use plastics and what alternatives are available.

9. How industrial agriculture is harming the environment and what needs to be done to address this issue.

10. The potential impacts of climate change on our food supply and what we can do to mitigate these effects.

11. The problem of plastic pollution in our oceans and what needs to be done to address it.

12. How we can all do our bit to reduce our carbon footprints and help fight climate change.

13. The importance of composting and how it can help reduce landfill waste.

14. Why we need to reduce our reliance on cars and start using more environmentally friendly modes of transportation.

15. The harmful effects of pesticides and what needs to be done to stop their use.

16. How waste management practices need to change in order to protect the environment.

17. Why we need to support local farmers and buy more locally grown produce.

18. The benefits of organic gardening and how it can help the environment.

19. How solar power can be used to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels.

20. The potential of wind power as an alternative energy source.

Ethics

1. Are some ethical ideals more important than others?

2. Does morality require belief in God?

3. Should we always tell the truth, even if it hurts someone’s feelings?

4. Should abortion be legal?

5. Is it morally wrong to cheat on a test or plagiarize an essay?

6. Torture is an acceptable measure to prevent terrorism.

7. Should animals have the same rights as humans?

8. Is it wrong to wear fur or use products made from animals?

9. Should we be allowed to experiment on animals for medical research?

10. Is it morally right to kill animals for food or sport?

11. Cultural treasures should be returned to their countries of origin.

12. Is it morally to keep animals in zoos or circuses?

13. Should we be allowed to hunt endangered animals?

14. Is it wrong to buy or sell organs or body parts?

15. Should people be allowed to clone animals or humans?

16. Hunting is unethical and should not be allowed.

17. Is it morally acceptable to use human embryos for stem cell research?

18. Are beauty pageants sexists and exploitative?

19. Is it okay to test new drugs on humans?

20. Is it morally wrong to end a life through euthanasia or physician-assisted suicide?

Family

1. Should parents be held responsible for the actions of their children?

2. Is it necessary for couples to live together before getting married?

3. Are extended families becoming a thing of the past?

4. Is single parenting really as difficult as people make it out to be?

5. Should parents be allowed to choose their child’s gender?

6. Should more single women adopt children?

7. Should the government do more to help families in poverty?

8. Physical punishment is a good practice for raising children.

9. Is it important for families to have dinner together every night?

10. How can parents deal with their children’s screen time?

11. Should parents be allowed to monitor their children’s online activity?

12. Is homeschooling a good option for families?

13. Should there be more paternity leave for fathers?

14. Are working mothers harming their children?

15. Teenagers should have more freedom than younger kids.

16. Is it better to live in a an extended family?

17. Should families be allowed to have more than one child?

18. Parents should be role models for their children.

19. Siblings can be both friends and rivals.

20. The challenges of raising multicultural families.

Food and Drinks

1. Is it better to eat organic food?

2. Are GMOs really that bad for our health?

3. Should we all be vegan?

4. Is processed food really that bad for us?

5. Is sugar really as addictive as some people say it is?

6. Should there be a tax on sugary drinks?

7. Are organic foods worth the extra money?

8. Should we be drinking more water?

9. Is organic milk really any better for us than regular milk?

10. Are there any benefits to drinking green tea?

11. Is coffee actually good for us?

12. Is there such a thing as too much water intake?

13. Should we be eating more vegetables?

14. Is the Paleo diet a healthy way to eat?

15. Is gluten really that bad for us?

16. Are there any health benefits to drinking red wine?

17. Is dark chocolate actually good for us?

18. Why we should all be eating less meat.

19. The benefits of home cooking.

20. Is there such a thing as a “healthy” diet?

Government