Lincoln-Douglas debate (LD) is a one-on-one debate format that focuses on philosophical and ethical questions. Named after the famous 1858 debates between Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas, this event challenges students to think deeply about values, morality, and justice.
Unlike policy debate which focuses on practical policy solutions, LD debate asks fundamental questions: What is justice? How should we balance individual rights against collective good? What moral obligations do we have to others?
Every LD round begins with a resolutionâa statement that the affirmative must defend and the negative must oppose. Resolutions typically take the form: "Resolved: [value statement]"
Example: "Resolved: In a democracy, the public's right to know ought to be valued above the right to privacy of candidates for public office."
A standard LD debate follows this timing structure:
Each debater also receives 4 minutes of preparation time to use throughout the round.
The foundation of LD debate is establishing a value (what matters most) and a criterion (how we measure achievement of that value).
These are the main arguments that support your side of the resolution. Each contention should connect back to your value and criterion, explaining why your position is morally or philosophically superior.
Your framework (value + criterion) determines how the judge should evaluate the round. Winning the framework layer often means winning the round, as it sets the standard by which all arguments are measured.
If you convince the judge that "protecting individual rights" is the most important consideration, then your opponent's arguments about "collective welfare" won't matter as muchâeven if they're well-argued. The framework determines what arguments count and how much they count.
As a Lincoln-Douglas debater, your goals are to:
Lincoln-Douglas debate stands out from other debate formats because:
Task: Take the resolution "Resolved: The United States ought to guarantee the right to housing." Come up with:
Spend 15 minutes on this exercise. Don't worry about perfectionâfocus on understanding the structure.
In the next lesson, we'll dive deeper into values and value criteria, exploring how to select frameworks that are strategic and philosophically sound. You'll learn about common philosophical frameworks used in LD and how to apply them to any resolution.
For now, familiarize yourself with the structure of LD rounds. Watch a few rounds online if you canâseeing the format in action will help everything click.