The Oxford Debate Union
TO

Week 5 motion (assassination markets) — too silly or secretly great?

Tom Whitcombe·47d ago
Saw the term card post. I know the convenors say it's 'silly-serious' but I think THW legalise assassination markets for war criminals might genuinely be the best motion on the card — it forces Prop to defend an actual mechanism instead of vibes about justice. Prove me wrong before Thursday.
DA
Daniel Okafor·#1·47d ago
The interesting Opposition line isn't moral squeamishness, it's incentives — you're creating a price signal that rewards accusation inflation. Who verifies 'war criminal' status, and what happens to due process when there's a bounty pending?
FR
Freya MacLeod·#2·47d ago
It's a great motion until you hit the definitional debate. If Prop defines 'war criminal' as 'convicted by the ICC' the market is tiny and the debate dies. Definition is doing ALL the work here.
TO
Tom Whitcombe·#3·47d ago
Freya — agreed, which is why I'd define it as indicted-and-evading. Big enough class to matter, clean enough to defend. See you Thursday.
PR
Priya Nair·#4·47d ago
As someone who'll probably end up judging this: please, everyone, spend prep on the mechanism and not on Hague trivia. The room that debates incentives will be a joy; the room that lists warlords will not.

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