Breaking Down Barriers:
Ask Jim about Debate

Return to the BDB List of Questions

You can submit questions too, just email Jim at hansonjb@whitman.edu

Incrementalism-How do you argue it?

Incrementalism is an argument that negatives advance. Incrementalism argues that the status quo is slowing evolving to address the problems the affirmative has cited. Coupled with a disadvantage that argues moving too quickly would be harmful, this can be a very strong argument. Negatives can present incrementalism as an inherency argument or as a counterplan. As an inherency argument, negatives can present arguments directly against the affirmative inherency contention that say the status quo is adapting, evolving, and moving to solve the problem. As a counterplan, the negative includes a plan to act incrementally, includes an observation on why incremental action is not topical (and/or why topical incremental action is acceptable), incremental action is competitive with the affirmative proposal, and why incrementalism is the best way to solve the problem. In addition, as I mentioned, the negative should present a disadvantage to immediate action (like the Clinton disadvantage, immediate action would lead to bad approaches to the problem, etc.).

Thanks to Jason Regnier and Matthew Ho Puck for this question.

Send Jim an e-mail if you have other tips