Struggling to Find an Idea? Not Sure How to Approach the Topic?
Preparing for the John Locke Essay Competition can be challenging, especially when it comes to identifying the right argument and structuring your essay. To help students get started, we have compiled a collection of past winning essays and recommended reading lists across seven academic disciplines.
If you feel stuck, start by reading excellent examples. Understanding what makes a winning essay is often the best way to develop your own ideas and writing strategy.
1. John Locke Winning Essay Collection
We have prepared a curated collection of past John Locke Prize-winning essays along with recommended reading lists across the seven subject areas.
By studying high-quality examples, students can:
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Understand how top essays are structured
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Learn how successful arguments are developed
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Explore different approaches to essay questions
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Identify strong topic selection strategies
Before writing your own essay, reviewing these examples can help you understand what it takes to produce an award-winning submission.
2. John Locke Essay Preparation Tools
One of the most challenging aspects of preparing for the John Locke Essay Competition is developing a clear argument and framing the essay question effectively.
Another major challenge is conducting efficient academic research.
To help students prepare more efficiently, we have compiled a selection of practical tools and research resources that can significantly improve preparation efficiency and support systematic essay development.
These tools can help students:
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Conduct academic literature searches more efficiently
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Organize research materials and references
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Develop stronger arguments based on credible sources
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Structure essays more clearly and logically
2023 Prize-Winning Essays
Philosophy
“Is Tax Theft?”
2023 Grand Prize — Hosai Kishida
Economics
“Governments fund their spending by taxing citizens. Suppose instead that they relied entirely on newly created money from the central bank. What would be the advantages and/or disadvantages?”
2023 First Prize — Jieying Tan
Psychology
“If you cannot persuade your intelligent and compassionate friend to accept your religious belief system, do you have sufficient reason to believe it yourself?”
2023 Second Prize — Shivrav Sharma
“Are Beliefs Voluntary?”
2023 Third Prize — Hannah Kim
History
“What distinguishes successful social reform movements from unsuccessful ones?”
2023 First Prize — Euginy Cho
Recent Winning Essays
Philosophy Essays
“Is intuition to philosophy what observation is to science?”
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2020 Grand Prize
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2020 Second Prize
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2020 Third Prize
“Aristotle’s virtue ethics experienced a revival in the twentieth century. Was this progress or a setback?”
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2019 First Prize
Politics Essays
“Citizens in the United States donate only 0.01% of their income to the government in voluntary contributions. If politicians spend taxpayers’ money as effectively as they claim, why do they not compete more successfully with private charities? What implications follow from your answer?”
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2020 First Prize
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2020 Third Prize
“Governments do many things, such as taxation and conscription, that we would oppose if done by private individuals. Can this be justified?”
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2020 Second Prize
“To what extent should we care about social cohesion?”
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2019 First Prize
Economics Essays
“What is the socially efficient level of crime?”
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2020 First Prize
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2020 Third Prize
“What are the most important economic effects—positive and negative—of compulsory redistribution? How should this inform government policy?”
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2020 Second Prize
“What does economics tell us about the benefits and costs of immigration, and what policies should we adopt?”
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2019 First Prize
History Essays
“In what ways is the modern world different from previous historical periods, and why did it emerge when and where it did?”
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2020 First Prize
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2020 Third Prize
“Are strong states a prerequisite for economic growth, or an obstacle to it?”
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2020 Second Prize
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2020 Third Prize
“Henry Kissinger argued that those who pursue peace most relentlessly are often least able to achieve it. Discuss in light of events since 1945.”
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2019 First Prize
Psychology Essays
“Is all reasoning—outside mathematics and formal logic—motivated reasoning?”
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2020 First Prize
“According to evolutionary psychology, humans evolved to believe what is useful rather than necessarily what is true. How can we resist this tendency, and would doing so increase or decrease human flourishing?”
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2020 Second Prize
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2020 Third Prize
“What is the most important insight from neuroscience that has not yet been widely applied to education?”
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2019 First Prize
Theology Essays
“Many people commit acts condemned by others in obedience to sincerely held beliefs. Can we reasonably expect anyone to do more than simply follow their conscience?”
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2020 First Prize
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2020 Second Prize
“Is Islam a religion of peace?”
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2020 Third Prize
“What kind of God would create trillions of animals and allow many of them to die in suffering? Should we worship such a God?”
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2019 First Prize
Law Essays
“Do laws prohibiting prostitution protect or violate women’s rights?”
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2020 First Prize
“Why is racial discrimination illegal on employment websites but not on social platforms such as Facebook or Tinder?”
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2020 Second Prize
“Do the fundamental principles of common law require juries to be informed about jury nullification?”
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2020 Third Prize
“Should computer-generated child pornography be permitted?”
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2019 First Prize
Junior Prize Essays
“Who should own your data? The companies you agree to share it with, everyone, only you, or no one?”
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2020 First Prize
“How socialist is Sweden?”
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2020 Second Prize
“Who is the greatest leader in history?”
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2020 Third Prize
“Milton Friedman once said, ‘The social responsibility of business is to increase its profits.’ Do you agree?”
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2019 First Prize
