Co-curricular news, 23 September 2021

On Tuesday, 21 September, Debating Society debated the motion: This house believes that democracy cannot survive the internet.

The proposition (Fourth Form pupils) contended that the anonymity and connectivity of the internet had produced irrational political forces that have helped raise populism and undermined trust in democratic systems.

The opposition (Sixth Form pupils) argued that democracy has always been adversarial and that we are just in a transition phase as the free world learns to cope with a new medium of communication, whilst people in dictatorships undoubtedly benefit from more access to information. The vote before the debate was 3 in favour and 20 opposed, whilst the vote after the debate was 22 in favour and 15 opposed, so the motion was carried.

Next Tuesday, 28 September, at 1pm we will debate: This house believes that China will lead the world.

Report was written by: James Skidmore, Teacher of Politics