John Locke Essay Competition · 2026 questions
John Locke Politics Essay Questions
Politics essays fail in a predictable way: the student picks a side of a current argument and writes an opinion column. The judges are political theorists and historians, and they reward a definition, a mechanism and evidence from more than one country.
The 2026 questions below are the official set. The 2027 questions are expected in late January 2027 and this page will carry them within 48 hours.
The 2026 Politics questions, one by one
Quoted verbatim from the John Locke Institute. For each: what the examiners are testing, where strong students lose marks, the argument lines that hold up over 2,000 words, and what to read before you write.
What it is really asking
Who the "self" is, and what happens when two selves claim the same territory. The word "absolute" invites you to find the limit.
The trap
Arguing about one case (Catalonia, Kosovo, Taiwan) as if it settles the principle. Use cases to test a rule, not to replace one.
Lines of argument that can carry 2,000 words
- The nested-minorities problem: every secession creates a new minority with the same claim. A right that generates its own violation cannot be absolute.
- Remedial-right theory (Buchanan): self-determination is a remedy for injustice, not a primary right. This explains why Kosovo and Catalonia are treated differently.
- The territorial-integrity norm exists to prevent wars; ask whether the price of an absolute right is paid by the people it claims to free.
Read first
- Justice, Legitimacy, and Self-Determination, Allen Buchanan
- Nations and Nationalism, Ernest Gellner
- UN General Assembly Resolution 1514 (1960) and the ICCPR, Article 1, primary sources
What the judges reward in Politics
The official criteria are knowledge and understanding, competent use of evidence, quality of argumentation, originality, structure, writing style and persuasive force. In this category that means:
- 1A definition of the contested term in paragraph one, then fidelity to it.
- 2Evidence from at least two countries, including one that cuts against your thesis.
- 3Political theory used to explain a mechanism rather than to name-drop.
- 4A conclusion that states what would change your mind.
No published winning essay yet
Politics was introduced in 2026, so the Institute has not yet published a winning essay in this category. The closest models are the published Economics, Politics-adjacent and Philosophy winners, which we take apart paragraph by paragraph in our guide to the published essays.
Past winning essays, analysedHow to prepare for the 2027 Politics questions before they are released
- 1
Pick the question where you can name a mechanism, not just a view.
- 2
Build a two-column case file: evidence for, evidence against. If the second column is empty, you have not read enough.
- 3
Read one theorist in the original and one data report; cite both.
- 4
Avoid the current-affairs voice. Write as if the reader has not seen the news this year.
John Locke Essay Competition prep for Politics
John Locke Basics
12 group sessions plus 6 hours of 1-on-1 mentorship, from question choice to a submission-ready draft. 38 of our 41 students were shortlisted in 2026.
Questions about the Politics category
It is neither easier nor harder; it is judged differently. Politics rewards a clear definition, a mechanism and comparative evidence from more than one country, while Philosophy rewards a single argument defended against its best objection. Students with a strong history or economics background often do better in Politics because the evidence base is concrete.
The other nine categories
John Locke guides
The complete guide
Eligibility, rules, dates, judging and prizes in one place.
John Locke Essay Competition prep
All four programmes, compared, with the 2026 results and the 2027 timeline.
Deadline and timeline 2027
Every date, confirmed or expected, on one page.
The interview after shortlisting
What the Institute says, what students report, how to prepare.
Past winning essays, analysed
The seven published prize essays, paragraph by paragraph.
Is it prestigious, and worth entering?
What a shortlist, commendation or prize is worth in admissions.
Free essay planner
Question deconstruction, argument map and self-audit sheet.
2027 dates and changes tracker
What is confirmed, what is expected, and every 2026 rule change.
The competition from Dubai and the UAE
How the calendar sits against UAE school terms and exam seasons.