2026 CSLD Essay Competition
The Center for the Study of Liberal Democracy is pleased to announce its ninth annual undergraduate essay competition. Each year, students are invited to submit essays on a timely question related to foundational freedoms and responsibilities in liberal democracies. This year's question is: Tariffs: Are they a usurpation of Congress’s exclusive “power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imports, and excises,” or a legitimate and unfettered foreign policy tool of the executive branch? Essays should be approximately 1,000 words in length. The essay must be the exclusive work of the student submitting it, and no portion may rely on the use of generative AI. Submissions are due no later than 3/30/2026. Winners will be honored at the CSLD's annual Disinvited Dinner on May 2, 2026. First prize is $2500, second prize is $1500, and third prize is $1000.
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