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Full Transcript of Biden’s Speech on Ending His Run for Re-election

“The best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation,” the president said in a rare Oval Office address. And he told voters, “History is in your hands.”

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President Biden delivered remarks from the Oval Office on Wednesday on his decision to abandon his bid for re-election. The following is a transcript of his speech, as recorded by The New York Times.

My fellow Americans, I’m speaking to you tonight from behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office. In this sacred space, I’m surrounded by portraits of extraordinary American presidents. Thomas Jefferson wrote the immortal words that guide this nation. George Washington showed us presidents are not kings. Abraham Lincoln implored us to reject malice. Franklin Roosevelt inspired us to reject fear.

I revere this office, but I love my country more. It’s been the honor of my life to serve as your president. But in the defense of democracy, which is at stake, I think it’s more important than any title. I draw strength and find joy in working for the American people. But this sacred task of perfecting our union is not about me, it’s about you. Your families, your futures.

It’s about we the people. And we can never forget that. And I never have. I’ve made it clear that I believe America is at an inflection point. On those rare moments in history, when the decisions we make now determine our fate of our nation and the world for decades to come, America is going to have to choose between moving forward or backward, between hope and hate, between unity and division.

We have to decide: Do we still believe in honesty, decency, respect, freedom, justice and democracy. In this moment, we can see those we disagree with not as enemies but as, I mean, fellow Americans — can we do that? Does character in public life still matter? I believe you know the answer to these questions because I know you the American people, and I know this:

We are a great nation because we are a good people. When you elected me to this office, I promised to always level with you, to tell you the truth. And the truth, the sacred cause of this country, is larger than any one of us. Those of us who cherry that cause cherish it so much. The cause of American democracy itself. We must unite to protect it.

In recent weeks, it has become clear to me that I need to unite my party in this critical endeavor. I believe my record as president, my leadership in the world, my vision for America’s future, all merited a second term. But nothing, nothing can come in the way of saving our democracy. That includes personal ambition.

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HeinOnline Blog

The 15 most inspiring presidential speeches in american history.

• By Tara Kibler
• February 15, 2021
• History , Political Science

Over the centuries, millions upon millions of words have been used by U.S. presidents to motivate, caution, reassure, and guide the American people. Whether written in the news, spoken at a podium, or shared on Twitter, all of these words have carried weight, each with the potential to impact the trajectory of our nation. Only a handful of times, however, has the particular arrangement and context of these words been considered truly inspiring.

This Presidents’ Day, join HeinOnline in rediscovering some of the greatest presidential speeches in American history using our   U.S. Presidential Library  and other sources.

1. Washington’s Farewell Address

Date:  September 17th, 1796

Context:  Toward the end of his second term as the first U.S. president, George Washington announced his retirement from office in a letter addressed to the American people. Though many feared for a United States without Washington, the address reassured the young nation that it no longer required his leadership. Washington also used the opportunity to offer advice for the prosperity of the country. After witnessing the growing division between the Federalist and Democratic-Republican parties, much of his advice was to warn against political parties, factions, and other animosities (domestic and foreign) that would eventually undermine the integrity and efficacy of the American government.

Notable Quote:  “This spirit [of party], unfortunately, is inseparable from our nature, having its root in the strongest passions of the human mind … [but] the disorders and miseries which result gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose in the absolute power of an individual; and sooner or later the chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own elevation, on the ruins of public liberty.

“Without looking forward to an extremity of this kind (which nevertheless ought not to be entirely out of sight), the common and continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it the interest and duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it. It serves always to distract the public councils and enfeeble the public administration. It agitates the community with ill-founded jealousies and false alarms, kindles the animosity of one part against another, foments occasionally riot and insurrection. It opens the door to foreign influence and corruption, which finds a facilitated access to the government itself through the channels of party passions … A fire not to be quenched, it demands a uniform vigilance to prevent its bursting into a flame, lest, instead of warming, it should consume.”

2. Lincoln’s Gettysburg Address

Date:  November 19, 1863

Context:  Four months after Union armies defeated Confederates at Gettysburg during the American Civil War, President Lincoln visited the site to dedicate the Soldiers’ National Cemetery. In what were intended to be brief, appropriate remarks for the situation, Lincoln used the moment to offer his take on the war and its meaning. The ten sentences he spoke would ultimately become one of the most famous speeches in American history, an inspiration for notable remarks centuries later, and even a foundation for the wording of other countries’ constitutions.

Notable Quote:  “… from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they heregave the last full measure of devotion; that we here highly resolve that the dead shall not have died in vain; that the Nation shall under God have a new birth of freedom, and that Governments of the people, by the people and for the people shall not perish from the earth.”

3. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Inaugural Address

Date:  March 4, 1933

Context:  The inauguration of Franklin D. Roosevelt was held as the country was in the throes of the Great Depression, and as such, America anxiously awaited what he had to say. Roosevelt did not disappoint, offering 20 minutes of reassurance, hope, and promises for urgent action.

Notable Quote:  “So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is … fear itself — nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and of vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory. And I am convinced that you will again give that support to leadership in these critical days.”

4. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s First Fireside Chat

Date:  March 12, 1933

Context:  Just a few days after his inauguration, Roosevelt instituted what he called “fireside chats,” using the relatively new technology of radio to enter the living rooms of Americans and discuss current issues. In these moments, he could speak at length, unfiltered and uninterrupted by the press, while also offering a reassuring, optimistic tone that might otherwise have been lost in the written word. In this first fireside chat, he crafted a message to explain the American banking process (and its current difficulties) in a way that the average listener could understand.

Notable Quote:  “Confidence and courage are the essentials of success in carrying out our plan. You people must have faith. You must not be stampeded by rumors or guesses. Let us unite in banishing fear. We have provided the machinery to restore our financial system, and it is up to you to support and make it work. It is your problem, my friends. Your problem no less than it is mine. Together, we cannot fail.”

5. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “Four Freedoms” Speech

Date:  January 6, 1941

Context:  By 1941, many affected by the Great Depression had experienced economic recovery, but another world-changing phenomenon had reared its head—Hitler and his Nazi regime. World War II was raging in Europe and the Pacific, but the United States had thus far remained largely neutral. In light of the atrocities occurring overseas, Roosevelt sought to change that. He crafted his State of the Union address that January to highlight four freedoms which are deserved by all humans everywhere. The “Four Freedoms” speech, as it was ultimately known, later became the basis for  America’s intervention in World War II  and significantly influenced American values, life, and politics moving forward.

Notable Quote:  “In the future days, which we seek to make secure, we look forward to a world founded upon four essential human freedoms. The first is freedom of speech and expression—everywhere in the world. The second is freedom of every person to worship God in his own way—everywhere in the world. The third is freedom from want—which, translated into world terms, means economic understandings which will secure to every nation a healthy peace of time life for its inhabitants—everywhere in the world. The fourth is freedom from fear—which, translated into world terms, means a world-wide reduction, armaments to such a point and in such a thorough fashion that no nation will be in a position to commit an act of physical aggression against any neighbor—anywhere in the world.”

6. Eisenhower’s “Atoms for Peace” Speech

Date:  December 8, 1953

Context:  During World War II, Roosevelt formally authorized the Manhattan Project, a top-secret U.S. effort to weaponize nuclear energy. By 1945,  America had successfully created the atomic bomb , and President Truman had authorized its detonation in Japan’s Hiroshima and Nagasaki, leveling the two cities and killing hundreds of thousands of people. Following the end of World War II, political and economic differences between the United States and Soviet Union drove the two countries to another war soon after, but this time, the Soviet Union had their own atomic bomb as well. The world was teetering on a frightening ledge built by access to nuclear power, causing President Eisenhower to launch an “emotion management” campaign with this speech to the United Nations about the very real risks but also peaceful uses of nuclear energy.

Notable Quote:  “… the whole book of history reveals mankind’s never-ending quest for peace and mankind’s God-given capacity to build. It is with the book of history, and not with isolated pages, that the United States will ever wish to be identified. My country wants to be constructive, not destructive. It wants agreements, not wars, among nations. It wants itself to live in freedom and in the confidence that the peoples of every other nation enjoy equally the right of choosing their own way of life. … The United States knows that if the fearful trend of atomic military build-up can be reversed, this greatest of destructive forces can be developed into a great boon, for the benefit of all mankind.”

7. Eisenhower’s Farewell Address

Date:  January 17, 1961

Context:  As he came to the end of his term, President Eisenhower found himself in a nation much stronger, much richer, and much more advanced than when he began. Prepared as early as two years in advance, his farewell address acknowledged the pride all should have in these achievements, but also served to ground the American people in sobering reality—that how the United States uses this power and standing will ultimately determine its fate. Like Washington, his address was one of caution against dangers such as massive spending, an overpowered military industry, and Federal domination of scientific progress (or vice versa, the scientific-technological domination of public policy). In all things, he stressed the need to maintain balance as the country moves forward, for the preservation of liberty.

Notable Quote:  “Down the long lane of the history yet to be written America knows that this world of ours, ever growing smaller, must avoid becoming a community of dreadful fear and hate, and be, instead, a proud confederation of mutual trust and respect. Such a confederation must be one of equals. The weakest must come to the conference table with the same confidence as do we, protected as we are by our moral, economic, and military strength. That table, though scarred by many past frustrations, cannot be abandoned for the certain agony of the battlefield.”

8. Kennedy’s Inaugural Address

Date:  January 20, 1961

Context:  A few days after Eisenhower’s farewell speech, he turned over his office to the youngest-ever elected president, John F. Kennedy. Kennedy now found himself faced with the monumental task of strengthening the United States while also quelling American anxieties about the Cold War and avoiding nuclear warfare. His speech thus focused on unity, togetherness, and collaboration both domestically and abroad.

Notable Quote:  “In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility—I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it—and the glow from that fire can truly light the world.

And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”

9. Kennedy’s “We Choose to Go to the Moon” Speech

Date:  September 12, 1962

Context:  In the name of national security, the United States and USSR set their sights on spaceflight as a top priority during the Cold War. To the surprise (and fear) of people around the globe, the Soviet Union launched the first-ever artificial satellite in 1957, then sent the first human being into space in 1961, signaling to onlookers that its nation was a technological force to be reckoned with. Kennedy was determined to come up with a challenge in space technology that the United States actually stood a chance to win. In the early ’60s, he proposed that America focus on putting a man on the moon. In an uplifting speech at Rice University, Kennedy reminded his listeners of the country’s technological progress so far and of his administration’s determination to continue the pioneering spirit of early America into the new frontier of space.

Notable Quote:  “We choose to go to the moon. We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard, because that goal will serve to organize and measure the best of our energies and skills, because that challenge is one that we are willing to accept, one we are unwilling to postpone, and one which we intend to win, and the others, too.”

Read about America’s successful moon landing in this blog post.

10. Lyndon B. Johnson’s “Great Society” Speech

Date:  May 22, 1964

Context:  Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in as President in 1963, immediately following  Kennedy’s assassination . Johnson vowed to continue the former president’s work on poverty, civil rights, and other issues. Inspired in part by FDR’s New Deal, he devised a set of programs intended to completely eliminate poverty and racial injustice. In 1964, he formally proposed some specific goals in a speech to the University of Michigan, where he coined the lofty ideal of a “Great Society.”

Notable Quote:  “Your imagination, your initiative, and your indignation will determine whether we build a society where progress is the servant of our needs, or a society where old values and new visions are buried under unbridled growth. For in your time we have the opportunity to move not only toward the rich society and the powerful society, but upward to the Great Society.”

11. Lyndon B. Johnson’s “We Shall Overcome” Speech

Date:  March 15, 1965

Context:  By the 1960s, blacks in areas of the Deep South found themselves disenfranchised by state voting laws, such as those requiring a poll tax, literacy tests, or knowledge of the U.S. constitution. Furthermore, these laws were sometimes applied subjectively, leading to the prevention of even educated blacks from voting or registering to vote. Inspired (and sometimes joined) by Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr., protests were planned throughout the region. Eight days after racial violence erupted around one of these protests in Selma, Alabama, President Johnson addressed Congress to declare that “every American citizen must have an equal right to vote” and that discriminatory policies were denying African-Americans that right.

Notable Quote:  “What happened in Selma is part of a far larger movement which reaches into every section and State of America. It is the effort of American Negroes to secure for themselves the full blessings of American life. Their cause must be our cause too. Because it’s not just Negroes, but really it’s all of us, who must overcome the crippling legacy of bigotry and injustice. And we shall overcome …

“This great, rich, restless country can offer opportunity and education and hope to all, all black and white, all North and South, sharecropper and city dweller. These are the enemies: poverty, ignorance, disease. They’re our enemies, not our fellow man, not our neighbor. And these enemies too—poverty, disease, and ignorance: we shall overcome.”

12. Reagan’s D-Day Anniversary Address

Date:  June 6, 1984

Context:  During World War II, the Allied forces attacked German troops on the coast of Normandy, France on June 6, 1944. A turning point for the war, the day came to be known as D-Day, and its anniversary is forever acknowledged. On its 40th anniversary, President Ronald Reagan honored the heroes of that day in a speech that also invoked a comparison of World War II’s Axis dictators to the Soviet Union during the ongoing Cold War. This reminder to the Allies that they once fought together against totalitarianism and must continue the fight now helped contribute to the ultimate dissolution of the Soviet Union.

Notable Quote:  “We look for some sign from the Soviet Union that they are willing to move forward, that they share our desire and love for peace, and that they will give up the ways of conquest. There must be a changing there that will allow us to turn our hope into action. We will pray forever that some day that changing will come. But for now, particularly today, it is good and fitting to renew our commitment to each other, to our freedom, and to the alliance that protects it. We are bound today by what bound us 40 years ago, the same loyalties, traditions, and beliefs. We’re bound by reality. The strength of America’s allies is vital to the United States, and the American security guarantee is essential to the continued freedom of Europe’s democracies. We were with you then; we are with you now. Your hopes are our hopes, and your destiny is our destiny.”

13. Reagan’s Berlin Wall Speech

Date:  June 12, 1987

Context:  With the fall of Nazi Germany at the end of World War II, Western powers and the Soviet Union sought to establish systems of government in their respective occupied regions. West Germany developed into a Western capitalist country, with a democratic parliamentary government, while East Germany became a socialist workers’ state (though it was often referred to as communist in the English-speaking world). Many experiencing hunger, poverty, and repression in the Soviet-influenced East Germany attempted to move west, with the City of Berlin their main point of crossing. Ultimately, the Soviet Union advised East Germany to build a wall on the inner German border, restricting movement and emigration by threat of execution for attempted emigrants. Seen as a symbol of Communist tyranny by Western nations, the Berlin Wall persisted for nearly three decades. In 1987, President Ronald Reagan visited West Berlin and called upon Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev to take down the wall as a symbol of moving forward.

Notable Quote:  “We welcome change and openness; for we believe that freedom and security go together, that the advance of human liberty can only strengthen the cause of world peace. There is one sign the Soviets can make that would be unmistakable, that would advance dramatically the cause of freedom and peace. General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!”

14. George W. Bush’s Post-9/11 Speech

Date:  September 11, 2001

Context:  On September 11, 2001, the United States experienced  the single worst terrorist attack in human history , where four American planes were hijacked and flown into American buildings, killing nearly 3,000 people. Viewers around the world watched the news as five stories of the Pentagon fell and the World Trade Center buildings collapsed entirely. Later that evening, President George W. Bush addressed the nation with a brief but powerful message that chose to focus not on fear, but on America’s strength in unity.

Notable Quote:

“These acts of mass murder were intended to frighten our nation into chaos and retreat. But they have failed. Our country is strong. A great people has been moved to defend a great nation. Terrorist attacks can shake the foundations of our biggest buildings, but they cannot touch the foundation of America. These acts shatter steel, but they cannot dent the steel of American resolve. America was targeted for attack because we’re the brightest beacon for freedom and opportunity in the world. And no one will keep that light from shining.”

15. Obama’s “More Perfect Union” Speech

Date:  March 18, 2008

Context:  While campaigning for the presidency in 2008, Barack Obama came under fire for his relationship with pastor Jeremiah Wright, who had been heard to denounce the United States and accuse the government of racial crimes. To officially address the relationship and condemn Wright’s inflammatory remarks, Obama crafted a speech that discussed the history of racial inequality in America as well as the dissonance between that history and America’s ideals of human liberty. Importantly, however, he also highlighted the necessity for a unified American people to effectively combat those issues, rather than more racial division.

Notable Quote:  “[T]he remarks that have caused this recent firestorm weren’t simply controversial. They weren’t simply a religious leader’s effort to speak out against perceived injustice. Instead, they expressed a profoundly distorted view of this country—a view that sees white racism as endemic, and that elevates what is wrong with America above all that we know is right with America ….

“[These] comments were not only wrong but divisive, divisive at a time when we need unity; racially charged at a time when we need to come together to solve a set of monumental problems—two wars, a terrorist threat, a falling economy, a chronic health care crisis and potentially devastating climate change; problems that are neither black or white or Latino or Asian, but rather problems that confront us all ….

“The fact is that the comments that have been made and the issues that have surfaced over the last few weeks reflect the complexities of race in this country that we’ve never really worked through—a part of our union that we have yet to perfect. And if we walk away now, if we simply retreat into our respective corners, we will never be able to come together and solve challenges like health care, or education, or the need to find good jobs for every American.”

Read about Barack Obama’s presidency in this blog post.

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10 Modern Presidential Speeches Every American Should Know

By: Allison McNearney

Updated: October 18, 2023 | Original: February 16, 2018

Presidential speeches reveal the United States’ challenges, hopes, dreams and temperature of the nation, as much as they do the wisdom and perspective of the leader speaking them. Even in the age of Twitter, the formal, spoken word from the White House carries great weight and can move, anger or inspire at home and around the world.

Here are the 10 most important modern presidential speeches selected by scholars at the Miller Center —a nonpartisan affiliate of the University of Virginia that specializes in presidential scholarship—and professors from other universities, as well.

1. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s First Inaugural Address

When: 1933, during the Great Depression

What Roosevelt Said: “This is preeminently the time to speak the truth, the whole truth, frankly and boldly. Nor need we shrink from honestly facing conditions in our country today. This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper. So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself… Our greatest primary task is to put people to work. This is no unsolvable problem if we face it wisely and courageously. It can be accomplished in part by direct recruiting by the Government itself, treating the task as we would treat the emergency of a war.”

Why It Was Important: Roosevelt is embarking on something audacious, proposing that the national government has an obligation to provide an economic safety net for its citizens to protect them from the unpredictability of the market. In making a case for bold intervention in markets, he’s also making a case for a stronger executive at the top. But for all the disruptive talk in this speech, Roosevelt delivers reassurance. I think a hallmark of the speeches that we remember the most by presidents from both parties are ones that not only address the circumstances at hand, but also give people some hope.

— Margaret O’Mara, professor of history, University of Washington

2. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s First Fireside Chat 'On Banking'

When: March 1933

What Roosevelt Said: “My friends, I want to talk for a few minutes with the people of the United States about banking…confidence and courage are the essentials of success in carrying out our plan. You people must have faith. You must not be stampeded by rumors or guesses. Let us unite in banishing fear. We have provided the machinery to restore our financial system, and it is up to you to support and make it work. It is your problem, my friends. Your problem no less than it is mine. Together, we cannot fail.”

Why It Was Important: Beginning with the simple phrase, “My friends,” the stage was set for the personalization of the presidency that continued throughout FDR’s administration. Roosevelt received an outpouring of support from the public and used the power of media to connect with his constituents. Recognizing publicity as essential to policymaking, he crafted a very intricate public relations plan for all of his New Deal legislation. The media allowed him to present a very carefully crafted message that was unfiltered and unchallenged by the press. Many newspapers were critical of his New Deal programs, so turning to radio and motion pictures allowed him to present his version of a particular policy directly to the people. Today, we see parallels in the use of Twitter to bypass opponents and critics of the administration to appeal directly to the American people. And that all started with FDR and his first fireside chat.

— Kathryn Cramer Brownell, Assistant Professor of History, Purdue University

3. Dwight Eisenhower’s 'Atoms for Peace' Speech to the United Nations

What Eisenhower Said: “I feel impelled to speak today in a language that, in a sense, is new. One which I, who have spent so much of my life in the military profession, would have preferred never to use: That new language is the language of atomic warfare…Against the dark background of the atomic bomb, the United States does not wish merely to present strength, but also the desire and the hope for peace. To the makers of these fateful decisions, the United States pledges before you, and therefore before the world, its determination to help solve the fearful atomic dilemma. To devote its entire heart and mind to find the way by which the miraculous inventiveness of man shall not be dedicated to his death, but consecrated to his life.”

Why It Was Important: Eisenhower believed in the political power of nuclear weapons, but in this speech, he talks about their dangers. He speaks about the importance of preventing the spread of nuclear weapons and proposes that the U.S. and Soviet Union cooperate to reduce their nuclear stockpiles. Keep in mind that there were just 1,300 nuclear weapons in the world in 1953 compared with more than seven times that number today. But Eisenhower is also a realist. He understands the importance of nuclear deterrence and he reminds his audience that his proposal comes from a position of American strength, not weakness.

— Todd Sechser, Professor of Politics, University of Virginia and Senior Fellow, Miller Center

4. Dwight Eisenhower’s Farewell Address

What Eisenhower Said: “Until the latest of our world conflicts, the United States had no armaments industry. But we can no longer risk emergency improvisation of national defense. We have been compelled to create a permanent armaments industry of vast proportion…In the councils of government, we must guard against the acquisition of unwarranted influence, whether sought or unsought, by the military-industrial complex. The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist. We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties or democratic process.”

Why It Was Important: That speech gave a name to our modern era. Eisenhower was telling us that we now live in a time when government, the military and the corporate world all have joined together into a powerful alliance that shapes the basic democratic functioning of the country. Eisenhower understood that Americans wanted both security and liberty, and it’s a fundamental paradox of the American experiment. In order to have security, we need to have a large defense establishment. But he asks, who is going to be the guardian of our freedoms in a world where we have to have a permanent arms industry? What he was saying in the speech is that we have to learn how to live with it, and control it, rather than having it control us.

— Will Hitchcock, Randolph P. Compton Professor at the Miller Center and professor of history, University of Virginia

5. Lyndon B. Johnson’s 'Great Society' Speech at the University of Michigan

When: May 22, 1964

What Johnson Said: “For a century, we labored to settle and to subdue a continent. For half a century, we called upon unbounded invention and untiring industry to create an order of plenty for all of our people. The challenge of the next half-century is whether we have the wisdom to use that wealth to enrich and elevate our national life, and to advance the quality of our American civilization. Your imagination and your initiative and your indignation will determine whether we build a society where progress is the servant of our needs, or a society where old values and new visions are buried under unbridled growth. For, in your time, we have the opportunity to move not only toward the rich society and the powerful society, but upward to the Great Society. “

Why It Was Important: LBJ called on all Americans to move upward to a Great Society in which wealth is used for more than personal enrichment and is instead used to improve communities, protect the natural world, and allow all Americans, regardless of race or class, to fully develop their innate talents and abilities. The message of Johnson’s speech resonates today because we have lost not only that self-confidence and that idealism but also the vision to recognize that prosperity can be used for something greater than the self.

— Guian McKee, Associate Professor of Presidential Studies, the Miller Center

6. John F. Kennedy’s Address on the Space Effort

When: September 1962

What Kennedy Said: “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard…Those who came before us made certain that this country rode the first waves of the Industrial Revolution, the first waves of modern invention and the first wave of nuclear power. And this generation does not intend to founder in the backwash of the coming age of space, we mean to be a part of it, we mean to lead it.”

Why It Was Important: We were in a new age of technology and space exploration. President Kennedy made Americans feel that there was nothing that we couldn’t do, no challenge we couldn’t conquer. It was before Vietnam, before Watergate, before the deaths of our heroes like Jack and Bobby Kennedy and Martin Luther King —when we had a sense in this country that if we all joined together we could fulfill our loftiest goals.

— Barbara Perry, Director of Presidential Studies, the Miller Center

7. Ronald Reagan’s Speech Commemorating the 40th Anniversary of D-Day

When: June 6, 1984

What Reagan Said: “The rangers looked up and saw the enemy soldiers at the edge of the cliffs shooting down at them with machine guns and throwing grenades, and the American rangers began to climb. They shot rope ladders over the face of these cliffs and began to pull themselves up. When one ranger fell, another would take his place. When one rope was cut, a ranger would grab another and begin his climb again. They climbed, shot back, and held their footing. Soon, one by one, the rangers pulled themselves over the top, and in seizing the firm land at the top of these cliffs they began to seize back the continent of Europe… (to veterans) You all knew that some things are worth dying for. One’s country is worth dying for, and Democracy is worth dying for because it’s the most deeply honorable form of government ever devised by man.

Why It’s Important: That day in June of 1984, before  Band of Brothers  and  Saving Private Ryan  ever came to be, President Reagan paid tribute to the heroism of those we now call the Greatest Generation, the men and women who liberated Europe and ensured freedom for generations to come.  But for the first time, he also tied resistance to totalitarianism in World War II to opposition to the Soviet Union during the Cold War . President Reagan’s words at the end of that speech, again in the second person, to our Allies that “we were with you then, and we are with you now,” when he called upon the West to “renew our commitment to each other, to our freedom, and to the alliance that protects it” kept the coalition in place that later defeated the Soviet Union and ended the Cold War. The “boys of Pointe du Hoc” saved the world, and, in many ways, they did so more than once.

— Mary Kate Cary, Senior Fellow, the Miller Center

8. Ronald Reagan’s Address on the Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster

When: January 1986

What Reagan Said: “The future doesn’t belong to the faint-hearted but to the brave. The Challenger crew was pulling us into the future, and we’ll continue to follow them…The crew of the space shuttle Challenger honored us by the manner in which they lived their lives. We will never forget them nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for their journey and waved goodbye, and slipped the surly bonds of Earth to touch the face of God.”

Why It Was Important: In our current era of political divisiveness, we tend to think of presidents as partisan leaders. But the president’s role as “comforter in chief” is one of the most important functions. The great presidents are distinguished by their ability to set aside partisanship in times of tragedy to speak words that comfort a nation and remind us that, despite our differences, we are all, in the end, Americans.

— Chris Lu, Senior Fellow, the Miller Center

9. George W. Bush’s 'Get On Board' Speech

When: After the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks

What Bush Said: “When they struck they wanted to create an atmosphere of fear, and one of the great goals of this war is…to tell the traveling public: Get on board. Do your business around the country. Fly and enjoy America’s great destination spots. Get down to Disney World in Florida. Take your families and enjoy life the way we want it to be enjoyed.”

Why It Was Important: In short, Bush was saying don’t let the terrorists deter you from spending—the economy needs you. More specifically, Bush’s remarks demonstrated the importance that consumption had come to play in the economy by the twenty-first century. He was carrying out what had become an essential responsibility of the 21st-century president. Even as Bush modeled what it meant to be a strong commander in chief, he juggled another role that had become almost as important: “consumer in chief.”

— Brian Balogh, Dorothy Compton Professor of History, the Miller Center

10. Barack Obama’s 'A More Perfect Union' Speech

What Obama Said: “Contrary to the claim of some of my critics, black and white, I have never been so naïve to think as to believe we can get beyond our racial divisions on a single election cycle or with a single candidate, particularly a candidacy as imperfect as my own. But I have asserted a firm conviction, a conviction rooted in my faith in God and my faith in the American people, that working together we can move beyond some of our old racial wounds, and that in fact we have no choice. We have no choice if we are to continue on the path of a more perfect union…What we know, what we have seen, is that America can change. That is the true genius of this nation. What we have already achieved gives us hope, the audacity to hope, for what we can and must achieve tomorrow.”

Why It Was Important: Conventional wisdom wouldn’t recommend a speech on race. But Obama ran to the challenge, not away from it. Uniquely positioned to do so, he welcomed listeners to places many have never experienced—a predominantly black church, a cringe-worthy conversation with a beloved relative of a different race, the kitchen tables of white Americans who feel resentful and left behind—and he recounted Americans often divergent perspectives. He asked us to be honest about our past while connecting it to the structural barriers faced by African Americans and other people of color today…Direct, honest, but nuanced, Obama believed that most Americans were ready to hear the truth and make a choice, to move beyond racial stalemate, face our challenges, and act accordingly.

 — Melody Barnes, a Senior Fellow, the Miller Center

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What makes a great political speech?

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Cambridge Festival of Ideas debate to examine the changing nature of political speeches.

Martin Luther King could get away with elevated language because his cause was a noble one. You can’t really do that when you are talking about the reform of local government. It just isn’t as big an affront to justice. Phil Collins

All eyes will be on Ed Miliband today and much has been written about the importance of his party conference speech.

But what makes a good political speech? Inevitably, Ed Miliband will be compared with Labour leaders of the past, particularly Tony Blair who was known for his persuasive powers. Phil Collins, who wrote many of Blair's speeches, says that great political speeches need a big event or a rallying cause and there are just less of them than there were in the past.

He will be speaking in a debate on political rhetoric at this year's Cambridge Festival of Ideas next month. Other speakers include David Runciman, reader in political thought at the University of Cambridge, author Piers Brendon, former Keeper of the Churchill Archives Centre and Michael White, the Guardian's political editor. The event will be held at Churchill College, Cambridge on October 20th.

For Collins, great political speeches need three key ingredients: a serious argument which leaves the audience thinking something new or resolved to act; great delivery that stirs the emotions as well as appealing to reason; and a sense of occasion.

He says: “Martin Luther King could get away with elevated language because his cause was a noble one. You can’t really do that when you are talking about the reform of local government. It just isn’t as big an affront to justice. So, there is a very good reason we have fewer remarkable speeches which is that we don’t need them as much as we did.”

Collins also justifies the use of sound bites, although he says he always worked by building a solid argument first and then trying to distil the best possible phrase out of the argument rather than the other way around. He says that not only are soundbites vital in a world where a 24/7 media edits chunks of speeches down to one phrase, but all the great writers are full of them. “We should guard against the derogatory association of the word soundbite,” he says. “All we mean, really, is a pithy way of capturing the essence of the point. To be or not to be – that really was the question. It was a soundbite too.”

He adds that the emphasis on soundbites is likely to increase. “The endless fragmentation that results from the coverage of modern media is the main reason that the soundbite has become such a ubiquitous part of political discourse. Your words are going to be chopped into pieces in any case so you might as well offer up the encapsulation you think is the best one.”

Collins says that one of the potential pitfalls of modern party conference speech is the number of people who vet it. “The big conference speeches have many authors, or at least many contributors,” he says.  “It is inevitable, when there are lots of hands at work, that the integrity of the argument goes missing. The task for a conference speech is always to recuperate the argument. The more a single person can be in overall control, as a sort of editor-in-chief, the better. Writing by committee is rarely a good way to work.”

Nevertheless, a good political speech can make all the difference. David Cameron owes his leadership of the Conservatives to two speeches, he says – one he gave which was well received and one given by his rival David Davis which “bombed”. He adds that it is hard to imagine Barack Obama would have become President without his oratory powers.

The audience is clearly vital for any speech writer and Collins says people's attention spans have declined, as has the breadth of their vocabulary and range of reference. Mass democracy means that references to  high culture divide an audience where they would once have united it, he says. There are also more political speeches than there used to be.

“Gladstone and Disraeli used to speak rarely every year. Each speech was an epic, months in the preparation, but they would not be doing speeches three times a week, as many politicians are now,” he says. “In the process, we have devalued the currency a little. The effective political speech, though, remains what it has always been – a mixture of reasoned argument and emotional passion.”

Other speakers at the Festival of Ideas debate will focus on the historical or wider issues associated with political speech-making. Piers Brendon, for instance, will talk about Churchill's use of political rhetoric, which he likens to the style of a music-hall performer, and contrast it with today's more colloquial, television-orientated and soundbiteish delivery.

• The event, to be held at Wolfson Theatre, Churchill College from 6-7.15pm on Thursday, 20 October, will be chaired by Allen Packwood, Keeper of the Churchill Archives Centre. Arrive at 5.30pm to see an exhibition of documents from the Centre.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Licence . If you use this content on your site please link back to this page.

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The Presidency / Presidential Speeches

Famous presidential speeches.

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Primary Source Set Presidential Speeches

The resources in this primary source set are intended for classroom use. If your use will be beyond a single classroom, please review the copyright and fair use guidelines.

Teacher’s Guide

To help your students analyze these primary sources, get a graphic organizer and guides: Analysis Tool and Guides

Each presidential speech is unique. By working with primary sources from the online collections of the Library of Congress, students can explore the people and events that shaped these speeches. They can also identify the components of an effective speech and discover persuasive strategies that will help make their own speeches presidential.

Teaching Ideas

• Present your students with still or moving images from the Library’s online collections of presidents delivering speeches. What do your students notice about the presidents as they speak? What, if any, gestures are they making? If there’s an audience, how does the president interact with them? Why do you think the presidents made these choices?
• Ask your students to watch or listen to recordings of presidential speeches. How do they compare to more recent presidential speeches?
• Ask your students to select a few presidential speeches and identify elements that these speeches have in common. What issues do the speeches address? What was the occasion and audience for each speech? How might occasion and audience have affected the president’s choice of topic and the way in which the president addressed the topic?

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Biden’s speech: Warnings about Trump without naming him, a hefty to-do list, and a power handoff

In a rare Oval Office address to the nation explaining why he stepped down from the 2024 presidential race, President Joe Biden said he believes the best way to unite the nation is to “pass the torch to a new generation.”

President Joe Biden addresses the nation from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, July 24, 2024, about his decision to drop his Democratic presidential reelection bid. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, Pool)

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President Joe Biden pauses before addressing the nation from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, July 24, 2024, about his decision to drop his Democratic presidential reelection bid. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, Pool)

President Joe Biden addresses the nation from the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, July 24, 2024, about his decision to drop his Democratic reelection bid. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, Pool)

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden delivered a solemn Oval Office address Wednesday that laid out in the clearest terms yet why he abandoned his reelection campaign.

He wanted to send an unmistakable warning about Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump while anointing Vice President Kamala Harris as his natural successor, without invoking an overtly political tone that would have been out of step in the official setting of the White House. He was determined to show that he would not act like a lame-duck president, outlining an ambitious agenda that underscored his resolve to continue building on his legacy.

Follow AP’s live coverage of the 2024 presidential race.

Here are key takeaways from Biden’s address:

He warned about Trump — without naming him

Biden did not mention Trump, his former Republican opponent , in his 10-minute Oval Office address — but he didn’t have to. The remarks were imbued with a deep sense of urgency about what the outgoing president saw as the stakes of the election.

The early part of his address sketched the choices that faces voters in November — a contrast Biden himself had hoped to make during a reelection campaign that he ultimately decided he could not continue.

“Americans are going to have to choose between moving forward or backward, between hope and hate, between unity and division,” Biden said. “We have to decide — do we still believe in honesty, decency, respect, freedom, justice and democracy.”

That last item — democracy — and defending it is “more important than any title,” Biden said.

Biden outlined a hefty to-do list for his final months

The president says he’s going to keep working over his final six months in office. He’s seeking to make the case for his legacy of sweeping domestic legislation and the renewal of alliances abroad.

His to-do list was full of weighty issues. He said he’d work to end the war in Gaza, bring home the hostages and try “to bring peace and security to the Middle East and end this war.” Biden meets Thursday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu .

He’s going to continue to work to lower costs for families and defend personal freedoms, keep calling out “hate and extremism” and push to end gun violence.

He also said he would continue to work on his initiative to end cancer as we know it and push for Supreme Court reforms .

“I’m going to keep working,” he said.

He is willingly handing off power to a new generation

Biden finally understood what Democrats had been telling him — that it was time to hand off power to a younger generation — and he embraced it, calling for “fresh voices, yes, younger voices” in politics.

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“I’ve decided the best way forward is to pass the torch to a new generation. It’s the best way to unite our nation,” he said, even as he believed his presidency was deserving of a second term.

For months, Biden insisted that only he could go up against Trump and win. But that changed following his debate with Trump on June 27, when he spoke haltingly, lost his train of thought and failed to fact-check the former president’s falsehoods. The performance raised a chorus of questions about his age and ability to do the job another four years and pushed Democrats to increasingly call for him to step aside. The standoff dragged for 24 days before Biden yielded, saying he needed to unify his party.

The tone and setting were solemn

Biden is not a stranger to the sober address, delivering remarks on weighty matters such as the fate of democracy and voting rights at historically significant landmarks across the country and around the globe.

But Biden has used the formal trappings of an Oval Office address — a tool used by presidents in times of national crisis or to capture a key moment in history — sparsely, with Wednesday’s speech marking just the fourth time that he has sat behind the Resolute Desk to speak directly to the nation.

His tone was solemn, the delivery careful and deliberate. He was surrounded by family and close aides as he gave an address willingly relinquishing power — one that no politician wants to make.

“The great thing about America is here, kings and dictators do not rule — that people do,” Biden said as he closed his address. “History is in your hands. The power is in your hands. The idea of America lies in your hands.”

Biden made a subtle push for his vice president

In the official setting of the Oval Office, Biden steered clear of overt political talk. But he still praised Vice President Kamala Harris as “tough” and “capable,” and gave a not-so-subtle push to voters.

“She’s been an incredible partner for her leadership, for our country,” he said. “Now the choice is up to you, the American people. ”

First lady Jill Biden posted a hand-written note after the president’s speech thanking “those who never wavered, who refused to doubt.” She thanked supporters for putting their trust in the president. “Now it’s time to put that trust in Kamala.”

Biden, aides say, knows that if Harris loses, he’ll be criticized for staying in the race too long and not giving her or another Democrat time to effectively mount a campaign against Trump. If she wins, she’ll ensure his policy victories are secured and expanded, and he’ll be remembered for a decision to step aside for the next generation of leadership.

Biden offers Harris emotional endorsement during the VP's first campaign speech since election shakeup: 'I'm watching ya kid, I love ya.'

• During a Monday speech streamed on X, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris expressed love for one another.
• The address was Harris' first speech since becoming the presumptive Democratic nominee.
• Biden dropped out of the race on Sunday amid mounting concerns over his candidacy.

President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris shared a sweet moment on Monday during the VP's first public speech since Biden dropped out of the 2024 election over the weekend and endorsed his second-in-command.

Harris officially launched her presidential campaign with a public address to campaign staffers in Delaware after Biden's shake-up left her the presumptive Democratic nominee .

Before her speech, Biden called in and spoke to supporters, citing his ongoing COVID recovery as the reason for his virtual appearance.

"The name has changed at the top of the ticket, but the mission hasn't changed at all," Biden said. "And by the way, I'm not going anywhere. I'm gonna be out there on the campaign with her, with Kamala."

Biden's Monday messaging follows his official endorsement of Harris in a Sunday statement soon after announcing his withdrawal from the race. The 81-year-old president's decision marked the culmination of mounting concerns from within Biden's own party about his fitness for the presidency following a disastrous debate performance against former President Donald Trump last month.

On Monday, Biden said dropping out was "the right thing to do" and encouraged his supporters to "embrace" Harris.

Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff followed Biden, giving a brief and rousing introduction to Harris, who burst onto the stage with the notable energy of someone 20 years younger than anyone else in the presidential race.

The vice president began by praising Biden and his political legacy.

"Joe, I know you're still on the call, and we've been talking every day," Harris said. "We love Joe and Jill. We really do. They truly are like family to us."

Biden, still listening via phone, responded by telling Harris the feelings were mutual. "I'm watching ya, kid. I love ya," Biden replied.

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"I love you, Joe," Harris said in response, eliciting cheers from the crowd.

Harris used the rest of her stump speech to preview her candidacy, which will unfold in just four quick months. She cited her prosecutorial past and called out Trump.

"I took on perpetrators of all kinds," Harris said. "Predators who abused women, fraudsters who ripped off consumers, cheaters who broke the rules for their own gain. So hear me when I say — I know Donald Trump's type."

Harris has racked up several Democratic endorsements , as well as a staggering $81 million in donations since Sunday. While she isn't officially the nominee yet, anyone seeking to challenge her will likely face an uphill battle — including angry Republicans who have suggested there could be legal challenges to try to stop Harris from accessing Biden's campaign cash.

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Political Speech for Students and Children

Introduction to political speech.

Many people may have a problem with properly understanding the term politics. Furthermore, people may understand this term in several conflicting ways. Some individuals define it as a greedy battle of power. In contrast, some define it as a way in which an individual converts the hankering of his community into achievement. Simply speaking, politics is a set of activities that are involved in the governance of a country, state, or region. Read Political Speech here.

Classifications of Politics

If I were to classify politics, then its classification can take place into three categories. Above all, the three categories are formal politics, semi-formal politics, and informal politics. When we talk about formal politics, then know that it means the operation of a constitutional system of government and institutions which are in relation to it.

Semi-formal politics deals with government associations like student associations or neighborhood associations. Finally, informal politics refers to everyday politics that consists of forming alliances, promoting particular areas and goals.

Get the Huge list of 100+ Speech Topics here

Types of Political Organization

There certainly are many types of political organizations. Furthermore, such organizations include states, international organizations, and non-government organizations (NGOs).

Moreover, states are the institutional form of political governance that are predominant. Some of you may come into confusion regarding state and government. The difference between the two is that whereas a state refers to the institution, the government is the regime in power.

One can further classify states. Aristotle came forward with a classification of states into monarchies, timocracies, aristocracies, oligarchies, tyrannies, and democracies. However, in the contemporary world, such a classification is not very proper.

Politics is Power

One can say that politics is a way of exercising power. It is like a relationship in which one can influence the behavior of others. Furthermore, politics is the power relationship between two people in which one can compel another to undertake a course of action involuntary.

Moreover, when we talk about politics, the nature of power is an important matter. As such, we can identify three different dimensions of power when it comes to politics. Most noteworthy, these three dimensions are power as agenda, power as thought control, and power as decision making.

Power as decision making involves a specific plan that can alter the content of decisions. This means that power can push or pull someone against intentions. Furthermore, power as the agenda refers to the skill to deny decisions from being formulated.

Lastly, power as thought control refers to influencing the wants and needs of individuals. Power as thought control is certainly the most important power dimension when it comes to politics.

Political Values

Several different political spectra have been proposed by experts. The most famous one which I am sure you must be all aware of is the left-right political spectrum. As is the norm with politics, the meaning of left-wing and right has considerable differences between countries.

Generally speaking, right-wing values conservatism, tradition, and inequality. In contrast, left-wing values equality, progress, and egalitarianism. Some individuals claim themselves to be centrists and refuse to identify with either left or right. Also, many experts see centrism as a sort of an ideal political position.

Another important political spectrum is the authoritarian-libertarian. Furthermore, this deals with the amount of individual freedom each person enjoys in a particular society. Generally speaking, the association of authoritarianism is with strong central power and limited political and individual freedoms.

Moreover, libertarianism emphasizes civil liberties, individual rights, and political freedoms over the authority of any kind.

Many believe that the word politics is the most negative word in the English language. However, these people hate politics without really understanding what it is all about. I would like to say that politics is a very important aspect of humanity that cannot be discarded. Without politics, society and civilization will collapse.

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12 Greatest Political Speeches in American History

Pegging 12 of the most important speeches and moments in American politics is no easy feat. From Washington to Lincoln, from Kennedy to Reagan, these are the names, faces and moments that have changed the course of our nation. For good measure, we've included a few lesser-known — but equally significant — ones too.

1. Washington's Farewell Address

The parting words of our first president have stood the test of time in just about every way. Washington forswore another term in office, setting the two-term precedent, and mused on policy fronts from factions and partisanship to foreign entanglements.

His words encompassed the early Federalist Party's credo and were cited in political discourse for years to come. By 1899, it was annually read on Washington's Birthday in both the House and Senate. Though the House had ceased doing so by 1984, the Senate continues the tradition to this day.

2. Andrew Jackson on Nullification

Despite not originating in a speech, one of Andrew Jackson's comments on nullification stands out as one of the defining moments of the seventh president's legacy. At the annual Democratic Jefferson Day dinner on April 13, 1830, Jackson, countering Vice-President John C. Calhou's pronullification rationale that states could nullify whatever feder laws they saw fit, rosefrom his seat and in a thundering voice pronounced : "Our federal union — it must be preserved!"

Two years later, Jackson offered his Proclamation Regarding Nullfication . For many years to follow, the question remained a defining one leading up to the Civil War.

3. Lincoln's Gettysburg Address

There's little left to be said, but Abraham Lincoln's ten sentence missive at Gettysburg is remembered by many as the greatest speech in American political history. Though it was met with a decidedly mixed, even downright mocking, reception at the time, it's far and away outlived Edward Everett's two-hour oratory from the same day. It also recently spawned a very cool project in honor of its 150 year anniverary.

4. William Jennings Bryan's 'Cross of Gold' speech

Three times he was the Democratic nominee for president, and three times he came up short. William Jennings Bryan's electoral legacy makes him the Buffalo Bills of American politics, but his influence stands the test of time. He was one of the first national candidates to actually be a national candidate, hitting the speaking circuit at a time when front porch campaigns were considered the more dignified move.

His 1896 address to the Democratic National Convention is what threw him into the national spotlight. Bryan thundered in support of the populist cause of the day, free silver, closing with a cry that "you shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold" and holding his arms henceforth. It's remembered to this day as the speech that made him the de facto leader of the Democrats and coalesced populists within their ranks.

5. Calvin Coolidge's 1925 Inaugural Address

It's easy to generalize Coolidge as the quiet man's president, after all, his nickname was "Silent Cal." But Coolidge remains one of the most consequential presidents in history when it comes to the conservative mindset, and his reputation at the time didn't quite fit the convention wisdom. He held 520 press conferences while in office, a number unmatched both before and since.

His 1925 inaugural address remains remarkably significant in American history because it was the first to be broadcast on radio, enabling more citizens than ever before to actually hear the words of their president.

6. Franklin Roosevelt's 1933 Inaugural Address

"The only thing we have to fear is fear itself," he quipped, offering reassurances to a nation facing the bleakness of the Great Depression.

7. John F. Kennedy's 1961 Inaugural Address

Much like FDR, JFK's inaugural address stands the test of time as one of the most iconic moments in American political history.

"Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country" remains a line cited on both sides of the political aisle, ushering in the era of Camelot and the remarkably consequential 1960s.

8. Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' Speech

The only speech on this list not delivered by a president, King's address during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom is remembered by many as the defining moment of the Civil Rights Movement, coming just shy of 100 years after Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. He was subsequently named Time Magazine ’s Man of the Year, and the spot in which he stood has been enshrined at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington.

9. Ronald Reagan at the Berlin Wall

The Cold War wouldn't end for several more years, but Ronald Reagan's standing in front of the Berlin Wall and challenging Mikhail Gorbachev to tear it down is assuredly in the annals of the most powerful moments in American history.

Much like King's "I Have A Dream" speech, the words speak for themselves more powerfully than I ever could. Reagan's policies encompassed the '80s and the years that were to come, and this was the iconic moment to define the resolve his presidency.

10. Bill Clinton's 1996 State of the Union

Although Bill Clinton may have become the first Democrat to reside in the White House since Jimmy Carter in 1992 by learning to talk like a Republican, the party's liberal agenda cost them heavily in the '94 midterms elections.

Perhaps recognizing that conservatism had won the Reagan Era, Clinton turned a corner with his '96 State of the Union by famously proclaiming: "The era of big government is over." The apparent policy shift may have only been politically motivated, as later that year major welfare reform was passed with his backing.

11. George W. Bush's Post-9/11 Bullhorn Speech

Much has been written, and will continue to be written, about George W. Bush's eight years in office, but it's undeniable that his remarks atop the rubble of Ground Zero are powerful to this day. Speaking from a bullhorn to workers and firefighters, with many of them unable to hear him at first, Bush 43 rallied the nation with the promise that "the people who knocked these buildings down will hear all of us soon."

12. Barack Obama's 2009 Inaugural Address

Even though some might disagree with the policies pushed by President Obama, one can still appreciate the significance of his swearing-in. Coming 46 years after Martin Luther King's "I Have A Dream" speech and just over 150 after Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, the first inaugural address of the first African-American president in American history ranks as an iconic moment of the right kind of progress.

Correction: March 4, 2015

Uncategorized

40 famous persuasive speeches you need to hear.

Written by Kai Xin Koh

Across eras of calamity and peace in our world’s history, a great many leaders, writers, politicians, theorists, scientists, activists and other revolutionaries have unveiled powerful rousing speeches in their bids for change. In reviewing the plethora of orators across tides of social, political and economic change, we found some truly rousing speeches that brought the world to their feet or to a startling, necessary halt. We’ve chosen 40 of the most impactful speeches we managed to find from agents of change all over the world – a diversity of political campaigns, genders, positionalities and periods of history. You’re sure to find at least a few speeches in this list which will capture you with the sheer power of their words and meaning!

1. I have a dream by MLK

“I have a dream that one day down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of interposition and nullification – one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers. I have a dream today. I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together. This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day. This will be the day, this will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to sing with new meaning “My country ’tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my father’s died, land of the Pilgrim’s pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring!”

Unsurprisingly, Martin Luther King’s speech comes up top as the most inspiring speech of all time, especially given the harrowing conditions of African Americans in America at the time. In the post-abolition era when slavery was outlawed constitutionally, African Americans experienced an intense period of backlash from white supremacists who supported slavery where various institutional means were sought to subordinate African American people to positions similar to that of the slavery era. This later came to be known as the times of Jim Crow and segregation, which Martin Luther King powerfully voiced his vision for a day when racial discrimination would be a mere figment, where equality would reign.

2. Tilbury Speech by Queen Elizabeth I

“My loving people, We have been persuaded by some that are careful of our safety, to take heed how we commit our selves to armed multitudes, for fear of treachery; but I assure you I do not desire to live to distrust my faithful and loving people. Let tyrants fear. I have always so behaved myself that, under God, I have placed my chiefest strength and safeguard in the loyal hearts and good-will of my subjects; and therefore I am come amongst you, as you see, at this time, not for my recreation and disport, but being resolved, in the midst and heat of the battle, to live and die amongst you all; to lay down for my God, and for my kingdom, and my people, my honour and my blood, even in the dust. I know I have the body of a weak, feeble woman; but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too, and think foul scorn that Parma or Spain, or any prince of Europe, should dare to invade the borders of my realm; to which rather than any dishonour shall grow by me, I myself will take up arms, I myself will be your general, judge, and rewarder of every one of your virtues in the field. I know already, for your forwardness you have deserved rewards and crowns; and We do assure you on a word of a prince, they shall be duly paid. In the mean time, my lieutenant general shall be in my stead, than whom never prince commanded a more noble or worthy subject; not doubting but by your obedience to my general, by your concord in the camp, and your valour in the field, we shall shortly have a famous victory over these enemies of my God, of my kingdom, and of my people.”

While at war with Spain, Queen Elizabeth I was most renowned for her noble speech rallying the English troops against their comparatively formidable opponent. Using brilliant rhetorical devices like metonymy, meronymy, and other potent metaphors, she voiced her deeply-held commitment as a leader to the battle against the Spanish Armada – convincing the English army to keep holding their ground and upholding the sacrifice of war for the good of their people. Eventually against all odds, she led England to victory despite their underdog status in the conflict with her confident and masterful oratory.

3. Woodrow Wilson, address to Congress (April 2, 1917)

“The world must be made safe for democracy. Its peace must be planted upon the tested foundations of political liberty. We have no selfish ends to serve. We desire no conquest, no dominion. We seek no indemnities for ourselves, no material compensation for the sacrifices we shall freely make. We are but one of the champions of the rights of mankind. We shall be satisfied when those rights have been made as secure as the faith and the freedom of nations can make them. Just because we fight without rancor and without selfish object, seeking nothing for ourselves but what we shall wish to share with all free peoples, we shall, I feel confident, conduct our operations as belligerents without passion and ourselves observe with proud punctilio the principles of right and of fair play we profess to be fighting for. … It will be all the easier for us to conduct ourselves as belligerents in a high spirit of right and fairness because we act without animus, not in enmity toward a people or with the desire to bring any injury or disadvantage upon them, but only in armed opposition to an irresponsible government which has thrown aside all considerations of humanity and of right and is running amuck. We are, let me say again, the sincere friends of the German people, and shall desire nothing so much as the early reestablishment of intimate relations of mutual advantage between us—however hard it may be for them, for the time being, to believe that this is spoken from our hearts. We have borne with their present government through all these bitter months because of that friendship—exercising a patience and forbearance which would otherwise have been impossible. We shall, happily, still have an opportunity to prove that friendship in our daily attitude and actions toward the millions of men and women of German birth and native sympathy who live among us and share our life, and we shall be proud to prove it toward all who are in fact loyal to their neighbors and to the government in the hour of test. They are, most of them, as true and loyal Americans as if they had never known any other fealty or allegiance. They will be prompt to stand with us in rebuking and restraining the few who may be of a different mind and purpose. If there should be disloyalty, it will be dealt with with a firm hand of stern repression; but, if it lifts its head at all, it will lift it only here and there and without countenance except from a lawless and malignant few. It is a distressing and oppressive duty, gentlemen of the Congress, which I have performed in thus addressing you. There are, it may be, many months of fiery trial and sacrifice ahead of us. It is a fearful thing to lead this great peaceful people into war, into the most terrible and disastrous of all wars, civilization itself seeming to be in the balance. But the right is more precious than peace, and we shall fight for the things which we have always carried nearest our hearts—for democracy, for the right of those who submit to authority to have a voice in their own governments, for the rights and liberties of small nations, for a universal dominion of right by such a concert of free peoples as shall bring peace and safety to all nations and make the world itself at last free. To such a task we can dedicate our lives and our fortunes, everything that we are and everything that we have, with the pride of those who know that the day has come when America is privileged to spend her blood and her might for the principles that gave her birth and happiness and the peace which she has treasured. God helping her, she can do no other.”

On April 2, 1917, President Woodrow Wilson of the USA delivered his address to Congress, calling for declaration of war against what was at the time, a belligerent and aggressive Germany in WWI. Despite his isolationism and anti-war position earlier in his tenure as president, he convinced Congress that America had a moral duty to the world to step out of their neutral observer status into an active role of world leadership and stewardship in order to liberate attacked nations from their German aggressors. The idealistic values he preached in his speech left an indelible imprint upon the American spirit and self-conception, forming the moral basis for the country’s people and aspirational visions to this very day.

4. Ain’t I A Woman by Sojourner Truth

“That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain’t I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain’t I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man – when I could get it – and bear the lash as well! And ain’t I a woman? I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother’s grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain’t I a woman? … If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back , and get it right side up again! And now they is asking to do it, the men better let them.”

Hailing from a background of slavery and oppression, Sojourner Truth was one of the most revolutionary advocates for women’s human rights in the 1800s. In spite of the New York Anti-Slavery Law of 1827, her slavemaster refused to free her. As such, she fled, became an itinerant preacher and leading figure in the anti-slavery movement. By the 1850s, she became involved in the women’s rights movement as well. At the 1851 Women’s Rights Convention held in Akron, Ohio, she delivered her illuminating, forceful speech against discrimination of women and African Americans in the post-Civil War era, entrenching her status as one of the most revolutionary abolitionists and women’s rights activists across history.

5. The Gettsyburg Address by Abraham Lincoln

“Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue until all the wealth piled by the bondsman’s two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said “the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether.” With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan, to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.”

President Abraham Lincoln had left the most lasting legacy upon American history for good reason, as one of the presidents with the moral courage to denounce slavery for the national atrocity it was. However, more difficult than standing up for the anti-slavery cause was the task of unifying the country post-abolition despite the looming shadows of a time when white Americans could own and subjugate slaves with impunity over the thousands of Americans who stood for liberation of African Americans from discrimination. He urged Americans to remember their common roots, heritage and the importance of “charity for all”, to ensure a “just and lasting peace” among within the country despite throes of racial division and self-determination.

6. Woman’s Rights to the Suffrage by Susan B Anthony

“For any State to make sex a qualification that must ever result in the disfranchisement of one entire half of the people is to pass a bill of attainder, or an ex post facto law, and is therefore a violation of the supreme law of the land. By it the blessings of liberty are for ever withheld from women and their female posterity. To them this government has no just powers derived from the consent of the governed. To them this government is not a democracy. It is not a republic. It is an odious aristocracy; a hateful oligarchy of sex; the most hateful aristocracy ever established on the face of the globe; an oligarchy of wealth, where the right govern the poor. An oligarchy of learning, where the educated govern the ignorant, or even an oligarchy of race, where the Saxon rules the African, might be endured; but this oligarchy of sex, which makes father, brothers, husband, sons, the oligarchs over the mother and sisters, the wife and daughters of every household–which ordains all men sovereigns, all women subjects, carries dissension, discord and rebellion into every home of the nation. Webster, Worcester and Bouvier all define a citizen to be a person in the United States, entitled to vote and hold office. The only question left to be settled now is: Are women persons? And I hardly believe any of our opponents will have the hardihood to say they are not. Being persons, then, women are citizens; and no State has a right to make any law, or to enforce any old law, that shall abridge their privileges or immunities. Hence, every discrimination against women in the constitutions and laws of the several States is today null and void, precisely as in every one against Negroes.”

Susan B. Anthony was a pivotal leader in the women’s suffrage movement who helped to found the National Woman Suffrage Association with Elizabeth Cady Stanton and fight for the constitutional right for women to vote. She courageously and relentlessly advocated for women’s rights, giving speeches all over the USA to convince people of women’s human rights to choice and the ballot. She is most well known for her act of righteous rebellion in 1872 when she voted in the presidential election illegally, for which she was arrested and tried unsuccessfully. She refused to pay the $100 fine in a bid to reject the demands of the American system she denounced as a ‘hateful oligarchy of sex’, sparking change with her righteous oratory and inspiring many others in the women’s suffrage movement within and beyond America.

7. Vladimir Lenin’s Speech at an International Meeting in Berne, February 8, 1916

“It may sound incredible, especially to Swiss comrades, but it is nevertheless true that in Russia, also, not only bloody tsarism, not only the capitalists, but also a section of the so-called or ex-Socialists say that Russia is fighting a “war of defence,” that Russia is only fighting against German invasion. The whole world knows, however, that for decades tsarism has been oppressing more than a hundred million people belonging to other nationalities in Russia; that for decades Russia has been pursuing a predatory policy towards China, Persia, Armenia and Galicia. Neither Russia, nor Germany, nor any other Great Power has the right to claim that it is waging a “war of defence”; all the Great Powers are waging an imperialist, capitalist war, a predatory war, a war for the oppression of small and foreign nations, a war for the sake of the profits of the capitalists, who are coining golden profits amounting to billions out of the appalling sufferings of the masses, out of the blood of the proletariat. … This again shows you, comrades, that in all countries of the world real preparations are being made to rally the forces of the working class. The horrors of war and the sufferings of the people are incredible. But we must not, and we have no reason whatever, to view the future with despair. The millions of victims who will fall in the war, and as a consequence of the war, will not fall in vain. The millions who are starving, the millions who are sacrificing their lives in the trenches, are not only suffering, they are also gathering strength, are pondering over the real cause of the war, are becoming more determined and are acquiring a clearer revolutionary understanding. Rising discontent of the masses, growing ferment, strikes, demonstrations, protests against the war—all this is taking place in all countries of the world. And this is the guarantee that the European War will be followed by the proletarian revolution against capitalism”

Vladimir Lenin remains to this day one of the most lauded communist revolutionaries in the world who brought the dangers of imperialism and capitalism to light with his rousing speeches condemning capitalist structures of power which inevitably enslave people to lives of misery and class stratification. In his genuine passion for the rights of the working class, he urged fellow comrades to turn the “imperialist war” into a “civil” or class war of the proletariat against the bourgeoisie. He encouraged the development of new revolutionary socialist organisations, solidarity across places in society so people could unite against their capitalist overlords, and criticised nationalism for its divisive effect on the socialist movement. In this speech especially, he lambasts “bloody Tsarism” for its oppression of millions of people of other nationalities in Russia, calling for the working class people to revolt against the Tsarist authority for the proletariat revolution to succeed and liberate them from class oppression.

8. I Have A Dream Speech by Mary Wollstonecraft

“If, I say, for I would not impress by declamation when Reason offers her sober light, if they be really capable of acting like rational creatures, let them not be treated like slaves; or, like the brutes who are dependent on the reason of man, when they associate with him; but cultivate their minds, give them the salutary, sublime curb of principle, and let them attain conscious dignity by feeling themselves only dependent on God. Teach them, in common with man, to submit to necessity, instead of giving, to render them more pleasing, a sex to morals. Further, should experience prove that they cannot attain the same degree of strength of mind, perseverance, and fortitude, let their virtues be the same in kind, though they may vainly struggle for the same degree; and the superiority of man will be equally clear, if not clearer; and truth, as it is a simple principle, which admits of no modification, would be common to both. Nay, the order of society as it is at present regulated would not be inverted, for woman would then only have the rank that reason assigned her, and arts could not be practised to bring the balance even, much less to turn it.”

In her vindication of the rights of women, Mary Wollstonecraft was one of the pioneers of the feminist movement back in 1792 who not only theorised and advocated revolutionarily, but gave speeches that voiced these challenges against a dominantly sexist society intent on classifying women as irrational less-than-human creatures to be enslaved as they were. In this landmark speech, she pronounces her ‘dream’ of a day when women would be treated as the rational, deserving humans they are, who are equal to man in strength and capability. With this speech setting an effective precedent for her call to equalize women before the law, she also went on to champion the provision of equal educational opportunities to women and girls, and persuasively argued against the patriarchal gender norms which prevented women from finding their own lot in life through their being locked into traditional institutions of marriage and motherhood against their will.

9. First Inaugural Speech by Franklin D Roosevelt

“So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is…fear itself — nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance. In every dark hour of our national life a leadership of frankness and of vigor has met with that understanding and support of the people themselves which is essential to victory. And I am convinced that you will again give that support to leadership in these critical days. … More important, a host of unemployed citizens face the grim problem of existence, and an equally great number toil with little return. Only a foolish optimist can deny the dark realities of the moment. Our greatest primary task is to put people to work. This is no unsolvable problem if we face it wisely and courageously. There are many ways in which it can be helped, but it can never be helped merely by talking about it. We must act and act quickly. … I am prepared under my constitutional duty to recommend the measures that a stricken Nation in the midst of a stricken world may require. These measures, or such other measures as the Congress may build out of its experience and wisdom, I shall seek, within my constitutional authority, to bring to speedy adoption. But in the event that the Congress shall fail to take one of these two courses, and in the event that the national emergency is still critical, I shall not evade the clear course of duty that will then confront me. I shall ask the Congress for the one remaining instrument to meet the crisis — broad Executive power to wage a war against the emergency, as great as the power that would be given to me if we were in fact invaded by a foreign foe.”

Roosevelt’s famous inaugural speech was delivered in the midst of a period of immense tension and strain under the Great Depression, where he highlighted the need for ‘quick action’ by Congress to prepare for government expansion in his pursuit of reforms to lift the American people out of devastating poverty. In a landslide victory, he certainly consolidated the hopes and will of the American people through this compelling speech.

10. The Hypocrisy of American Slavery by Frederick Douglass

“What to the American slave is your Fourth of July? I answer, a day that reveals to him more than all other days of the year, the gross injustice and cruelty to which he is the constant victim. To him your celebration is a sham; your boasted liberty an unholy license; your national greatness, swelling vanity; your sounds of rejoicing are empty and heartless; your shouts of liberty and equality, hollow mock; your prayers and hymns, your sermons and thanksgivings, with all your religious parade and solemnity, are to him mere bombast, fraud, deception, impiety, and hypocrisy – a thin veil to cover up crimes which would disgrace a nation of savages. There is not a nation of the earth guilty of practices more shocking and bloody than are the people of these United States at this very hour. Go search where you will, roam through all the monarchies and despotisms of the Old World, travel through South America, search out every abuse and when you have found the last, lay your facts by the side of the everyday practices of this nation, and you will say with me that, for revolting barbarity and shameless hypocrisy, America reigns without a rival.”

On 4 July 1852, Frederick Douglass gave this speech in Rochester, New York, highlighting the hypocrisy of celebrating freedom while slavery continues. He exposed the ‘revolting barbarity and shameless hypocrisy’ of slavery which had gone unabolished amidst the comparatively obscene celebration of independence and liberty with his potent speech and passion for the anti-abolition cause. After escaping from slavery, he went on to become a national leader of the abolitionist movement in Massachusetts and New York with his oratory and incisive antislavery writings. To this day, his fierce activism and devotion to exposing virulent racism for what it was has left a lasting legacy upon pro-Black social movements and the overall sociopolitical landscape of America.

11. Still I Rise by Maya Angelou

“You may write me down in history With your bitter, twisted lies, You may trod me in the very dirt But still, like dust, I’ll rise. Does my sassiness upset you? Why are you beset with gloom? ’Cause I walk like I’ve got oil wells Pumping in my living room. Just like moons and like suns, With the certainty of tides, Just like hopes springing high, Still I’ll rise. Did you want to see me broken? Bowed head and lowered eyes? Shoulders falling down like teardrops, Weakened by my soulful cries? Does my haughtiness offend you? Don’t you take it awful hard ’Cause I laugh like I’ve got gold mines Diggin’ in my own backyard. You may shoot me with your words, You may cut me with your eyes, You may kill me with your hatefulness, But still, like air, I’ll rise. Does my sexiness upset you? Does it come as a surprise That I dance like I’ve got diamonds At the meeting of my thighs? Out of the huts of history’s shame I rise Up from a past that’s rooted in pain I rise I’m a black ocean, leaping and wide, Welling and swelling I bear in the tide. Leaving behind nights of terror and fear I rise Into a daybreak that’s wondrously clear I rise Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave. I rise I rise I rise.”

With her iconic poem Still I Rise , Maya Angelou is well-known for uplifting fellow African American women through her empowering novels and poetry and her work as a civil rights activist. Every bit as lyrical on the page, her recitation of Still I Rise continues to give poetry audiences shivers all over the world, inspiring women of colour everywhere to keep the good faith in striving for equality and peace, while radically believing in and empowering themselves to be agents of change. A dramatic reading of the poem will easily showcase the self-belief, strength and punch that it packs in the last stanza on the power of resisting marginalization.

12. Their Finest Hour by Winston Churchill

“What General Weygand called the Battle of France is over. I expect that the Battle of Britain is about to begin. Upon this battle depends the survival of Christian civilization. Upon it depends our own British life, and the long continuity of our institutions and our Empire. The whole fury and might of the enemy must very soon be turned on us. Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this Island or lose the war. If we can stand up to him, all Europe may be free and the life of the world may move forward into broad, sunlit uplands. But if we fail, then the whole world, including the United States, including all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new Dark Age made more sinister, and perhaps more protracted, by the lights of perverted science. Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves that, if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, “This was their finest hour.””

In the darkest shadows cast by war, few leaders have been able to step up to the mantle and effectively unify millions of citizens for truly sacrificial causes. Winston Churchill was the extraordinary exception – lifting 1940 Britain out of the darkness with his hopeful, convicted rhetoric to galvanise the English amidst bleak, dreary days of war and loss. Through Britain’s standalone position in WWII against the Nazis, he left his legacy by unifying the nation under shared sacrifices of the army and commemorating their courage.

13. A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf

“Life for both sexes – and I looked at them (through a restaurant window while waiting for my lunch to be served), shouldering their way along the pavement – is arduous, difficult, a perpetual struggle. It calls for gigantic courage and strength. More than anything, perhaps, creatures of illusion as we are, it calls for confidence in oneself. Without self-confidence we are babes in the cradle. And how can we generate this imponderable quality, which is yet so invaluable, most quickly? By thinking that other people are inferior to oneself. By feeling that one has some innate superiority – it may be wealth, or rank, a straight nose, or the portrait of a grandfather by Romney – for there is no end to the pathetic devices of the human imagination – over other people. Hence the enormous importance to a patriarch who has to conquer, who has to rule, of feeling that great numbers of people, half the human race indeed, are by nature inferior to himself. It must indeed be one of the great sources of his power….Women have served all these centuries as looking-glasses possessing the magic and delicious power of reflecting the figure of man at twice its natural size. Without that power probably the earth would still be swamp and jungle. The glories of all our wars would be on the remains of mutton bones and bartering flints for sheepskins or whatever simple ornament took our unsophisticated taste. Supermen and Fingers of Destiny would never have existed. The Czar and the Kaiser would never have worn their crowns or lost them. Whatever may be their use in civilised societies, mirrors are essential to all violent and heroic action. That is why Napoleon and Mussolini both insist so emphatically upon the inferiority of women, for if they were not inferior, they would cease to enlarge. That serves to explain in part the necessity that women so often are to men. And it serves to explain how restless they are under her criticism; how impossible it is for her to say to them this book is bad, this picture is feeble, or whatever it may be, without giving far more pain and rousing far more anger than a man would do who gave the same criticism. For if she begins to tell the truth, the figure in the looking-glass shrinks; his fitness in life is diminished. How is he to go on giving judgment, civilising natives, making laws, writing books, dressing up and speechifying at banquets, unless he can see himself at breakfast and at dinner at least twice the size he really is?”

In this transformational speech , Virginia Woolf pronounces her vision that ‘a woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction’. She calls out the years in which women have been deprived of their own space for individual development through being chained to traditional arrangements or men’s prescriptions – demanding ‘gigantic courage’ and ‘confidence in oneself’ to brave through the onerous struggle of creating change for women’s rights. With her steadfast, stolid rhetoric and radical theorization, she paved the way for many women’s rights activists and writers to forge their own paths against patriarchal authority.

14. Inaugural Address by John F Kennedy

“In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility–I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it–and the glow from that fire can truly light the world. And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you–ask what you can do for your country. My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man. Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us here the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God’s work must truly be our own.”

For what is probably the most historically groundbreaking use of parallelism in speech across American history, President JFK placed the weighty task of ‘asking what one can do for their country’ onto the shoulders of each American citizen. Using an air of firmness in his rhetoric by declaring his commitment to his countrymen, he urges each American to do the same for the broader, noble ideal of freedom for all. With his crucial interrogation of a citizen’s moral duty to his nation, President JFK truly made history.

15. Atoms for Peace Speech by Dwight Eisenhower

“To pause there would be to confirm the hopeless finality of a belief that two atomic colossi are doomed malevolently to eye each other indefinitely across a trembling world. To stop there would be to accept helplessly the probability of civilization destroyed, the annihilation of the irreplaceable heritage of mankind handed down to us from generation to generation, and the condemnation of mankind to begin all over again the age-old struggle upward from savagery towards decency, and right, and justice. Surely no sane member of the human race could discover victory in such desolation. Could anyone wish his name to be coupled by history with such human degradation and destruction?Occasional pages of history do record the faces of the “great destroyers”, but the whole book of history reveals mankind’s never-ending quest for peace and mankind’s God-given capacity to build. It is with the book of history, and not with isolated pages, that the United States will ever wish to be identified. My country wants to be constructive,not destructive. It wants agreements, not wars, among nations. It wants itself to live in freedom and in the confidence that the peoples of every other nation enjoy equally the right of choosing their own way of life. So my country’s purpose is to help us to move out of the dark chamber of horrors into the light, to find a way by which the minds of men, the hopes of men, the souls of men everywhere, can move forward towards peace and happiness and well-being.”

On a possibility as frightful and tense as nuclear war, President Eisenhower managed to convey the gravity of the world’s plight in his measured and persuasive speech centred on the greater good of mankind. Using rhetorical devices such as the three-part paratactical syntax which most world leaders are fond of for ingraining their words in the minds of their audience, he centers the discourse of the atomic bomb on those affected by such a world-changing decision in ‘the minds, hopes and souls of men everywhere’ – effectively putting the vivid image of millions of people’s fates at stake in the minds of his audience. Being able to make a topic as heavy and fraught with moral conflict as this as eloquent as he did, Eisenhower definitely ranks among some of the most skilled orators to date.

16. The Transformation of Silence into Language and Action by Audre Lorde

“I was going to die, if not sooner then later, whether or not I had ever spoken myself. My silences had not protected me. Your silence will not protect you. But for every real word spoken, for every attempt I had ever made to speak those truths for which I am still seeking, I had made contact with other women while we examined the words to fit a world in which we all believed, bridging our differences. What are the words you do not have yet? What do you need to say? What are the tyrannies you swallow day by day and attempt to make your own, until you will sicken and die of them, still in silence? Perhaps for some of you here today, I am the face of one of your fears. Because I am a woman, because I am black, because I am myself, a black woman warrior poet doing my work, come to ask you, are you doing yours?”

Revolutionary writer, feminist and civil rights activist Audre Lorde first delivered this phenomenal speech at Lesbian and Literature panel of the Modern Language Association’s December 28, 1977 meeting, which went on to feature permanently in her writings for its sheer wisdom and truth. Her powerful writing and speech about living on the margins of society has enlightened millions of people discriminated across various intersections, confronting them with the reality that they must speak – since their ‘silence will not protect’ them from further marginalization. Through her illuminating words and oratory, she has reminded marginalized persons of the importance of their selfhood and the radical capacity for change they have in a world blighted by prejudice and division.

17. 1965 Cambridge Union Hall Speech by James Baldwin

“What is dangerous here is the turning away from – the turning away from – anything any white American says. The reason for the political hesitation, in spite of the Johnson landslide is that one has been betrayed by American politicians for so long. And I am a grown man and perhaps I can be reasoned with. I certainly hope I can be. But I don’t know, and neither does Martin Luther King, none of us know how to deal with those other people whom the white world has so long ignored, who don’t believe anything the white world says and don’t entirely believe anything I or Martin is saying. And one can’t blame them. You watch what has happened to them in less than twenty years.”

Baldwin’s invitation to the Cambridge Union Hall is best remembered for foregrounding the unflinching differences in white and African Americans’ ‘system of reality’ in everyday life. Raising uncomfortable truths about the insidious nature of racism post-civil war, he provides several nuggets of thought-provoking wisdom on the state of relations between the oppressed and their oppressors, and what is necessary to mediate such relations and destroy the exploitative thread of racist hatred. With great frankness, he admits to not having all the answers but provides hard-hitting wisdom on engagement to guide activists through confounding times nonetheless.

18. I Am Prepared to Die by Nelson Mandela

“Above all, My Lord, we want equal political rights, because without them our disabilities will be permanent. I know this sounds revolutionary to the whites in this country, because the majority of voters will be Africans. This makes the white man fear democracy. But this fear cannot be allowed to stand in the way of the only solution which will guarantee racial harmony and freedom for all. It is not true that the enfranchisement of all will result in racial domination. Political division, based on colour, is entirely artificial and, when it disappears, so will the domination of one colour group by another. The ANC has spent half a century fighting against racialism. When it triumphs as it certainly must, it will not change that policy. This then is what the ANC is fighting. Our struggle is a truly national one. It is a struggle of the African people, inspired by our own suffering and our own experience. It is a struggle for the right to live. During my lifetime I have dedicated my life to this struggle of the African people. I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons will live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal for which I hope to live for and to see realised. But, My Lord, if it needs be, it is an ideal for which I am prepared to die.”

Apartheid is still considered one of these most devastating events of world history, and it would not have ended without the crucial effort and words of Nelson Mandela during his courageous political leadership. In this heartbreaking speech , he voices his utter devotion to the fight against institutionalised racism in African society – an ideal for which he was ‘prepared to die for’. Mandela continues to remind us today of his moral conviction in leading, wherein the world would likely to be a better place if all politicians had the same resolve and genuine commitment to human rights and the abolition of oppression as he did.

19. Critique on British Imperialism by General Aung San

“Do they form their observations by seeing the attendances at not very many cinemas and theatres of Rangoon? Do they judge this question of money circulation by paying a stray visit to a local bazaar? Do they know that cinemas and theatres are not true indicators, at least in Burma, of the people’s conditions? Do they know that there are many in this country who cannot think of going to these places by having to struggle for their bare existence from day to day? Do they know that those who nowadays patronise or frequent cinemas and theatres which exist only in Rangoon and a few big towns, belong generally to middle and upper classes and the very few of the many poor who can attend at all are doing so as a desperate form of relaxation just to make them forget their unsupportable existences for the while whatever may be the tomorrow that awaits them?”

Under British colonial rule, one of the most legendary nationalist leaders emerged from the ranks of the thousands of Burmese to boldly lead them towards independence, out of the exploitation and control under the British. General Aung San’s speech criticising British social, political and economic control of Burma continues to be scathing, articulate, and relevant – especially given his necessary goal of uniting the Burmese natives against their common oppressor. He successfully galvanised his people against the British, taking endless risks through nationalist speeches and demonstrations which gradually bore fruit in Burma’s independence.

20. Nobel Lecture by Mother Teresa

“I believe that we are not real social workers. We may be doing social work in the eyes of the people, but we are really contemplatives in the heart of the world. For we are touching the Body Of Christ 24 hours. We have 24 hours in this presence, and so you and I. You too try to bring that presence of God in your family, for the family that prays together stays together. And I think that we in our family don’t need bombs and guns, to destroy to bring peace–just get together, love one another, bring that peace, that joy, that strength of presence of each other in the home. And we will be able to overcome all the evil that is in the world. There is so much suffering, so much hatred, so much misery, and we with our prayer, with our sacrifice are beginning at home. Love begins at home, and it is not how much we do, but how much love we put in the action that we do. It is to God Almighty–how much we do it does not matter, because He is infinite, but how much love we put in that action. How much we do to Him in the person that we are serving.”

In contemporary culture, most people understand Mother Teresa to be the epitome of compassion and kindness. However, if one were to look closer at her speeches from the past, one would discover not merely her altruistic contributions, but her keen heart for social justice and the downtrodden. She wisely and gracefully remarks that ‘love begins at home’ from the individual actions of each person within their private lives, which accumulate into a life of goodness and charity. For this, her speeches served not just consolatory value or momentary relevance, as they still inform the present on how we can live lives worth living.

21. June 9 Speech to Martial Law Units by Deng Xiaoping

“This army still maintains the traditions of our old Red Army. What they crossed this time was in the true sense of the expression a political barrier, a threshold of life and death. This was not easy. This shows that the People’s Army is truly a great wall of iron and steel of the party and state. This shows that no matter how heavy our losses, the army, under the leadership of the party, will always remain the defender of the country, the defender of socialism, and the defender of the public interest. They are a most lovable people. At the same time, we should never forget how cruel our enemies are. We should have not one bit of forgiveness for them. The fact that this incident broke out as it did is very worthy of our pondering. It prompts us cool-headedly to consider the past and the future. Perhaps this bad thing will enable us to go ahead with reform and the open policy at a steadier and better — even a faster — pace, more speedily correct our mistakes, and better develop our strong points.”

Mere days before the 4 June 1989 Tiananmen Square uprising, Chinese Communist Party leader Deng Xiaoping sat with six party elders (senior officials) and the three remaining members of the Politburo Standing Committee, the paramount decision-making body in China’s government. The meeting was organised to discuss the best course of action for restoring social and political order to China, given the sweeping economic reforms that had taken place in the past decade that inevitably resulted in some social resistance from the populace. Deng then gave this astute and well-regarded speech, outlining the political complexities in shutting down student protests given the context of reforms encouraging economic liberalization already taking place, as aligned with the students’ desires. It may not be the most rousing or inflammatory of speeches, but it was certainly persuasive in voicing the importance of taking a strong stand for the economic reforms Deng was implementing to benefit Chinese citizens in the long run. Today, China is an economic superpower, far from its war-torn developing country status before Deng’s leadership – thanks to his foresight in ensuring political stability would allow China to enjoy the fruits of the massive changes they adapted to.

22. Freedom or Death by Emmeline Pankhurst

“You won your freedom in America when you had the revolution, by bloodshed, by sacrificing human life. You won the civil war by the sacrifice of human life when you decided to emancipate the negro. You have left it to women in your land, the men of all civilised countries have left it to women, to work out their own salvation. That is the way in which we women of England are doing. Human life for us is sacred, but we say if any life is to be sacrificed it shall be ours; we won’t do it ourselves, but we will put the enemy in the position where they will have to choose between giving us freedom or giving us death. Now whether you approve of us or whether you do not, you must see that we have brought the question of women’s suffrage into a position where it is of first rate importance, where it can be ignored no longer. Even the most hardened politician will hesitate to take upon himself directly the responsibility of sacrificing the lives of women of undoubted honour, of undoubted earnestness of purpose. That is the political situation as I lay it before you today.”

In 1913 after Suffragette Emily Davison stepped in front of King George V’s horse at the Epsom Derby and suffered fatal injuries, Emmeline Pankhurst delivered her speech to Connecticut as a call to action for people to support the suffragette movement. Her fortitude in delivering such a sobering speech on the state of women’s rights is worth remembering for its invaluable impact and contributions to the rights we enjoy in today’s world.

23. Quit India by Mahatma Gandhi

“We shall either free India or die in the attempt; we shall not live to see the perpetuation of our slavery. Every true Congressman or woman will join the struggle with an inflexible determination not to remain alive to see the country in bondage and slavery. Let that be your pledge. Keep jails out of your consideration. If the Government keep me free, I will not put on the Government the strain of maintaining a large number of prisoners at a time, when it is in trouble. Let every man and woman live every moment of his or her life hereafter in the consciousness that he or she eats or lives for achieving freedom and will die, if need be, to attain that goal. Take a pledge, with God and your own conscience as witness, that you will no longer rest till freedom is achieved and will be prepared to lay down your lives in the attempt to achieve it. He who loses his life will gain it; he who will seek to save it shall lose it. Freedom is not for the coward or the faint-hearted.”

Naturally, the revolutionary activist Gandhi had to appear in this list for his impassioned anti-colonial speeches which rallied Indians towards independence. Famous for leading non-violent demonstrations, his speeches were a key element in gathering Indians of all backgrounds together for the common cause of eliminating their colonial masters. His speeches were resolute, eloquent, and courageous, inspiring the hope and admiration of many not just within India, but around the world.

24. 1974 National Book Award Speech by Adrienne Rich, Alice Walker, Audre Lorde

“The statement I am going to read was prepared by three of the women nominated for the National Book Award for poetry, with the agreement that it would be read by whichever of us, if any, was chosen.We, Audre Lorde, Adrienne Rich, and Alice Walker, together accept this award in the name of all the women whose voices have gone and still go unheard in a patriarchal world, and in the name of those who, like us, have been tolerated as token women in this culture, often at great cost and in great pain. We believe that we can enrich ourselves more in supporting and giving to each other than by competing against each other; and that poetry—if it is poetry—exists in a realm beyond ranking and comparison. We symbolically join together here in refusing the terms of patriarchal competition and declaring that we will share this prize among us, to be used as best we can for women. We appreciate the good faith of the judges for this award, but none of us could accept this money for herself, nor could she let go unquestioned the terms on which poets are given or denied honor and livelihood in this world, especially when they are women. We dedicate this occasion to the struggle for self-determination of all women, of every color, identification, or derived class: the poet, the housewife, the lesbian, the mathematician, the mother, the dishwasher, the pregnant teen-ager, the teacher, the grandmother, the prostitute, the philosopher, the waitress, the women who will understand what we are doing here and those who will not understand yet; the silent women whose voices have been denied us, the articulate women who have given us strength to do our work.”

Adrienne Rich, Audre Lorde, and Alice Walker wrote this joint speech to be delivered by Adrienne Rich at the 1974 National Book Awards, based on their suspicions that the first few African American lesbian women to be nominated for the awards would be snubbed in favour of a white woman nominee. Their suspicions were confirmed, and Adrienne Rich delivered this socially significant speech in solidarity with her fellow nominees, upholding the voices of the ‘silent women whose voices have been denied’.

25. Speech to 20th Congress of the CPSU by Nikita Khruschev

“Considering the question of the cult of an individual, we must first of all show everyone what harm this caused to the interests of our Party. Vladimir Ilyich Lenin had always stressed the Party’s role and significance in the direction of the socialist government of workers and peasants; he saw in this the chief precondition for a successful building of socialism in our country. Pointing to the great responsibility of the Bolshevik Party, as ruling Party of the Soviet state, Lenin called for the most meticulous observance of all norms of Party life; he called for the realization of the principles of collegiality in the direction of the Party and the state. Collegiality of leadership flows from the very nature of our Party, a Party built on the principles of democratic centralism. “This means,” said Lenin, “that all Party matters are accomplished by all Party members – directly or through representatives – who, without any exceptions, are subject to the same rules; in addition, all administrative members, all directing collegia, all holders of Party positions are elective, they must account for their activities and are recallable.””

This speech is possibly the most famed Russian speech for its status as a ‘secret’ speech delivered only to the CPSU at the time, which was eventually revealed to the public. Given the unchallenged political legacy and cult of personality which Stalin left in the Soviet Union, Nikita Khruschev’s speech condemning the authoritarian means Stalin had resorted to to consolidate power as un-socialist was an important mark in Russian history.

26. The Struggle for Human Rights by Eleanor Roosevelt

“It is my belief, and I am sure it is also yours, that the struggle for democracy and freedom is a critical struggle, for their preservation is essential to the great objective of the United Nations to maintain international peace and security. Among free men the end cannot justify the means. We know the patterns of totalitarianism — the single political party, the control of schools, press, radio, the arts, the sciences, and the church to support autocratic authority; these are the age-old patterns against which men have struggled for three thousand years. These are the signs of reaction, retreat, and retrogression. The United Nations must hold fast to the heritage of freedom won by the struggle of its people; it must help us to pass it on to generations to come. The development of the ideal of freedom and its translation into the everyday life of the people in great areas of the earth is the product of the efforts of many peoples. It is the fruit of a long tradition of vigorous thinking and courageous action. No one race and on one people can claim to have done all the work to achieve greater dignity for human beings and great freedom to develop human personality. In each generation and in each country there must be a continuation of the struggle and new steps forward must be taken since this is preeminently a field in which to stand still is to retreat.”

Eleanor Roosevelt has been among the most well-loved First Ladies for good reason – her eloquence and gravitas in delivering every speech convinced everyone of her suitability for the oval office. In this determined and articulate speech , she outlines the fundamental values that form the bedrock of democracy, urging the rest of the world to uphold human rights regardless of national ideology and interests.

27. The Ballot or The Bullet by Malcolm X

“And in this manner, the organizations will increase in number and in quantity and in quality, and by August, it is then our intention to have a black nationalist convention which will consist of delegates from all over the country who are interested in the political, economic and social philosophy of black nationalism. After these delegates convene, we will hold a seminar; we will hold discussions; we will listen to everyone. We want to hear new ideas and new solutions and new answers. And at that time, if we see fit then to form a black nationalist party, we’ll form a black nationalist party. If it’s necessary to form a black nationalist army, we’ll form a black nationalist army. It’ll be the ballot or the bullet. It’ll be liberty or it’ll be death.”

Inarguably, the revolutionary impact Malcolm X’s fearless oratory had was substantial in his time as a radical anti-racist civil rights activist. His speeches’ emancipatory potential put forth his ‘theory of rhetorical action’ where he urges Black Americans to employ both the ballot and the bullet, strategically without being dependent on the other should the conditions of oppression change. A crucial leader in the fight for civil rights, he opened the eyes of thousands of Black Americans, politicising and convincing them of the necessity of fighting for their democratic rights against white supremacists.

28. Living the Revolution by Gloria Steinem

“The challenge to all of us, and to you men and women who are graduating today, is to live a revolution, not to die for one. There has been too much killing, and the weapons are now far too terrible. This revolution has to change consciousness, to upset the injustice of our current hierarchy by refusing to honor it, and to live a life that enforces a new social justice. Because the truth is none of us can be liberated if other groups are not.”

In an unexpected commencement speech delivered at Vassar College in 1970, Gloria Steinem boldly makes a call to action on behalf of marginalized groups in need of liberation to newly graduated students. She proclaimed it the year of Women’s Liberation and forcefully highlighted the need for a social revolution to ‘upset the injustice of the current hierarchy’ in favour of human rights – echoing the hard-hitting motto on social justice, ‘until all of us are free, none of us are free’.

29. The Last Words of Harvey Milk by Harvey Milk

“I cannot prevent some people from feeling angry and frustrated and mad in response to my death, but I hope they will take the frustration and madness and instead of demonstrating or anything of that type, I would hope that they would take the power and I would hope that five, ten, one hundred, a thousand would rise. I would like to see every gay lawyer, every gay architect come out, stand up and let the world know. That would do more to end prejudice overnight than anybody could imagine. I urge them to do that, urge them to come out. Only that way will we start to achieve our rights. … All I ask is for the movement to continue, and if a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet destroy every closet door…”

As the first openly gay elected official in the history of California, Harvey Milk’s entire political candidature was in itself a radical statement against the homophobic status quo at the time. Given the dangerous times he was in as an openly gay man, he anticipated that he would be assassinated eventually in his political career. As such, these are some of his last words which show the utter devotion he had to campaigning against homophobia while representing the American people, voicing his heartbreaking wish for the bullet that would eventually kill him to ‘destroy every closet door’.

30. Black Power Address at UC Berkeley by Stokely Carmichael

“Now we are now engaged in a psychological struggle in this country, and that is whether or not black people will have the right to use the words they want to use without white people giving their sanction to it; and that we maintain, whether they like it or not, we gonna use the word “Black Power” — and let them address themselves to that; but that we are not going to wait for white people to sanction Black Power. We’re tired waiting; every time black people move in this country, they’re forced to defend their position before they move. It’s time that the people who are supposed to be defending their position do that. That’s white people. They ought to start defending themselves as to why they have oppressed and exploited us.”

A forceful and impressive orator, Stokely Carmichael was among those at the forefront of the civil rights movement, who was a vigorous socialist organizer as well. He led the Black Power movement wherein he gave this urgent, influential speech that propelled Black Americans forward in their fight for constitutional rights in the 1960s.

31. Speech on Vietnam by Lyndon Johnson

“The true peace-keepers are those men who stand out there on the DMZ at this very hour, taking the worst that the enemy can give. The true peace-keepers are the soldiers who are breaking the terrorist’s grip around the villages of Vietnam—the civilians who are bringing medical care and food and education to people who have already suffered a generation of war. And so I report to you that we are going to continue to press forward. Two things we must do. Two things we shall do. First, we must not mislead the enemy. Let him not think that debate and dissent will produce wavering and withdrawal. For I can assure you they won’t. Let him not think that protests will produce surrender. Because they won’t. Let him not think that he will wait us out. For he won’t. Second, we will provide all that our brave men require to do the job that must be done. And that job is going to be done. These gallant men have our prayers-have our thanks—have our heart-felt praise—and our deepest gratitude. Let the world know that the keepers of peace will endure through every trial—and that with the full backing of their countrymen, they are going to prevail.”

During some of the most harrowing periods of human history, the Vietnam War, American soldiers were getting soundly defeated by the Vietnamese in guerrilla warfare. President Lyndon Johnson then issued this dignified, consolatory speech to encourage patriotism and support for the soldiers putting their lives on the line for the nation.

32. A Whisper of AIDS by Mary Fisher

“We may take refuge in our stereotypes, but we cannot hide there long, because HIV asks only one thing of those it attacks. Are you human? And this is the right question. Are you human? Because people with HIV have not entered some alien state of being. They are human. They have not earned cruelty, and they do not deserve meanness. They don’t benefit from being isolated or treated as outcasts. Each of them is exactly what God made: a person; not evil, deserving of our judgment; not victims, longing for our pity ­­ people, ready for  support and worthy of compassion. We must be consistent if we are to be believed. We cannot love justice and ignore prejudice, love our children and fear to teach them. Whatever our role as parent or policymaker, we must act as eloquently as we speak ­­ else we have no integrity. My call to the nation is a plea for awareness. If you believe you are safe, you are in danger. Because I was not hemophiliac, I was not at risk. Because I was not gay, I was not at risk. Because I did not inject drugs, I was not at risk. The lesson history teaches is this: If you believe you are safe, you are at risk. If you do not see this killer stalking your children, look again. There is no family or community, no race or religion, no place left in America that is safe. Until we genuinely embrace this message, we are a nation at risk.”

Back when AIDS research was still undeveloped, the stigma of contracting HIV was even more immense than it is today. A celebrated artist, author and speaker, Mary Fisher became an outspoken activist for those with HIV/AIDS, persuading people to extend compassion to the population with HIV instead of stigmatizing them – as injustice has a way of coming around to people eventually. Her bold act of speaking out for the community regardless of the way they contracted the disease, their sexual orientation or social group, was an influential move in advancing the human rights of those with HIV and spreading awareness on the discrimination they face.

33. Freedom from Fear by Aung San Suu Kyi

“The quintessential revolution is that of the spirit, born of an intellectual conviction of the need for change in those mental attitudes and values which shape the course of a nation’s development. A revolution which aims merely at changing official policies and institutions with a view to an improvement in material conditions has little chance of genuine success. Without a revolution of the spirit, the forces which produced the iniquities of the old order would continue to be operative, posing a constant threat to the process of reform and regeneration. It is not enough merely to call for freedom, democracy and human rights. There has to be a united determination to persevere in the struggle, to make sacrifices in the name of enduring truths, to resist the corrupting influences of desire, ill will, ignorance and fear. Saints, it has been said, are the sinners who go on trying. So free men are the oppressed who go on trying and who in the process make themselves fit to bear the responsibilities and to uphold the disciplines which will maintain a free society. Among the basic freedoms to which men aspire that their lives might be full and uncramped, freedom from fear stands out as both a means and an end. A people who would build a nation in which strong, democratic institutions are firmly established as a guarantee against state-induced power must first learn to liberate their own minds from apathy and fear.”

Famous for her resoluteness and fortitude in campaigning for democracy in Burma despite being put under house arrest by the military government, Aung San Suu Kyi’s speeches have been widely touted as inspirational. In this renowned speech of hers, she delivers a potent message to Burmese to ‘liberate their minds from apathy and fear’ in the struggle for freedom and human rights in the country. To this day, she continues to tirelessly champion the welfare and freedom of Burmese in a state still overcome by vestiges of authoritarian rule.

34. This Is Water by David Foster Wallace

“Our own present culture has harnessed these forces in ways that have yielded extraordinary wealth and comfort and personal freedom. The freedom all to be lords of our tiny skull-sized kingdoms, alone at the centre of all creation. This kind of freedom has much to recommend it. But of course there are all different kinds of freedom, and the kind that is most precious you will not hear much talk about much in the great outside world of wanting and achieving…. The really important kind of freedom involves attention and awareness and discipline, and being able truly to care about other people and to sacrifice for them over and over in myriad petty, unsexy ways every day. That is real freedom. That is being educated, and understanding how to think. The alternative is unconsciousness, the default setting, the rat race, the constant gnawing sense of having had, and lost, some infinite thing.”

Esteemed writer David Foster Wallace gave a remarkably casual yet wise commencement speech at Kenyon College in 2005 on the importance of learning to think beyond attaining a formal education. He encouraged hundreds of students to develop freedom of thought, a heart of sacrificial care for those in need of justice, and a consciousness that would serve them in discerning the right choices to make within a status quo that is easy to fall in line with. His captivating speech on what it meant to truly be ‘educated’ tugged at the hearts of many young and critical minds striving to achieve their dreams and change the world.

35. Questioning the Universe by Stephen Hawking

“This brings me to the last of the big questions: the future of the human race. If we are the only intelligent beings in the galaxy, we should make sure we survive and continue. But we are entering an increasingly dangerous period of our history. Our population and our use of the finite resources of planet Earth are growing exponentially, along with our technical ability to change the environment for good or ill. But our genetic code still carries the selfish and aggressive instincts that were of survival advantage in the past. It will be difficult enough to avoid disaster in the next hundred years, let alone the next thousand or million. Our only chance of long-term survival is not to remain inward-looking on planet Earth, but to spread out into space. The answers to these big questions show that we have made remarkable progress in the last hundred years. But if we want to continue beyond the next hundred years, our future is in space. That is why I am in favor of manned — or should I say, personned — space flight.”

Extraordinary theoretical physicist, cosmologist, and author Stephen Hawking was a considerable influence upon modern physics and scientific research at large, inspiring people regardless of physical ability to aspire towards expanding knowledge in the world. In his speech on Questioning the Universe, he speaks of the emerging currents and issues in the scientific world like that of outer space, raising and answering big questions that have stumped great thinkers for years.

36. 2008 Democratic National Convention Speech by Michelle Obama

“I stand here today at the crosscurrents of that history — knowing that my piece of the American dream is a blessing hard won by those who came before me. All of them driven by the same conviction that drove my dad to get up an hour early each day to painstakingly dress himself for work. The same conviction that drives the men and women I’ve met all across this country: People who work the day shift, kiss their kids goodnight, and head out for the night shift — without disappointment, without regret — that goodnight kiss a reminder of everything they’re working for. The military families who say grace each night with an empty seat at the table. The servicemen and women who love this country so much, they leave those they love most to defend it. The young people across America serving our communities — teaching children, cleaning up neighborhoods, caring for the least among us each and every day. People like Hillary Clinton, who put those 18 million cracks in the glass ceiling, so that our daughters — and sons — can dream a little bigger and aim a little higher. People like Joe Biden, who’s never forgotten where he came from and never stopped fighting for folks who work long hours and face long odds and need someone on their side again. All of us driven by a simple belief that the world as it is just won’t do — that we have an obligation to fight for the world as it should be. That is the thread that connects our hearts. That is the thread that runs through my journey and Barack’s journey and so many other improbable journeys that have brought us here tonight, where the current of history meets this new tide of hope. That is why I love this country.”

Ever the favourite modern First Lady of America, Michelle Obama has delivered an abundance of iconic speeches in her political capacity, never forgetting to foreground the indomitable human spirit embodied in American citizens’ everyday lives and efforts towards a better world. The Obamas might just have been the most articulate couple of rhetoricians of their time, making waves as the first African American president and First Lady while introducing important policies in their period of governance.

37. The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama

“I’m not talking about blind optimism here — the almost willful ignorance that thinks unemployment will go away if we just don’t think about it, or the health care crisis will solve itself if we just ignore it. That’s not what I’m talking about. I’m talking about something more substantial. It’s the hope of slaves sitting around a fire singing freedom songs; the hope of immigrants setting out for distant shores; the hope of a young naval lieutenant bravely patrolling the Mekong Delta; the hope of a millworker’s son who dares to defy the odds; the hope of a skinny kid with a funny name who believes that America has a place for him, too. Hope — Hope in the face of difficulty. Hope in the face of uncertainty. The audacity of hope! In the end, that is God’s greatest gift to us, the bedrock of this nation. A belief in things not seen. A belief that there are better days ahead.”

Now published into a book, Barack Obama’s heart-capturing personal story of transformational hope was first delivered as a speech on the merits of patriotic optimism and determination put to the mission of concrete change. He has come to be known as one of the most favoured and inspiring presidents in American history, and arguably the most skilled orators ever.

38. “Be Your Own Story” by Toni Morrison

“But I’m not going to talk anymore about the future because I’m hesitant to describe or predict because I’m not even certain that it exists. That is to say, I’m not certain that somehow, perhaps, a burgeoning ménage a trois of political interests, corporate interests and military interests will not prevail and literally annihilate an inhabitable, humane future. Because I don’t think we can any longer rely on separation of powers, free speech, religious tolerance or unchallengeable civil liberties as a matter of course. That is, not while finite humans in the flux of time make decisions of infinite damage. Not while finite humans make infinite claims of virtue and unassailable power that are beyond their competence, if not their reach. So, no happy talk about the future. … Because the past is already in debt to the mismanaged present. And besides, contrary to what you may have heard or learned, the past is not done and it is not over, it’s still in process, which is another way of saying that when it’s critiqued, analyzed, it yields new information about itself. The past is already changing as it is being reexamined, as it is being listened to for deeper resonances. Actually it can be more liberating than any imagined future if you are willing to identify its evasions, its distortions, its lies, and are willing to unleash its secrets.”

Venerated author and professor Toni Morrison delivered an impressively articulate speech at Wellesley College in 2004 to new graduates, bucking the trend by discussing the importance of the past in informing current and future ways of living. With her brilliance and eloquence, she blew the crowd away and renewed in them the capacity for reflection upon using the past as a talisman to guide oneself along the journey of life.

39. Nobel Speech by Malala Yousafzai

“Dear brothers and sisters, the so-called world of adults may understand it, but we children don’t. Why is it that countries which we call “strong” are so powerful in creating wars but so weak in bringing peace? Why is it that giving guns is so easy but giving books is so hard? Why is it that making tanks is so easy, but building schools is so difficult? As we are living in the modern age, the 21st century and we all believe that nothing is impossible. We can reach the moon and maybe soon will land on Mars. Then, in this, the 21st century, we must be determined that our dream of quality education for all will also come true. So let us bring equality, justice and peace for all. Not just the politicians and the world leaders, we all need to contribute. Me. You. It is our duty. So we must work … and not wait. I call upon my fellow children to stand up around the world. Dear sisters and brothers, let us become the first generation to decide to be the last. The empty classrooms, the lost childhoods, wasted potential-let these things end with us.”

At a mere 16 years of age, Malala Yousafzai gave a speech on the severity of the state of human rights across the world, and wowed the world with her passion for justice at her tender age. She displayed tenacity and fearlessness speaking about her survival of an assassination attempt for her activism for gender equality in the field of education. A model of courage to us all, her speech remains an essential one in the fight for human rights in the 21st century.

40. Final Commencement Speech by Michelle Obama

“If you are a person of faith, know that religious diversity is a great American tradition, too. In fact, that’s why people first came to this country — to worship freely. And whether you are Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Sikh — these religions are teaching our young people about justice, and compassion, and honesty. So I want our young people to continue to learn and practice those values with pride. You see, our glorious diversity — our diversities of faiths and colors and creeds — that is not a threat to who we are, it makes us who we are. So the young people here and the young people out there: Do not ever let anyone make you feel like you don’t matter, or like you don’t have a place in our American story — because you do. And you have a right to be exactly who you are. But I also want to be very clear: This right isn’t just handed to you. No, this right has to be earned every single day. You cannot take your freedoms for granted. Just like generations who have come before you, you have to do your part to preserve and protect those freedoms. … It is our fundamental belief in the power of hope that has allowed us to rise above the voices of doubt and division, of anger and fear that we have faced in our own lives and in the life of this country. Our hope that if we work hard enough and believe in ourselves, then we can be whatever we dream, regardless of the limitations that others may place on us. The hope that when people see us for who we truly are, maybe, just maybe they, too, will be inspired to rise to their best possible selves.”

Finally, we have yet another speech by Michelle Obama given in her final remarks as First Lady – a tear-inducing event for many Americans and even people around the world. In this emotional end to her political tenure, she gives an empowering, hopeful, expressive speech to young Americans, exhorting them to take hold of its future in all their diversity and work hard at being their best possible selves.

Amidst the bleak era of our current time with Trump as president of the USA, not only Michelle Obama, but all 40 of these amazing speeches can serve as sources of inspiration and hope to everyone – regardless of their identity or ambitions. After hearing these speeches, which one’s your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!

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© Copyright 2001-Present. American Rhetoric by Michael E. Eidenmuller All rights reserved. Key takeaways from Netanyahu’s speech and the protests outside US Congress Protests greeted Israel’s prime minister as he gave his fourth address to Congress amid Israel’s war in Gaza. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has delivered his fourth address to a joint session of the United States Congress, as he attempted to drum up continued support for his country’s war in Gaza. But protests over the war greeted Netanyahu as he arrived on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on Wednesday — and they continued inside halls of Congress. Keep reading Us capitol police arrest jewish activists calling for israel arms embargo, photos: protesters rally in washington, dc before netanyahu speech, pro-palestine activists release maggots at israeli delegation hotel. Representative Rashida Tlaib , for instance, held up a sign that read “guilty of genocide” on one side and “war criminal” on the other, echoing criticisms of the devastating toll of the war. Netanyahu, however, was not caught off guard. He used his podium before the US Congress to blast perceived enemies as anti-Semitic and misguided, specifically calling out campus protesters and prosecutors at the International Criminal Court, among others. Here are five key takeaways from Wednesday’s speech. Netanyahu praises allies in the US With his latest speech, Netanyahu overtook the late British Prime Minister Winston Churchill — an icon of World War II — as the world leader with the most US congressional speeches under his belt. Netanyahu entered the chamber to a standing ovation, though some lawmakers could be heard to boo beneath the cheers. He paused to shake hands with some legislators, giving only a brief nod to others. Once at the podium, he offered effusive praise for the American people and politicians on both sides of the aisle. “Through thick and thin, in good times and in bad, Israel will always be your loyal friend and your steadfast partner. On behalf of the people of Israel, I came here today to say thank you, America,” Netanyahu said. He also acknowledged the historic circumstances of his speech, saying it was his “profound honour” to address “this great citadel of democracy for the fourth time”. The prime minister, however, faced an increasingly fractured Congress, with Democrats splintered over support for the ongoing war in Gaza. Some, like New York’s Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, refused to attend Wednesday’s speech. Others walked out early. Wading into election-year politics Netanyahu dedicated particular mention to two figures on opposite sides of the political spectrum: US President Joe Biden and his erstwhile Republican rival Donald Trump. Up until this week, Biden and Trump had been locked in a heated race for the presidency, as Election Day approaches on November 5. But on Sunday, Biden dropped out of the race, endorsing Vice President Kamala Harris as his successor. First, Netanyahu acknowledged Biden’s support after the October 7 attacks on Israel. “After the savage attack on October 7, he rightly called Hamas ‘sheer evil’,” Netanyahu said, playing up their more than 40-year relationship. Later, he expressed relief that Trump had survived a recent assassination attempt and thanked him personally for pro-Israel policies he enacted while in office. “I also want to recognise President Trump for all the things he did for Israel, from recognising Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights to confronting Iran’s aggression to recognising Jerusalem as our capital and moving the American embassy there,” he said. These moves remain controversial both in the US and abroad, and the United Nations has condemned Israeli actions in the occupied Golan Heights. Netanyahu takes aim at protesters Outside the Capitol building, thousands of protesters rallied as Netanyahu spoke, denouncing what they called a “genocide” unfolding in Gaza. US Capitol Police issued a statement that, after some protesters became “violent”, its officers were forced to use pepper spray. Demonstrators were seen to pour water in their eyes in order to mitigate the burns. Rather than ignore the protests happening steps away from his speech, Netanyahu took direct aim at them, calling the demonstrations misguided. He also slammed anti-war protests on US campuses. “Many choose to stand with evil. They stand with Hamas. They stand with rapists and murderers,” Netanyahu said. “These protesters stand with them. They should be ashamed of themselves.” He also accused the anti-war protesters of echoing talking points from Iran, a country with which Israel has been in a proxy war for decades. “When the tyrants of Tehran who hang gays from cranes and murder women for not covering their hair are praising, promoting and funding you, you have officially become Iran’s useful idiots,” Netanyahu said to the protesters. A swipe at the International Criminal Court The protests, however, were not the only pushback that Netanyahu faces. In May, Prosecutor Karim Khan of the International Criminal Court (ICC) called for arrest warrants to be issued for Netanyahu and his allies, accusing them of “war crimes and crimes against humanity” for their actions in Gaza. Netanyahu used his platform at the US Congress to “forcefully oppose” what he called “false accusations”. The prime minister defended the war as necessary for Israel’s security. He also warned that the court could take aim at the US if Khan’s arrests are allowed to proceed. “If Israel’s hands are tied, America is next. I’ll tell you what else is next: the ability of all democracies to fight terrorism will be imperiled,” Netanyahu said. “The hands of the Jewish state will never be shackled,” he added. “Israel will always defend itself.” The US currently does not recognise the authority of the ICC. A panel of judges is expected to weigh in on the request for arrest warrants in the coming months. Netanyahu lays out post-war vision As the war in Gaza rounds out its ninth month, with more than 39,000 Palestinians killed, the pressure is nevertheless rising for Netanyahu to end the conflict. Ceasefire negotiations have been ongoing for months. Families of Israeli captives in Gaza told the US news outlet NPR they hoped Netanyahu would use his speech to announce “a deal has been completed”. But Netanyahu disappointed such expectations. Instead, he repeated far-right rhetoric that has been slammed as dehumanising and anti-Palestinian. “This is not a clash of civilisations. It’s a clash between barbarism and civilisation,” Netanyahu told Congress. “It’s a clash between those who glorify death and those who sanctify life. For the forces of civilization to triumph, America and Israel must stand together. Because when we stand together, something very simple happens: We win, they lose.” Netanyahu also called for the defeat of Hamas as a precondition for peace, saying he would settle for “total victory” and nothing less. In explaining what life after the war might look like, he sketched a vision that involved Israel forces maintaining control over Gaza — a prospect critics fear could lead to the further displacement and oppression of Palestinians. “The day after we defeat Hamas, a new Gaza could emerge,” Netanyahu said. “My vision for that day is of a demilitarised and deradicalised Gaza. Israel does not seek to resettle Gaza. But for the foreseeable future, we must retain overriding security control there to prevent the resurgence of terror, to ensure Gaza never again poses a threat to Israel.” “A new generation of Palestinians must no longer be taught to hate Jews but rather to live in peace with us,” he added. To achieve that end, Netanyahu made his sales pitch to the US legislators seated before him. He called on military aid to increase and be delivered more rapidly, despite concerns — particularly among progressives — that it could be used for human rights abuses in Gaza. The US already sends Israel $3.8bn a year in military aid, and in April, President Biden signed an aid package that would provide up to $17bn in additional support. “Fast-tracking US military aid can dramatically expedite an end to the war in Gaza and help prevent a broader war in the Middle East,” Netanyahu told the US Congress. “Give us the tools faster, and we’ll finish the job faster.” Skip to main content Skip to secondary menu Skip to primary sidebar Skip to footer A Plus Topper Improve your Grades Speech On Politics | Politics Speech for Students and Children in English February 8, 2024 by Prasanna Speech on Politics: Politics is a multidimensional concept. It is a term related to affairs among countries and organizations. We can also call politics as the science of governance. These speeches will be helpful for the students, teachers and guest speakers to put a glance over the science of politics to educate students and enthusiasts. Students can also find more  English Speech Writing  about Welcome Speeches, Farewell Speeches, etc Long And Short Speeches On Politics for Kids And Students in English We are providing a long Speech on Politics of 500 words and a short speech of 150 words on the same topic along with ten lines about the issue to help readers. A Long Speech On Politics is helpful to students of classes 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. A Short Speech On Politics is helpful to students of classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. Long Speech On Politics 500 Words In English Greetings to everyone. To understand the sophisticated curriculum of politics, one must first understand the general concepts of politics. Politics is derived from a Greek word Politika , which means “affairs of the cities”. The general definition of politics can be the actions by the power holders that lead to national and international relations which effectively results in policy framing within a country or organization. Politics is multidimensional and has various approaches towards it. Politics can be both positive and negative in nature. Politics can create conflicts as well as resolve conflicts. Politics is generally called the science of governing. The academic arena that involves studies about politics is a political science and social sciences. However, one to become a politician need not compulsorily have a degree but must be skilled and qualified in the arena of politics. Politics is an interesting and diplomatic concept. The ideologies derived from philosophies play an important role in modern politics. The main idea behind politics is said to be service to the citizens, but most of the time, it results in the interest for power. To become a politician, one must possess excellent leadership skills, communication skills and diplomatic nature. But most importantly, one must have deep concern towards the well being of the society because politics on a higher level affects life at every level. Numerous different methods are applied in politics like exercise power and force, making policies and laws, negotiating political matters and keeping a check on adversaries. Politics is applied to a range of social levels from traditional societies to international relations. To portray or popularize one’s political ideology, political parties are formed. Every political party gives the electoral college a varied range of ideologies to choose from during election. Political methods have a long history which is understood by notable literary works like Aristotle’s politics, Plato’s Republic and Chanakya’s Arthashastra. Popular political ideologies like socialism, communism, fascism, Nazism, Marxism have made the modern aspects of politics. Every political ideology has its pros and cons. To understand or be politically inclined towards a certain ideology, one must study all the elements of politics. The political system of a country comprises of forms of government and source of power. A political system is a framework that is formed to ensure authority over the societal values by allocating designations. The political system makes public policy. The diplomatic interaction between different political systems forms a network of global politics. Political frameworks differ in terms of various forms of government. Other countries have an either democratic, republican or totalitarian state of government, thus have an entirely different framework of politics. History has seen many potential and charismatic politicians. Alexander the Great was a Greek king who was undefeated in battle and was a student of Aristotle. Winston Churchill, the British prime minister, plays a great role in ending the world war two. 40 th president of America, Ronald Reagan was highly influential and known as one of the best politicians in the world. Short Speech On Politics 150 Words In English In the present scenario of the world, we often hear or overhear an interesting term called politics .the term may be simple, but politics is no simple concept. It is a science of multidimensional ideologies and ideas. Politics, in general definition, means affairs among countries and organizations that lead to policy formation. But politics can also be used as a negative connotation. We often hear our politicians say “we do not engage in politics” making the concept of politics sound negative. Politics has various fundamental approaches. Politics is not only a science for the politicians, every individual of every organization; however small it may be can and does engage in political concepts. Thus we understand that politics is beyond politicians. Diplomacy and effective communication are the keys to political talks. Some of the greatest politicians are alexander the great, Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela, Lenin, Margaret Thatcher, Cleopatra, Ronald Reagan and Genghis khan, to name a few. 10 Lines On Politics Speech In English Politics is derived from a Greek word Politika, which means “affairs of the cities”. Politics, in general, is defined as diplomatic relations among the power holders of countries and organizations that lead to the formation of policies. Politics, as a broad concept, has various fundamental approaches and is multifaceted and multidimensional. Political science is the study of politics. Political science covers the history techniques and communication that every individual pursuing political knowledge must know. Various ideologies have been formed and accepted in the past, which has led to the modern political advancements and scenario. Politics can have both positive and negative interpretations that affect the social aspects of a country. Politics is the science of policy framework. Politics was practised since the prehistoric era and is directly related or can be derived from philosophy. Some great politicians who can leave a mark on the field with their charisma are Nelsen Mandela, Abraham Lincoln, Martin Luther King, alexander the great and Margaret Thatcher, to name a few. FAQ’s On Politics Speech Question 1. How to start a speech on Politics? Answer: There are many effective ways to make a speech interesting with a great start. A speech should start by expressing the motive of the topic chosen. What makes the topic politics important must be said first. Politics is a conceptual topic; thus, it needs to start with explaining base ideas. Question 2. How politics affect our life? Answer: Politics is the workplace of the people in power who make policies. These policies are responsible for the subtle or unsettled life of the common man. Examples of policies are education policy, employment policy, poverty control policy, etc. all of these policies shape our day to day life. Politics can create conflicts as well as resolve conflicts. Thus politics affect our life directly. Question 3. How to make a non-offensive speech on Politics? Answer: There are many ways to deliver a speech that has very little chance of offending the listeners. The best way to deliver a non-offensive speech is to make factual and neutral statements. Politics might turn to a controversial topic, so while making a speech on politics, keep the tone respectful towards the contradictory opinion. Question 4. Can I become a politician? Answer: Yes, anyone can become a politician with the right skills obtained from education and experience. To become a politician, one must have great leadership skills, communication skills and decision-making skills. To become a good politician, one must possess a feeling of deep concern about the citizens of a country belonging to the various class. Picture Dictionary English Speech English Slogans English Letter Writing English Essay Writing English Textbook Answers Types of Certificates ICSE Solutions Selina ICSE Solutions ML Aggarwal Solutions HSSLive Plus One HSSLive Plus Two Kerala SSLC Distance Education In fiery speech to Congress, Netanyahu defends war in Gaza and denounces protesters Copy Link URL Copied! Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended Israel’s war in Gaza and condemned American protesters in a scathing speech to Congress on Wednesday that was boycotted by many top Democratic lawmakers and drew thousands to the Capitol to condemn the war and the humanitarian crisis it has created. Netanyahu vowed to press on with the war until “total victory,” disappointing hopes by some that the Israeli leader’s visit to the United States could bring some breakthrough in negotiations for a cease-fire and hostage release. Speaking to applause from many U.S. lawmakers, and stony silence from others, Netanyahu sought to bolster U.S. support for his country’s fight against Hamas and other Iran-backed armed groups. “America and Israel must stand together. When we stand together something really simple happens: We win, they lose,” said Netanyahu, who wore a yellow pin expressing solidarity with the Israeli hostages held by Hamas. But the Israeli leader soon pivoted to a darker tone as he derided those protesting the war on college campuses and elsewhere in the U.S., gesturing to demonstrations happening on the streets outside the Capitol. He called protesters “useful idiots” for Israel’s adversaries. Democrats split over boycotting Israeli prime minister’s address to Congress In California, Netanyahu’s controversial speech before Congress — like that in 2015 — has sown division in the congressional delegation. July 24, 2024 The line drew shouts of applause from many gathered for the joint session of Congress, but silence from leading Democrats who declined to stand and cheer. Freed former hostages of Hamas and families of hostages listened in the House chamber. Lawmakers of both parties rose to applaud the Israeli leader in some moments in the speech. Security escorted out protesters in the gallery who rose to display T-shirts with slogans demanding that leaders close a deal ending the conflict and freeing hostages. Netanyahu accused the protesters in the United States of standing with the militants who, he noted, killed babies in Hamas’ attack on Oct. 7. “These protesters that stand with them, they should be ashamed of themselves,” he said. Netanyahu — who is frequently accused of wading into U.S. politics in favor of conservative and Republican causes, and who was speaking at the invitation of GOP lawmakers, not the White House — started his remarks with praise of President Biden. He also turned to lavishing praise on former president and Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump “for all he’s done for Israel.” With criticism against him rising in Israel, Netanyahu aimed to portray himself as a statesman respected by Israel’s most important ally. That task is complicated by Americans’ increasingly divided views on Israel and the war, which has emerged as a key issue in the U.S. presidential election. Tall steel barriers ringed the Capitol on Wednesday, and police deployed pepper spray as thousands of protesters rallied near the Capitol, denouncing Netanyahu as a “war criminal” and calling for a cease-fire. World & Nation Congressional leaders invite Israel’s Netanyahu to deliver an address at the Capitol Congressional leaders have invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to deliver an address at the U.S. Capitol. May 31, 2024 Netanyahu received a warm welcome from House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana and other Republican lawmakers who arranged his speech. Netanyahu received a bipartisan standing ovation before speaking. The appearance made Netanyahu the first foreign leader to address a joint meeting of Congress four times, surpassing Winston Churchill. More than 50 Democrats and political independent Bernie Sanders boycotted Netanyahu’s speech. The most notable absence was right behind him: Vice President Kamala Harris , who serves as president of the Senate, said a long-scheduled trip kept her from attending. The next Democrat in line, Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, declined to attend, so Sen. Benjamin L. Cardin of Maryland, the chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, served as Senate president pro tempore in place of her. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a Michigan Democrat who has family in the West Bank, sat in the House chamber with a kaffiyeh, which she often wears, wrapped over her shoulders. At times during Netanyahu’s speech, she held up a sign that said “war criminal.” Tlaib was censured last year for her criticism of Israel’s conduct in the war. Netanyahu on U.S. threat to withhold arms: Israel will fight with its ‘fingernails’ if needed Netanyahu says a U.S. threat to withhold arms will not stop the war in Gaza, indicating Israel might proceed with an invasion of the packed city of Rafah. May 9, 2024 Republicans said the absence of Harris, the new Democratic front-runner for the presidency , was a sign of disloyalty to an ally. Former President Trump’s running mate, J.D. Vance, was also a no-show for Netanyahu’s speech, citing the need to campaign. Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with President Biden and Harris on Thursday, and with Trump at Mar-a-Lago on Friday. Many in the swelling crowds of demonstrators protested the killings of Palestinian civilians in the war, a large proportion of the more than 39,000 killed in Gaza. Others condemned Netanyahu’s inability to free Israeli and American hostages taken by Hamas and other militants during the Oct. 7 attack that sparked the war. Support for Israel has long carried political weight in U.S. politics. But the usual warm welcome for Netanyahu’s visits has been diminished this time around by political turmoil, including the assassination attempt against Trump and Biden’s decision over the weekend not to seek another term. Many Democrats who support Israel but have been critical of Netanyahu saw the address as a Republican effort to cast itself as the party most loyal. Many Democrats attended the address despite their criticism of Netanyahu, including Senate Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer, who called for new elections in Israel in a March floor speech. Schumer, of New York, said then that Netanyahu has “lost his way” and is an obstacle to peace in the region amid the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip . Netanyahu claims U.S. is withholding weapons, blames Biden Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says U.S. is withholding weapons needed for the war in Gaza, but others say that’s not the whole story. June 18, 2024 About 60 lawmakers met Wednesday with relatives of those taken hostage by Hamas, and they expressed anger toward Netanyahu. “Because by coming here, he risks making himself the issue, turning the humanitarian issue of the hostages into a political one,” Maya Roman, who had several family members taken hostage, told the lawmakers. The United States is Israel’s most important ally, arms supplier and source of military aid. Netanyahu’s visit is his first abroad since the war started, and comes under the shadow of arrest warrants sought against him by International Criminal Court prosecutors over alleged Israeli war crimes against Palestinians. ICC prosecutors are also seeking warrants against Hamas leaders accused of war crimes. The United States does not recognize the ICC. The Biden administration says it wants to see Netanyahu focus his visit on helping to complete a deal for a cease-fire and hostage release. Growing numbers of Israelis accuse Netanyahu of prolonging the war in order to avoid a likely fall from power whenever the conflict ends and elections are held. Netanyahu has said his aims for the U.S. visit are to press for freeing hostages held by Hamas and other militants in Gaza, to build support for continuing Israel’s battle against the group, and to argue for continuing to confront Hezbollah in Lebanon and other Iranian-allied groups in the region. Some Democrats are wary about Netanyahu since he used a 2015 joint address to Congress to denounce then-President Obama’s pending nuclear deal with Iran. Then, as now, he circumvented the White House and spoke to Congress at the invitation of Republican lawmakers. Netanyahu used an appearance early Wednesday to focus on Iran, its nuclear program and its network of armed allies. Iran is “behind the entire axis of terror” that threatens the U.S. and Israel, he said, speaking at a memorial for late former Sen. Joe Lieberman. Knickmeyer, Amiri and Khalil write for the Associated Press. AP writers Stephen Groves, Mary Clare Jalonick and Alanna Durkin Richer contributed to this report. More to Read Netanyahu vows retaliation against Hezbollah after weekend strike as U.S. warns against escalation July 29, 2024 Netanyahu’s high-profile U.S. visit derailed by shifting politics here and at home July 26, 2024 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu makes surprise Gaza visit July 18, 2024 Sign up for Essential California The most important California stories and recommendations in your inbox every morning. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. More From the Los Angeles Times Israel kills militants in the West Bank as a nervous region watches latest on cease-fire talks U.S. to boost military presence in Middle East, sending fighter jet squadron Aug. 2, 2024 Mourners bury Hamas chief Haniyeh in Qatar as more escalation looms over the Middle East Israel says it has confirmed that chief of Hamas’ military wing was killed in a strike in Gaza Aug. 1, 2024 UK Politics News Videos Paris 2024 Olympics Rugby Union Sport Videos John Rentoul Mary Dejevsky Andrew Grice Sean O’Grady Photography Theatre & Dance Culture Videos Fitness & Wellbeing Food & Drink Health & Families Royal Family Electric Vehicles Car Insurance Deals Lifestyle Videos UK Hotel Reviews News & Advice Simon Calder Australia & New Zealand South America C. America & Caribbean Middle East Politics Explained News Analysis Today’s Edition Home & Garden Broadband deals Fashion & Beauty Travel & Outdoors Sports & Fitness Climate 100 Sustainable Living Climate Videos Solar Panels Behind The Headlines On The Ground Decomplicated You Ask The Questions Binge Watch Travel Smart Watch on your TV Crosswords & Puzzles Most Commented Newsletters Ask Me Anything Virtual Events Wine Offers Thank you for registering Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged in Please refresh your browser to be logged in The Top 10 best known paragraphs of British political speeches since the war The most famous whole passages of persuasive argument since 1945. Article bookmarked Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free view from westminster email. This list started when Sam Freedman asked: “What is the best known paragraph of a UK political speech from the last 40 years?” We agreed it was Neil Kinnock’s (No 6), and I extended the qualifying period to 1945. In the old days, before The Independent went digital-only in 2016, and before Twitter increased its character limit the following year, Top 10s usually consisted of items no longer than 140 characters. But now there are no limits, so I asked for whole paragraphs, making an argument, not just pithy sentences. 1. Winston Churchill , Conservative leader, University of Zurich, 1946. “Yet all the while there is a remedy which, if it were generally and spontaneously adopted by the great majority of people in many lands, would as by a miracle transform the whole scene and would in a few years make all Europe, or the greater part of it, as free and happy as Switzerland is today. What is this sovereign remedy? It is to recreate the European family, or as much of it as we can, and to provide it with a structure under which it can dwell in peace, safety and freedom. We must build a kind of United States of Europe . In this way only will hundreds of millions of toilers be able to regain the simple joys and hopes which make life worth living. The process is simple. All that is needed is the resolve of hundreds of millions of men and women to do right instead of wrong and to gain as their reward blessing instead of cursing.” Nominated by Paul T Horgan. 2. Harold Macmillan , prime minister, Cape Town, 1960. “In the twentieth century, and especially since the end of the war, the processes which gave birth to the nation states of Europe have been repeated all over the world. We have seen the awakening of national consciousness in peoples who have for centuries lived in dependence upon some other power. Fifteen years ago this movement spread through Asia. Many countries there of different races and civilisations pressed their claim to an independent national life. Today the same thing is happening in Africa, and the most striking of all the impressions I have formed since I left London a month ago is of the strength of this African national consciousness. In different places it takes different forms, but it is happening everywhere. The wind of change is blowing through this continent, and, whether we like it or not, this growth of national consciousness is a political fact. We must all accept it as a fact, and our national policies must take account of it.” Thanks to Ryan Flack. 3. Hugh Gaitskell , Labour leader, Brighton, 1962. “If you are going to have a democratic Europe, if you are going to control the running of Europe democratically, you’ve got to move towards some form of federalism and if anyone says different to that they’re really misleading the public. That’s one in the eye for Mr Bonham Carter [Mark, Liberal former MP who denied his party advocated federalism]. Now we must be clear about this, it does mean, if this is the idea, the end of Britain as an independent nation-state. I make no apology for repeating it, the end of a thousand years of history . You may say: ‘All right, let it end.’ But, my goodness, it’s a decision that needs a little care and thought. And it does mean the end of the Commonwealth; how can one really seriously suppose that if the mother country, the centre of the Commonwealth, is a province of Europe, which is what federation means, it could continue to exist as the mother country of a series of independent nations; it is sheer nonsense.” Another from Ryan Flack. 4. James Callaghan , prime minister, Blackpool, 1976. “We used to think that you could spend your way out of a recession, and increase employ­ment by cutting taxes and boosting government spending. I tell you in all candour that that option no longer exists, and that in so far as it ever did exist, it only worked on each occasion since the war by injecting a bigger dose of infla­tion into the economy, followed by a higher level of unemployment as the next step. Higher inflation followed by higher unemployment. We have just escaped from the highest rate of inflation this country has known; we have not yet escaped from the consequences: high unemployment.” 5. Michael Foot , Labour employment spokesperson and candidate for party leadership, House of Commons, 1980. “In my youth, quite a time ago, when I lived in Plymouth, every Saturday night I used to go to the Palace theatre. My favourite act was a magician-conjuror who used to have sitting at the back of the audience a man dressed as a prominent alderman. The magician-conjuror used to say that he wanted a beautiful watch from a member of the audience. He would go up to the alderman and eventually take from him a marvellous gold watch. He would bring it back to the stage, enfold it in a beautiful red handkerchief, place it on the table in front of us, take out his mallet, hit the watch and smash it to smithereens. Then on his countenance would come exactly the puzzled look of the secretary of state for industry [Keith Joseph]. He would step to the front of the stage and say: ‘I am very sorry. I have forgotten the rest of the trick.’ That is the situation of the government. They have forgotten the rest of the trick . It does not work.” Thanks to Jonathan Allan. 6. Neil Kinnock , Labour leader, Bournemouth, 1985. “I’ll tell you what happens with impossible promises. You start with far-fetched resolutions. They are then pickled into a rigid dogma, a code, and you go through the years sticking to that, outdated, misplaced, irrelevant to the real needs, and you end in the grotesque chaos of a Labour council – a Labour council – hiring taxis to scuttle round a city handing out redundancy notices to its own workers. I am telling you, no matter how entertaining, how fulfilling to short-term egos – I’ll tell you, and you’ll listen. I’m telling you: you can’t play politics with people’s jobs and with people’s services or with their homes.” 7. Margaret Thatcher , prime minister, House of Commons, 1990. “Leon Brittan is a loyal member of the Commission. Yes, the Commission wants to increase its powers. Yes, it is a non-elected body and I do not want the Commission to increase its powers at the expense of the House, so of course we differ. The president of the Commission, Mr Delors, said at a press conference the other day that he wanted the European parliament to be the democratic body of the Community, he wanted the commission to be the executive and he wanted the council of ministers to be the senate. No. No. No .” Thanks to Martin Koder. 8. Geoffrey Howe , resigning as deputy prime minister, House of Commons, 1990. “The conflict of loyalty, of loyalty to my right hon friend the prime minister – and, after all, in two decades together that instinct of loyalty is still very real – and of loyalty to what I perceive to be the true interests of the nation, has become all too great. I no longer believe it possible to resolve that conflict from within this government. That is why I have resigned. In doing so, I have done what I believe to be right for my party and my country. The time has come for others to consider their own response to the tragic conflict of loyalties with which I have myself wrestled for perhaps too long .” Nominated by Declan Ryan and Clifford Williamson. 9. Tony Blair , prime minister, House of Commons, 2007. “Some may belittle politics but we know it is where people stand tall. And although I know it has its many harsh contentions, it is still the arena which sets the heart beating fast. It may sometimes be a place of low skullduggery but it is more often a place for more noble causes. I wish everyone, friend or foe, well and that is that, the end .” Thanks to Ben Ullmann. 10. Theresa May , prime minister, Downing Street, 2016. “If you’re from an ordinary working class family, life is much harder than many people in Westminster realise. You have a job but you don’t always have job security. You have your own home, but you worry about paying a mortgage. You can just about manage but you worry about the cost of living and getting your kids into a good school. If you’re one of those families, if you’re just managing, I want to address you directly. I know you’re working around the clock, I know you’re doing your best, and I know that sometimes life can be a struggle. The government I lead will be driven not by the interests of the privileged few, but by yours.” Neil Kinnock can’t have two entries, because otherwise he would feature again with “I warn you not to get old” in 1983, nominated by Declan Ryan and Alan Paxton. Next week: Business jargon taxonomies, such as buckets, pillars, strands, rafts and planks. Coming soon: Cheery utopias, such as Narnia (after the defeat of the White Witch), Redwall Abbey, the Shire and the Culture. Your suggestions please, and ideas for future Top 10s, to me on Twitter, or by email to top10 @independent.co.uk Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Political speech definition Characteristics and types examples  Political Speech The  political speech is a communication strategy that is based on creating a message through a combination of non-verbal and para verbal to persuade the individual and the masses verbally expressive resources. In this article we will present the definition of political speech along with other aspects. The development of this type of discourse uses elements of social and behavioral psychology that have an impact on the cognitive area, in order to win supporters for electoral purposes. Politics encompasses various factors and elements that make it one of the most important areas of study for society , and it can be said that political discourse has determined the destiny of humanity in moments that are considered historical today. It is an essential tool for political actors, since it is used by them to express their way of seeing certain problems, link voters with their ideals, generate questions about the exercise of power or create hope in those who receive the message. Political discourse has several characteristics. Among all of them, five stand out that are fundamental to understanding its nature: argumentation, strategy, controversy, position and persuasion. With regard to the types of discourses, it seems that the doctrine in particular is not so important, but rather the classical postulates of Aristotelian rhetoric. Among the types of discourse proposed by scholars, the judicial , deliberative and demonstrative stand out. Characteristics At above you read about the definition of political speech now lets see its characteristics. Political speeches are characterized by addressing issues as varied as the context in which politicians are operating. However, in most cases there are ideological aspects, government actions, legislative proposals or other issues closer to society, such as labor or citizen security. These points have been part of the discursive agenda of emblematic political leaders and it is not an exaggeration to say that they have also served as a basis for writing history through famous speeches such as  I have a dream  by Martín Luther King,  Blood, toil, tears and sweat  by Winston Churchill or the inauguration speech of Nelson Mandela. Although political speeches are greatly influenced by the context the leader is facing – be it an electoral campaign scenario, accountability or criticism of other political actors – there are certain characteristics that are generally present in a speech. The most important are the following: 1-Argumentation The speech presents a thesis and, likewise, it also has an argumentation that supports it. Therefore, the statement that is intended to be communicated to the recipients is defended with real facts or plausible reasoning. The construction of a discourse has a strategic sense of action; that is to say, in its development there are clearly defined objectives, ways or ways to reach the latter and antagonists or obstacles that could present themselves as threats on the playing field. 3-Controversy Within the political discourse, the creation of an adversary is very recurrent, which undoubtedly generates controversy and arouses different emotions in the recipients of the message. Building an enemy can be used to point to the latter as responsible for some event, or to commit the receiver of the message to join their cause and face the danger that said enemy represents. 4-Commitment to a position Whoever assumes the political discourse is not restricted only to communicating or expressing himself neutrally about a certain situation, but is immediately linked to a specific position, commits himself to a position. 5-Persuasion Generally, the interest in convincing is not aimed at the political adversary; rather, the appeal is to his own supporters, to his allies. In the same way, it also aims to ensure that those who are in an undecided position end up joining its cause. Types of Political speech There is no consensus or homogeneity within the doctrines regarding the types of political discourses. However, various authors have approached a classification based on Aristotle’s division of discursive genres . Therefore, types of political discourses can be considered those that have their own forms and contexts. Below we will detail the most important types: definition of political speech In this type of speech , the receiver is in a position where he must decide and take a position in relation to past events. This occurs in the customary renditions of accounts made by the rulers, in which the performance of the leaders is judged. The political discourse in these cases focuses on demonstrating that the precise and necessary actions were taken in the development of the management . So it is a type of oratory that addresses enough supporting elements, and beyond convincing by ensuring that the right thing was done, it must be verified that it was. 2-Deliberative Within this type are electoral and parliamentary speeches. These are used in a context in which a group of people will make a decision regarding a transcendental and future issue, such as, for example, an approval of law or the appointment of someone who will hold public office. This type of discourse is almost always developed by showing either for or against the decision to be made; the speaker defends what he considers useful or harmful. A characteristic element of deliberative discourse is that the argumentation used is usually inductive: it goes from the specific to the general. 3-Demonstrative The context in which the type of demonstrative political discourse unfolds is one in which the speaker does not have listeners with significant decision-making power in front of him, or is not facing a determining situation. It is applied in acts where honors are paid or there is a certain solemnity. In this type of speech sobriety reigns. Frequent topics Political discourse faces as many issues as there are problems or needs at the time it occurs. They can be topics as varied as partisan principles, ideologies, government actions, bureaucratic aspects or any other element that has the goal of achieving power . However, these issues have the disadvantage of their distance from the common citizen. That is, many times they are not aligned or do not correspond to the specific demands that the common individual may have. Therefore, there are themes that, although they are recurrent in political discourse and essential for the conservation or obtaining of power , are not sufficient for persuasion. So issues closer to the people, such as salary , crime reduction, economic boom or improvements in public services are also very present in political speeches and are approached in an empathic way, in order to shorten distances. and promote a positive relationship. The foregoing has a specific weight within the strategic game that is politics, since a leader who only bases his speech on issues far from society can make an error that can easily be capitalized on by the adversary. For this reason, political discourse always seeks a balance between issues close to the population and those that are related to power . Examples of famous political speeches At the end after reading the definition of political speech and its types and characteristics now look its examples as well. This last section presents the description of three emblematic speeches that marked the 20th century, made in a specific context and with protagonists who left a mark on contemporary history: 1-I have a dream “I have a dream” was a speech given by the American activist and politician Martin Luther King Jr., in which he defended that all people should have the same rights and be treated as equals regardless of their skin color. It is worth noting that this speech was given in a context in which black people did not yet have the same rights as white people. Luther King Jr. shaped a future of equality that motivated millions of Americans to envision a society without racial and even religious differences. 2-Blood, toil, tears and sweat “Blood, effort, tears and sweat”, this emblematic phrase was used by the English Prime Minister Winston Churchill in his May 1940 speech . Churchill assumed such an important position in one of the most complex situations that his country and Europe experienced throughout the 20th century: they were cornered by Hitler and Nazi Germany in the middle of World War II . Faced with such a serious threat, Churchill did not generate victorious expectations; on the contrary, he made it clear that the battle would not be easy. Later his leadership was vital for the victory of the group of allies in the war. 3-Nelson Mandela inauguration speech The speech given by the then newly elected president of South Africa, Nelson Mandela, was given in 1994 in a context of major racial conflict in which there was a supremacy of white people and, therefore, a segregation of other races. Mandela was the first president with a black complexion and with a particular personal situation, because he spent more than 20 years in prison for defending his ideas. Although his own allies called for a  vendetta  against the white rulers who subjugated them, he was able to achieve national reconciliation and pacify his nation without the use of force. We hope you have grasped the definition of political speech after reading this post. Related Articles What is the difference between opinion and argument/ comparison table, persuasive speech characteristics and examples, legal text structure characteristics with examples, expository essay characteristics types with examples, leave a reply cancel reply. Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Please input characters displayed above. Speech on Politics in simple and easy words Table of Contents Speech on Politics: Politics is a very commonly used term whether we talk about it in the context of political parties or in a broader framework. We often observe political leaders delivering a speech on politics while upholding their ideologies and thought processes. But, other than political leaders, students, teachers as well as social activist groups too are made to address this topic as a part of their assignment or job. So if you are also struggling with this task, then here things are made easier for you. With our short speeches on politics and long speeches on politics, you can draw much help and prepare effective speech topics to impress your teacher or audience. Just read through the pages and gain an insight into different subject matters. Fill Out the Form for Expert Academic Guidance! Please indicate your interest Live Classes Books Test Series Self Learning Verify OTP Code (required) I agree to the terms and conditions and privacy policy . Fill complete details Target Exam --- Long and Short Speech on Politics Speech on politics – 1. Dear Students – Welcome to the speech assembly! Hope your studies are not getting affected amidst the extracurricular activities that are going on and are performing well in your weekly tests. Today, the topic of speech is Politics. Why politics? Because it is always a hot topic irrespective of which country you belong to. Politics is such an engaging subject that everyone has something to say. Moreover, I feel it necessary that my students should command knowledge on practical subjects other than textual ones and should be able to confidently put across their thought and ideas. So through my speech I hope you all will be able to learn something. If I were to define politics, I will define it as a social process with the help of which collective power is formed, organized, disseminated and used in various social structures. It is rooted in specific social processes and structures. It happens in societies having discrete economic and social arrangements. Studying politics from sociological point of view would be about focusing on political behavior within the social structures. It is also about exploring the political relations with respect to the entire social fabric within which it is rooted. Politics is about power and it takes place when there is a degree of difference in power. Therefore, any social association which involves power differences is termed as political. In actuality, the concept of politics mainly emphasizes the point that every social set up comprises a power structure, not just the one where social roles are officially stated in terms of power. As we all know that every facet of social life includes power structures and thus politics cannot be taken as including simply ‘what political leaders do’. Rather, any process that involves wielding power or control over others or coercion in society is ideally political in nature. In other words, politics is not just limited to what politicians do, but goes far beyond that. Politics can also be defined as a mind game where the dominant section of a society tries to hold sway over the weaker sections of society or those who are marginalized. As we often hear people saying that “They are playing political games”. Playing politics or political games would imply being manipulative, knave and resorting to mean tactics in order to realize one’s goal. More often it carries negative connotations with itself and implies the selfish interests of the individuals without considering the common good of all. Politics is good as long as it serves the common good of all, if not, then at least it does not harm the interests of others. But rarely does it happen and there is a rat race to subdue others and establish our own selves at the top of everything. Instead of learning politics, I strongly feel that people should learn moral values and the dignity to conduct himself/herself in life only then the world can become truly a peaceful haven for all. Regardless of which field you are in, it is important to value human relationships and rise above all petty interests to nurture mankind. Essay on Indian Politics Speech on Politics – 2 Good Morning Ladies and Gentleman – Welcome to the annual political gathering of our Jan Kalyan Samiti. As you all know that elections are just around the corner and so much discussion is already going on about which party to vote for by trying to understand the political mind game of various political leaders and their past accomplishments. It is not easy for a layman to fathom what goes on behind the closed doors of political leaders and whatever comes from them whether it’s any ideology that they preach or simply advocate their views is never innocent and is always a part and parcel of their manipulation, scheming and planning. Nevertheless, if we cannot understand their political games we can at least understand what politics is all about. Is it just confined to the realm of legislative bodies or goes beyond that? Let’s try and understand! If I talk about, say our very own country, i.e. Indian politics – it refers to the actions of the political parties in unison with the administration and governance of India at various levels, viz. panchayat level, district, state as well as national level. And, a politician is someone who is professionally a part of political domain. Generally, it is believed that he/she wields positive influence over its people. It is generally said that politics is all about the technique and art of government. Behind every idea propounded by an individual carries an intention, likewise political ideas too come with the aim of implementation; however several people perceive this with a negative thinking. It involves such activities of influencing the ruling government politics or for that matter staying in power. It also consists of the law-making procedures and policies. The great spiritual leader of India, i.e. Mahatma Gandhi talked about the role of ethics in the realm of politics. He said that politics devoid of morals and ethics was not at all desirable. The principles that he laid his stress on were moral principles. As per his philosophy pertaining to politics, truth should be the ruling factor in our lives and also self-purification as well as morality. All of us know that the politics of Gandhiji was bound up with the principles of non-violence and of course truth. He also exhorted the people of India to align themselves with the morals of her ruling leaders. Being completely devoted to truth, he sternly upheld the role of moral values and principles in everyone’s lives. He also believed that religious issues are like a death trap as they kill the soul of a man. He once said, “For me there is no politics without religion, not the religion of the superstitions or the blind religion that hates and fights, but the universal religion of toleration”. Usually, politics is considered a dirty game where people are completely driven by selfish interests and do not value the interest of others. It makes people morally pervert and knave. However, if politicians begin to assume their roles and responsibilities and start discharging them selflessly then the term ‘politics’ will no longer be associated with negative aspects. There should not be any vitiated political games, but constructive mindsets with respect to the welfare of the people as well as nation-state. Speech on Politics – 3 Hello Friends – Warm Greetings of the Day! It gives me immense pleasure seeing you all after a long time! I hope life is treating you well and everyone is in the best of spirits. Before I begin my speech on politics, let me first express a feeling of gratitude towards all my friends present here and making this ceremony so graceful. Politics is a much nuanced term as it carries different meanings for different people and there is no particular definition for it. However, I would like to put its definition in the following manner: Politics is a process wherein decisions are taken by the members of an association. Putting it more narrowly, politics will refer to gaining and exercising governmental positions and weaning control over a community of people, chiefly a state. In addition, politics refers to the practice or study of the dissemination of resources and most importantly power within a known community (this is generally an organized population, which is hierarchical in nature), including the interrelationship(s) between various communities. Like in many countries, if you see, people there have formed various political parties in order to put across their thoughts and ideas. Even though there may be a difference of opinion between people involved with a particular party, but it deserves appreciation that they yet work together because the differences are taken positively. The people feel that what matters is that they agree on many other things, which are enough to bring people together for a common goal and they will become even more powerful, if such people come together. These people give their consent to adopt the same stance on various issues and agree to encourage the same changes within the law. What do we see in elections? An election majorly involves competition between various political parties. Here are a few examples of political parties – the Labor party, the Liberal party, the Conservative party and the Greens. Politics carries a multifaceted dimension. It consists of a fair set of specific meanings which are explanatory and non-judgmental (like “political principles” and “the science or art of government”); however it time and again does carry a negative connotation in terms of different political games that are marked by dishonest practices and scheming tactics. The negative feeling that comes from politics can be evinced from such phrases as “play politics”, which has been in vogue from somewhere around 1853, when Wendell Phillips, the abolitionist affirmed: “We do not play politics; anti-slavery is no half-jest with us.” There are innumerable tactics that are deployed in a political sphere, which involves either upholding or forcing one’s own politically-charged opinions on the masses, framing legislative bodies, exercising control, parleying with other political parties and if it doesn’t work then the preparation of warfare against the opponents. Political games are played socially on a wide scale, ranging from tribes and clans of traditional societies, via contemporary local governments, institutions as well as organizations from sovereign states to the world-wide level. So politics is not just limited to the legislative bodies, but extends its wide reach to the people in general where manipulation, scheming and maneuvering has become a part and parcel of day-to-day lives of the people. So we need to think deeply and understand where our present-day civilization is heading towards? Because any undertaking – be it political or non-political, if become devoid of moral ethics and principles, lead the society to a downfall. That’s all I have to say! Speech on Politics – 4 Warm Good Evening to one and all – Thank you for this warm congregation and supporting our political parties and our campaign for the upcoming elections! Since we belong to the political sphere and while running our political campaign we often get to hear unpleasant statements from our people whom we visit, such as “You play politics for your own personal benefits”, “all politicians are the same, i.e. hypocrites, morally perverts, double-standard people, etc.” Well, these statements are true to a major extent, but it is not always good to judge everyone in a likewise manner and form opinions beforehand. However, we are not even asking you to trust us blindly, but adopt a neutral stance, judge us through our work and if then you find anything unsatisfactory or not up to the mark, then feel free to label us with such statements as “all politicians are alike and play dirty games all the time”. Here, we have not kept this congregation to boast about ourselves, but to let you know all the actual meaning of politics and its various connotations. So let’s know about those various connotations in detail. In terms of definition, politics refers to those activities connected with the governance of an area or a nation. The activities associated with politics aim to improve one’s own status or gaining ascendancy or power over others in an organization. As far as political concept is concerned, I believe that it’s an utterly naive thought. Honestly admitting, each one of us is a politician. Whatever we do, we usually adopt a stance which is political in nature and charged with selfish aims – whether anyone likes it or not. Politics spans every sphere of life. How and in what manner you will be educated, whether you will be able to find a job or not, how much money is required to run one’s own life, how much money needs to be spent and how much is to be saved as well as how much you should surrender in terms of taxes to your state are not innocent questions but political ones. Should your preparation and education in life be the same as that of others or should you have better opportunities in comparison with others? We do not live in a vacuum or a no man’s land – whatever we do follows certain repercussions and those repercussions not only affect us, but the society as a whole. In other words, an individual’s level of independence as well as collective freedom correspond with each other, equality vis-à-vis rights, justice, duties are all a significant part of the political realm. Playing politics has become a universal phenomenon and no human activity is untouched by it. Whether we visit any legislative body, administrative staff, educational institution, sports club – politics is all pervasive. But it is not important to know, what is more important to understand is how people are playing the political games and serving their end. If we are a responsible citizen of our country, then we should never encourage it and rather urge the people to adopt a path of righteousness and morality. Related content Talk to our academic expert! 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Speech on Politics in simple and easy words Speech on Politics in simple and easy words Speech on Politics: Politics is a very commonly used term whether we talk about it in the context of political parties or in a broader framework. We often observe political leaders delivering a speech on politics while upholding their ideologies and thought processes. Israel's Netanyahu Addresses U.S. Congress Amid Election Shake-Up The Israeli prime minister's speech to Congress risks antagonizing both Democrats and Republicans amid the U.S. election season. essay homework paper phd project resume review speech study