Application Deadline: September 15, 2024
The Douglas B. Rogers Essay Competition is open to all full-time undergraduate students currently enrolled at the time of essay submission in any field of study at a college or university in North America. This annual program invites aspiring students to submit essays prompted by a provocative quotation from one of Doug’s favorite economists, political theorists, or philosophers. The Douglas B. Rogers Essay Competition honors the memory of Douglas B. Rogers, PhD and serves as a means of continuing his legacy of inspiring young minds to seek knowledge through truth. The great works and stream of ideas that formed the underpinnings of our Western Civilization were of great importance to Doug. This Competition is designed to invite students to thoughtfully research and opine regarding matters of critical relevance to our society and future governance.
This Year’s Quote
Nobel Laureate James Buchanan commented on relationship between the collective and the individual observing the following,
If, however, the collectivity is empowered to enforce individual rights, how is it to be prevented from going beyond these limits? What are the “rights” of the enforcing agent itself, the state? …. How can Leviathan be chained? This problem has worried political philosophers of all ages, but no fully satisfactory answer has been advanced, either as an ideal to be approached or as a practical program to be experienced.
Prompt
Discussions about the role of the state and how and when its powers should be limited remain a point of discussion and disagreement today. How would you respond to Buchanan’s question either in the ideal or in the practical?
Guidelines
- Essays should be original work and no longer than 4,000 words
- Should follow all conventions about proper citation
- Must be engaging
Cash Prizes will be awarded to the top three submissions as judged by a panel of experts
- First prize $2,000
- Second Prize $1,000
- Third Prize $500
The winners will be announced on October 18, 2024.
