HBS Students Gather for Political Debate

At The 250 Forum, student panelists grappled with America’s perennial challenges

Should America continue to be the world’s policeman? Where does capitalism end and state begin? And what does it mean to be an American?

These were the weighty questions we posed to the HBS student body as America enters its 250th year. The night before Election Day, a panel of eight volunteers representing far more than the binary—of conservatives, moderates, and liberals; of RCs and ECs; of domestic and international students—sat in front of a large audience of their peers. In less a show of bipartisan unity than an honest acknowledgement of differences, panelists split down sides in each question that could not always be predicted by whether they identified as a Democrat or Republican. In the process, they came to understand more of the other.

Voluntary, optional events on campus can usually only hold HBS students for so long. But on Monday night, with little incentive beyond the call to engage in conversation, students filed into Spangler’s basement to not only watch but to actively participate in a forum that lasted over two hours. Panelists engaged panelists as well as audience members asking questions—and as impassioned yet respectful back-and-forths commenced, prepared remarks were quickly ditched for live contact. Could America's promise be realized without lifting up those left behind? Does shaming entrepreneurs sap the dynamism that generates prosperity? Every time moderators asked the room if they needed a break, everyone roundly responded: Keep it going. Even as the event officially wrapped a quarter past eight, many students split off to continue in sidebar conversations: What should America’s stance be on Taiwan? Was a wealth tax justified in spirit? Was being American rooted in equal opportunity or something else?

There were no rules this time, other than the Chatham House Rule. For a student body used to managed structure and to hedging their opinions in class, this was a change of pace. The HBS administration had no involvement in this event—students led the way on organizing, participating, and moderating. And as Professor Bob White, who taught Elections and Democracy this semester, said after the event: “An open, student-run forum brings people out of their shells in a way that’s hard for any top-down initiative; tonight truly showed how much student potential there is on this campus. This is what you’re here for!”

We could not agree more. Said Carter Trousdale, Co-President of the HBS Democrats Club: "The best thing a democracy can produce is people who disagree strongly and also want to hear each other out. I was part of a room full of them on Monday, and I've never been more hopeful about what our generation can build together, one good-faith conversation at a time."

We thank student representatives and leaders from The Harbus, the Student Association, the Government and Public Policy Club, and both the Democrats Club and Conservative Club for supporting this initiative as organizers, recruiters, marketers, canvassers, and moderators. You know who you are. We thank the panelists who were courageous enough to make their thoughts known; we thank the audience for showing up when it matters and for willingly discarding the bystander effect; we thank Professor White for his wisdom, his advice, and his engagement the entire duration of the forum. And we recognize the first iteration of this event led by students in 2024.

The flurries of 3:00 A.M. WhatsApp messages, late-night calls, last-minute emails, and logistics snaggles with pizza are only evidence of what it means to commit and commit fully. As was remarked at the close of the event: this will by no means be the last time we debate on these topics. It is our generation’s duty to never retreat from caring—to never surrender our responsibility.

We hope what was started by The 250 Forum will become a tradition for years to come.