2026 Competition Details Released!
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The Marshall Society Essay Competition
Marshall Essay Competition invites students to submit an essay on a specific topic related to economics. Past topics have included "The role of the state in the economy," "The future of work," and "Inequality and its consequences."
Competition Overview
Eligibility
Preuniversity students around the world
Entry Fee
Free
Submission Deadline
August 30, 2026
Results Announcement
Mid-September 2026
Competition Details
1. Competition Format
Participants are to submit an essay response to one of the following questions:
- Is it fair to always call tariffs ‘bad’? Explore this in both a historical context and by using an example from recent years.
- To what extent can central banks stabilise their economy in the face of external energy shocks? Use both theory and empirical evidence.
- How far can Britain’s economic recovery in the 1930s be credited to Britain leaving the gold standard in September 1931?
- Evaluate Andy Burnham’s economic and business policies as Mayor of Greater Manchester and discuss whether these should be replicated in the rest of the UK.
- Analyse the statement ‘the stock market is not the economy’. Are stock markets a good indicator of a country’s economic growth?
- Can economics be regarded as its own discipline? To what extent is there a unique economic methodology?
2. Evaluation Criteria
The evaluation criteria include:
- Logic and persuasiveness of the arguments.
- Quality of evidence used to support points.
- Originality of ideas.
3. Prizes
Prizes are as follows:
- First place: £100
- Finalists: £50
- Commendation: No monetary prize, awarded to excellent submissions shortlisted for finalist.
- Research Prize: No monetary prize, awarded to submissions which demonstrate particularly thorough research around the essay topic
Selected winning essays will be featured in the Marshall Society’s annual publication, The Dismal Scientist.
Submission Details
1. Rules
- On the first page, include the question, question number, your name, and your school.
- Submissions should be written in English with good grammar and structure.
- Properly reference all sources. Any citation style (e.g., Harvard, APA) is acceptable.
- Provide a bibliography listing all sources at the end of the essay
- The use of Generative AI is not prohibited, but it must be declared on the form used to submit your essay.
- All submissions will be checked using plagiarism and AI detection software. Essays found to have used AI improperly may be disqualified.
Essay guide:
- Focus on the important aspects of the question due to the word limit.
- Provide key insights with supporting facts rather than a complete topic overview.
- Assume the judging panel has a basic understanding of the topic, so avoid lengthy definitions or background information.
2. Word Limit
- The maximum essay length is 1,500 words.
- The bibliography and any data tables do not count toward the word limit.
- Everything else, including footnotes, counts toward the 1,500-word limit.
3. AI Policy
- AI tools (such as ChatGPT) may be used for research only.
- The essay itself must be entirely written by the student.
- Any AI use must be disclosed in the submission form.
- Essays are checked for plagiarism and AI-generated writing. Improper AI use will result in disqualification.
Prepare to compete at the highest level