In Policy Debate, a disadvantage (abbreviated as DA) is an argument that a team brings up against a policy action that is being considered.

Contents

1 Structure 1.1 Uniqueness 1.2 Link 1.3 Internal Link 1.4 Impact 2 Types of Disadvantages 2.1 Traditional 2.2 Linear

Structure

A traditional DA has a structure as follows:

Uniqueness

The negative team typically defends the status quo. If they are doing so, they must show that their disadvantage is not already existing in the status quo. If a disadvantage stated that a plan would lead to a recession, and the status quo was already in a recession, the DA would be considered non-unique and thus a moot point. Uniqueness is also called the brink.

Link

For the disadvantage to have any revelance in the round, the negative team must show that the affirmative plan causes the impact that is claimed. If the DA stated that the plan takes money from the government, and it is shown that the plan does not increase governmental spending, then then DA would be considered to have no-link.

Internal Link

The internal link connects the link to the impact. Not all DA's use an internal link. The internal link in our example would be that government spending leads to economic collapse.

Impact

The impact is what makes the policy action undesireable. Going along with the example, an impact would be that economic collapse caused nuclear war.

Types of Disadvantages

Traditional

A traditional DA follows the structure above. Traditional DA's can include or exclude the internal link.

Linear

A linear disadvantage does not have uniqueness. The negative conceeds that the status quo has a problem, but the plan increases the severity of that problem.