Economic Speech Topics

Economics plays a role in nearly every decision we make and every law the government passes. Any speech on the topic should draw many listeners, because economics is so much a part of our lives. While many speeches about economics can be about the current policy in the headlines, they can also focus on interesting topics that pertain to the decisions we make when we are at a restaurant or driving.

Discussion about economics is in the news constantly, but few understand the inner workings of economic theory. Spicing up a speech about economics with real-world examples and comparisons can go a long way toward helping people understand how the economic world works. Talk about how economic considerations go into issues like traffic or health care. Address simple concepts like supply and demand and how they affect price and output. Then talk about how economics is really just a piece of the puzzle when it comes to making policy. In the world of social sciences, economics needs to be paired with considerations of history, sociology and so on. Also discuss how economists make assumptions and how theories of supply and demand do not always reflect what is seen in the world today.

Throughout history, economic crises occur regularly. Giving a speech on a history of these crises and comparing them to more recent recessions helps to give people a better perspective. You can talk about the causes and solutions to the Great Depression, the oil crisis of the 1970s, the dot-com bubble burst in 1999, the Enron crisis in 2000 and the subprime mortgage crisis that began in 2006. All of these crises have similar beginnings. Speak about the deregulation that helped to cause them and the new regulations that were put place to make sure they do not happen again. Other methods to guard against crises have been social safety nets like Social Security and jobs programs like the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Depression.

Any speech about financial policy also needs to include a discussion about economics. The problem is, many do not understand how economics comes into play. Talk about the cost-benefit analysis of particular policies that are being considered. Discuss why a trillion-dollar health care investment by the federal government might actually save people money while a few million spent on increased safety measures related to asbestos might not make any difference. Make sure people understand that economics is about what is most efficient, not what is right or wrong morally. This should help to explain why the Federal Reserve makes the decisions it makes, and why those decisions do not always line up with popular attitudes. By the end of the speech, people may take away a different viewpoint about current economic policies.