Concessions

Concession Definition

A concession is an argumentative strategy where the speaker or writer addresses a stance that opposes their claim. The word concession comes from the root word concede.

The key to an argumentative concession is found in the definition of concede, where it says “admit something is valid after apparently denying.” Effectively presenting an argument does not mean you have to strictly oppose every other perspective or differing idea. A concession allows you to answer any major questions that arise from your stance.

Constructing a Concession

No matter the subject, a good argument will have other reasonable perspectives. It doesn’t strengthen your argument to pretend that opposition doesn’t exist; instead, your argument benefits from opportunities to respond to the opposition.

You might be tempted to think concession admits defeat, but in reality, it helps persuade the audience of your argument.

A concession could be as short as a sentence or two, or it could be as long as several paragraphs. It depends on the argument and what the counterargument(s) may be.

A counterargument challenges the points made in the first argument.

In this example, the main point made in the first argument is that smoking impacts everyone, which is why it shouldn’t be allowed on campus. The counterargument challenges that point by suggesting that smoking areas could be placed far away from high-traffic areas on campus.

If you know the likely counterarguments to your position, you can do one of two things with your concession:

1. You can simply acknowledge the opposition.

2. You can acknowledge the points made by the opposition and move on to either refute or rebut those points.

This example still concedes the opposition, and it follows up the concession with a rebuttal (italicized) which is different from a refutation.

Concession Words and Arguments

Although the words are often used interchangeably, a rebuttal and refutation are not the same things in argumentation.

The difference between a refutation of a counterclaim and a rebuttal to a counterclaim is that a refutation definitively proves the counterclaim untrue. On the other hand, a rebuttal simply offers other possible solutions to the problem or issues with the counterclaim.

Concession Examples

Consider the following excerpt from Martin Luther King Jr.’s Letter from Birmingham Jail (1963), in which Dr. King responds to criticism that he should try negotiation instead of protest.

Dr. King concedes that the public is right to call for negotiation. He quickly follows his concession with a rebuttal, though; the purpose of direct action is to seek negotiation.

Another example of concession also comes from Dr. King’s Letter from Birmingham Jail (1963), but this one finishes with a refutation instead of a rebuttal.

The difference here is that Martin Luther King Jr. is refuting that he and the protesters are breaking any laws, since he argues that the laws of segregation are unjust and, therefore, not real laws. This refutation succinctly answers the critique that people of the civil rights movement shouldn't break laws by refuting the claim that they are breaking laws.

Concession Synonym

The word concession comes from the Latin word concessio, which means “yielding” or “allowing.” There are hints of the original meaning in the way people use concession or concede because these words mean to yield to another perspective (to some degree).

Yield, one of the root meanings of concession, means to make way for others arguments or perspectives.

There are a few synonyms for concession. They include:

• Compromise

• Allowance

• Exception

Purpose of Concession in Persuasive Writing

Although the purpose of a concession is to give a nod to opposing viewpoints and usher in either a refutation or rebuttal, a concession is not essential to an argument. You can present a high-quality argument without a concession.

However, a concession communicates a few important things to the audience about you. It boosts your credibility because it shows you’re an authority on the subject and have done diligent research—you know enough about the topic to be aware of all sides of the argument.

A concession also tells your audience that you are not biased.

It is critical to show the audience that you are not so entrenched in your side of the argument that you simply can’t see other reasonable perspectives. By conceding other sides, you essentially communicate that not only are you aware of those other sides, but you still choose your side over them. This strengthens your argument significantly.

A concession can also soften you toward people who may lean more to the other side of the argument. For example, say you’re arguing that teachers should increase the amount of homework assigned. You know this is an unpopular opinion, so it would be helpful to include a concession in your argument to let your audience know that you’re aware of the objections that will arise.

This example shows that the speaker is aware of the probable objections to this argument, and concedes that they are right in part. This concession is especially effective because it allows the speaker to rebut the counterargument to the original argument. While this argument may not be popular, it is presented well and might change a few minds.