Why do people support/oppose the death penalty (with article), but oppose/support abortion (no article)

Why is the article the used when talking about the death penalty, but isn't used when discussing abortion?

Solution 1:

The death penalty is referred to with an article because it is a specific thing—a penalty. It refers to something written in law, rather than all instances of it. There are multiple instances of the death penalty, referred to as death sentences.

In the linked article, another term for the death penalty is capital punishment. This does not use the definite article because punishment is a general idea—a term for the imposition of a penalty. We could, of course, say the punishment but that would refer to a specific instance of it.

Similarly, when talking about abortion, it is the general idea we are talking about—not something written somewhere in law books. There is no specific abortion we are talking about, no specific thing we can refer to as the abortion, unless we talk about an instance of it.

Here's a web page about when to not use the in English. Similar general things that do not need articles include

I like listening to music.

I watch sports.

Whereas, when we refer to a particular instance of these things:

I like listening to the music you sent me.

I watched the Bears game.