The invention provides a method of polishing a substrate comprising (i) contacting a substrate with a polishing system comprising (a) an abrasive, a polishing pad, a means for oxidizing a substrate, or any combination thereof, (b) a conducting polymer having an electrical conductivity of about 10^-10 S/cm to about 10⁶ S/cm, and (c) a liquid carrier, and (ii) abrading or removing at least a portion of the substrate to polish the substrate.