Boycott facts for kids

A boycott is a type of protest where people decide not to buy a certain product or service. They also stop giving money to a specific company. Instead of buying a product they are boycotting, they might choose a very similar product from a different company. Boycotts are a peaceful way for people to show they are unhappy with something.

How the Word "Boycott" Started

The word "boycott" comes from a real person named Captain Charles Boycott. This happened during a time called the Irish Land War in the 1880s.

Captain Charles Boycott's Story

Captain Boycott was in charge of managing land for a landlord in County Mayo, Ireland. In 1880, the people who rented the land, called tenants, asked for their rent to be lowered. Captain Boycott said no. He then forced them to leave the land they had rented.

The Community's Response

The Irish Land League, a group that helped farmers, suggested a new idea. Instead of using violence, they told everyone in the community to stop doing any business with Captain Boycott. This meant no one would work for him or trade with him.

Soon, Captain Boycott was all alone. No one helped him with his harvest. No one worked in his stables or his house. Local shop owners stopped trading with him. Even the postman stopped delivering his mail.

The Cost of a Boycott

To get his harvest done, Captain Boycott had to hire 50 people from other areas. These people came from Cavan and Monaghan. They needed 1000 policemen to protect them as they worked. This cost a lot of money. In fact, it cost much more than the harvest was even worth. This event showed how powerful a boycott could be.

Images for kids

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  Vanity Fair caricature of Charles C. Boycott

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  Protesters advocating boycott of KFC due to animal welfare concerns

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  The 1976 Montreal, 1980 Moscow, and 1984 Los Angeles Olympic boycotts

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  Nameplate of Dr. Werner Liebenthal, Notary & Advocate. The plate was hung outside his office on Martin Luther Str, Schöneberg, Berlin. In 1933, following the Law for the Restoration of the Professional Civil Service the plate was painted black by the Nazis, who boycotted Jewish owned offices.

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  Protesters calling for a boycott of Israel

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  “Boycott Xinjiang Genocide Products! Also don't attack our Chinese neighbors. Just say no to xenophobia and racism!” sticker on New York University campus in 2020

See also

In Spanish: Boicot para niños