boikotti

Boikotti is a term used in Finnish for a form of collective protest in which individuals or groups refuse to buy, use, or engage with a person, organization, or country in order to express opposition to its policies or actions. The word is borrowed from the English “boycott,” which originated from Captain Charles Boycott during the Irish Land War of the 1880s.

Boikotti can take many forms, including consumer boycotts (refusing to purchase from a company), labor or economic sanctions, cultural or academic boycotts, and diplomatic or sporting boycotts that exclude participation in events or exchanges. Participation is voluntary and often coordinated through campaigns, petitions, and public messaging.

Historically, boycotts emerged in Ireland and spread globally in the late 19th and 20th centuries; notable examples include the Montgomery Bus Boycott in the United States (1955–56) and various international sanctions against apartheid-era South Africa. In the digital age, online campaigns have amplified calls for boikotts across consumer, cultural, and political arenas.

Impact and criticism: Boikotte can raise awareness and pressure decision-makers, but effectiveness varies and campaigns may have unintended consequences for participants, workers, or bystanders. They are generally protected as expressions of opinion in liberal democracies, though organizers must respect laws against coercion, defamation, or harassment.