boikotts

Boikotts is a form of collective action in which individuals or groups withdraw from engaging with a person, organization, product, or country to express opposition or to pressure for change. The aim is to reduce support for the target until its policies or practices change, typically through nonviolent means.

The standard English spelling is "boycotts." "Boikotts" may appear as a nonstandard variant or as a transliteration in other languages. The concept is named after Captain Charles Boycott, whose ostracism during the 19th-century Irish Land War gave rise to the term.

The technique emerged in 1880s Ireland and spread to labor movements, civil rights campaigns, and consumer activism. The term entered popular usage in the late 19th and 20th centuries, often accompanied by public campaigns, petitions, and media coverage.

Types include consumer boycotts (refusing to buy goods), workplace or supplier boycotts (refusing to work for or source from a target), and divestment campaigns. Some campaigns call for secondary boycotts, urging others to avoid related businesses or affiliates.

Effectiveness varies; it can inflict financial or reputational damage, attract public sympathy, or catalyze negotiation. Critics argue it can harm workers, affect unintended customers, or fail if the target can substitute suppliers or markets. Legal and ethical considerations apply, and outcomes depend on organization, visibility, and public support.

See also: boycott, consumer activism, sanctions, social movements.