# Boycotts That Worked **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 20, 2003, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycotts-that-worked/162702 "2003-03-20T02:21:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2003, 2:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycotts-that-worked/162702/1 "2003-03-20T02:21:08Z")
The subject of boycotting France came up on a radio talk show the other day (please save your comments for the appropriate forum). The host stated that boycotts, while they may make you feel better personally, **never** work. His actual word was “never.” I beg to differ. [The Montgomery Bus Boycott](http://www.holidays.net/mlk/rosa.htm) worked just fine, in that it nearly brought the Montgomery Bus system to bankruptcy and eventually caused them to change their policy that forced blacks to sit in the back of the bus. So, if we define a successful boycott as one that: [ul] [li]Brings the offending party significant bad press **AND/OR** [/li][li]Causes the offending party to lose a significant amount of money **AND** [/li][li]Causes the offending party to either go out of business or change whatever policy(policies) caused the boycott.[/li][li]Hi, Opal.[/li][/ul] …then have there been any other successful boycotts in history? I assume there have been, but in this aspect of history I profess ignorance. Please fight my ignorance now. TIA ---
**Author:** ![paperbackwriter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@paperbackwriter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/paperbackwriter)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2003, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycotts-that-worked/162702/2 "2003-03-20T02:34:26Z")
How about the [United Farm Worker’s boycott campaign against table grapes](http://www.cs.colorado.edu/~l3d/systems/agentsheets/New-Vista/grape-boycott/History.html)? I can remember as a kid not being allowed to buy grapes. > [@](#): > > UFWA then decided to call a boycott of the Schenley Liquor Company who owned the vast majority of the vineyards in the San Joaquin Valley. This was a success and soon other grape producers were forced to sign contracts. Chavez sent representatives throughout the country to coordinate boycott meetings and fundraising efforts. For the next four years the United Farm Workers Organizing Committee decided to boycott all table grapes; this received wide public support. This boycott was the most successful in American history. In 1970 the pressure of the ongoing boycott resulted in the signing of contracts that provided workers with significant benefits. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2003, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycotts-that-worked/162702/3 "2003-03-20T02:42:57Z")
Harad Slacks boycott, the lettuce boycott, Nestle boycott, possibly the Ellen DeGeneres/Disney boycott. ---
**Author:** ![Spavined\_Gelding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/958977/32.png) [@Spavined\_Gelding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spavined_Gelding)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2003, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycotts-that-worked/162702/4 "2003-03-20T05:24:17Z")
How about the Irish peasantry in Sligo got rid of Captain Boycott? ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2003, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/boycotts-that-worked/162702/5 "2003-03-20T07:57:33Z")
The protest lead by the National Union of Students in the late 80’s directly led to Barclays Bank pulling out of apartheid South Africa - it was a big deal at the time.