I understand not wanting to support companies and industries that do unjust things, I personally share this sentiment in regards to many industries/companies. Beyond that, though, as an instrument of bringing about actual change I think the boycott is a misguided exercise in futility. It only scratches the surface of the problem.
Say there’s a coffee company that profits from human trafficking, and the Prius drivers and Starbucks drinkers of the world conduct a successful boycott: the Coffee Company caves to the pressure and hires minimally reimbursed growers instead of slaves, they only changed their practices because the loss in profits attributed to the boycott were more than that which would be caused by ending their practices.
The change in practice was not a sudden realization of their wrongdoing and the value of human life, it was motivated by profit - the same thing that motivated the use of trafficked slaves in the first place.
Yes, our boycotting friends have effectively ended that one injustice, but in utilizing free market practices to do so they have not only effectively ignored every root causes of that injustice, but they’ve reinforced the very system that caused it in the first place.
Boycotts are really only good for the individual’s reassurance that he or she is not supporting unjust practices. It’s a treatment to alleviate the symptoms, but it does absolutely nothing to cure the disease; like taking Aspirin while parasites eat your colon.
Say there’s a coffee company that profits from human trafficking, and the Prius drivers and Starbucks drinkers of the world conduct a successful boycott: the Coffee Company caves to the pressure and hires minimally reimbursed growers instead of slaves, they only changed their practices because the loss in profits attributed to the boycott were more than that which would be caused by ending their practices.
The change in practice was not a sudden realization of their wrongdoing and the value of human life, it was motivated by profit - the same thing that motivated the use of trafficked slaves in the first place.
Yes, our boycotting friends have effectively ended that one injustice, but in utilizing free market practices to do so they have not only effectively ignored every root causes of that injustice, but they’ve reinforced the very system that caused it in the first place.
Boycotts are really only good for the individual’s reassurance that he or she is not supporting unjust practices. It’s a treatment to alleviate the symptoms, but it does absolutely nothing to cure the disease; like taking Aspirin while parasites eat your colon.
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