How did the 'boycott' movement get its name?

While boycotts have occurred throughout history, the movement got its name in 1880. English land agent Capt. Charles Cunningham Boycott raised the rent, inhumanely evicting his tenants in Ireland. The community joined together and refused to pay or work with him, eventually forcing him to leave. The "boycott" was born, and the idea took hold.

Why are boycotts important?

Boycotts have a long and important history of contributing to progressive social change, as well as succeeding in their more immediate goals. One of the earliest examples was the boycott in England of sugar produced by slaves. In 1791, after Parliament refused to abolish slavery, thousands of pamphlets were printed encouraging the boycott.

Where did the word 'boycott' come from?

The word boycott entered the English language during the Irish "Land War" and derives from Captain Charles Boycott, the land agent of an absentee landlord, Lord Erne, who lived in County Mayo, Ireland. Captain Boycott was the target of social ostracism organized by the Irish Land League in 1880.