Boycotts against companies

[L.J.Solidarity]

Many comrades and also some "center-left" people around the world boycott the products of some major companies who have committed widely known atrocities, such as the murders against union organizers in Columbia ordered by Coca Cola. The most often used reason is that a boycott would directly damage the companies by reducing their sales. However, I fail to see how trying to inflict damage on 1-2 big business groups is any useful while, as we all know, the reason millions of human beings have to work under terrible conditions for tiny wages etc. is not that there are some "evil" companies, but the fact that we're all living in capitalist societies. In my opinion, calling for a boycott of some product camouflages the capitalist circumstances of production by implying that there were "good" companies the products of which should be bought as an alternative to those made by "bad" companies, as if those "good" companies wouldn't exploit their employees just or nearly as much.

PS:Being new to revleft, I might have picked the wrong subforum. I apologise if this thread would have to be in "Action".

[Enragé]

In my opinion, calling for a boycott of some product camouflages the capitalist circumstances of production by implying that there were "good" companies the products of which should be bought as an alternative to those made by "bad" companies, as if those "good" companies wouldn't exploit their employees just or nearly as much.


I agree.

Not to mention, if i've got a hangover and classes to attend, i buy coca cola for sugar and cafeine ^^ fuck anyone who's got a problem with that.

[Sam_b]

Didn't the workers themselves call for a boycott? I think in some cases this is exeptable, even just as a message of solidarity, even though I don't really adhere to boycotts in general.

The main point of this thread is correct, however. It is impossible to boycott capitalism.

[Pogue]

I do it when a particular company is particularly brutal, like Coca Cola, Nike etc. I am under no illusions that it will end capitalism alone but it does a bit and if I despise a company and what they do, and I could avoid funding them, why would I give the my money? I just buy drinks from another company, clothes from another designer etc.

[revolution inaction]

I agree.

Not to mention, if i've got a hangover and classes to attend, i buy coca cola for sugar and cafeine ^^ fuck anyone who's got a problem with that.

it is incredibly good for hangovers

[Kassad]

Boycotting is just attempting to reform the system, much like American Democrats like Woodrow Wilson, FDR and John F. Kennedy have attempted. You can only put a bandage on a failed system for so long before the system collapses. I guess in association with strikes and solidarity with workers attempting to reach a goal, boycotts are fine. Still, if that's all someone is doing to fight the bourgeoisie class, then there is something wrong.

[GPDP]

If I ever boycott a company, it is merely in solidarity with a group struggling against that company, like with the CIW campaigns. But of course, I have no illusions about the particular effect of a boycott on the wider system.

[L.J.Solidarity]

Didn't the workers themselves call for a boycott? I think in some cases this is exeptable, even just as a message of solidarity,
I forgot to mention this kind of a boycott in my post, of course, if workers call for a boycott against the company they work for in order to support their struggle, for example in order to raise pressure during a strike, it's an entirely different situation then when an NGO or other organization calls for the boycott. IMO, taking part in a worker-organized boycott is necessary in order to strengthen their demands and to show solidarity.

[UndergroundConnexion]

Depends, of course you cannot go off all products , but it does have an effect if many people do not buy Israelian goods..

[BIG BROTHER]

I mean seriously guys hear yourselves...a boycott is the type of shit that you do when you're not a worker, but still support certain struggle of workers against certain company etc. Of course some people get the idea that they can change the world through consumer choices and shit, but still boycotts are still an useful tool dammit stop being asholes about it.

Imagine is the people in california had that mentality during the grape boycott, "oh boycotts won't end capitalism so screw the farm workers and their union I'll just keep on eating grapes"

sigh...

[Potemkin]

I'm with Comrade SoupDragon.

Yes, there's no replacement for revolution. Still, though, "choosing" what kind of crap we buy is one of the only "freedoms" we really have under capitalism. Also, consistency is very important to me. How can I say I support workers and drink Coke, when people have lost their lives making it? How could I explain to a Coke worker that I sympathize with them, but not enough to change even a tiny habit like choosing an alternative soft drink? In Coke's case, it's not simply workers that have been affected by Coke's practices -- they pollute groundwater in South America and India, and destroy the environment in other ways. It seems silly to support Coke, especially when all they sell is a product no one really needs.

Also, there are aspects of revolutionary society that we can practice today -- solidarity being a big one. Are we all just expected to be magically changed after the revolution and start acting in solidarity and mutual aid toward one another at that time? No, these are things we must begin practicing now, and encouraging others to do, as well. That's how these things catch on, and mass consciousness turns into revolutionary sentiment.

In addition, I think the issue of "boycotts" relates to issues of alternative economics. We should be trying to find alternatives under capitalism that fit as closely with what we're trying to achieve, otherwise we're just perpetuating capitalism as much as any other consumer. We should try to buy produce locally (decentralization), from smaller companies (or individuals), etc.

I'm not saying that "boycotts" will damage the company, and yes, the reasons most liberals start boycotts is stupid -- they believe in the system and the power of "voting with your dollar" (living up to their role as the "loyal opposition"). I think the point is, we should be doing everything we can on a personal level, as well on a revolutionary level. Standing with workers and communities being victimized by these corporations is something we should do.