Captain Charles Boycott was an English land agent in County Mayo, Ireland. In 1880, he was tasked with implementing harsh evictions of Irish tenant farmers who were unable to pay their rent due to a devastating famine.
The Land League, a group advocating for Irish tenant rights, responded by organizing a campaign against Boycott. They refused to do business with him, his family, and anyone who worked for him. This included:
* Refusing to work on his land: This meant he couldn't harvest his crops.
* Refusing to sell him goods or services: Shops closed their doors to him, and even the postman refused to deliver his mail.
* Social ostracization: He was excluded from social gatherings and events.
This campaign, targeting Boycott and his entire sphere of influence, became known as the "Boycott". It was incredibly effective in pressuring him to change his policies.
The word "boycott" quickly spread beyond Ireland. It became a widely used term for any organized effort to withdraw social, economic, or political support from a person, group, or organization as a form of protest.
In short, the word "boycott" originated from a real-life campaign against a man named Captain Charles Boycott, who was targeted for his harsh eviction policies in Ireland. The campaign was so impactful that it became a widely recognized term for a specific form of protest.