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How to Defeat a King [1]

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Date: 2025-02-27

We’ve been here before. In the 1770s, people of the British North American colonies managed to defeat the King and establish a democratic republic. No one would have bet on the colonials vs. an empire, but they did it. While in the end it took a war and the help of other nations (thanks, France), it began in the hearts and minds of the people. When it seemed impossible, how did they do it?

We’ll focus on Boston, which led the way. What tactics did they use?

Legal appeals, public speeches, the press, street theater, protests and marches, destruction of property (Tea Party), humiliation of officials, appeals to legislators, non-compliance, a shadow/alternative government (the Committee of Correspondence), spying, propaganda … all of this is available to us -and we have social media too.

BUT… perhaps the least appreciated was a boycott of British consumer goods - the non-consumption movement.

This had two tactical advantages. First, it reduced the income of merchants locally who profited from the luxury trade and textile trade, and they then complained to their suppliers in Britain. But that’s not what was important.

Second, much more important, anyone could participate with no risk of harm to themselves or threat to their families. If you dressed in disguise and threw tea into the harbor, you were putting yourself in harm’s way. But if you simply re-trimmed and re-used last year’s dress or waistcoat, who would know that you didn’t patronize the import shop? If you stopped drinking tea, no harm ensued. If you learned to spin and weave, who would know that you simply didn’t buy a new blanket this year?

So women could participate, anyone could participate, and the movement grew. More people were on the team. More people had the glow of saying that they helped the independence movement. They had a STAKE in the outcome.

It took a while. It took persuasion. It took collective action.

You see where this is going. Buy Nothing day may not make a big dent in global businesses, but it’s the beginning of building a movement that can accomplish bigger goals. You can do it. And if you follow up by selective but mass boycotts of certain businesses, it erodes their power. It’s not enough by itself, but consumer power allows us to begin to work together on the changes we need immediately and in repairing this mess in the longer term.

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