Helen De Cruz
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I generally like Cory Doctorow's takes. But I think he is mistaken here in his argument that consumer behavior isn't politics. Changing your behavior to show disapproval (aka boycotts) is DEFINITELY politics.
Take the sugar boycott in the 18th c by abolitionists as one famous example 1/
08:36 PM - Apr 21, 2023
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Helen De Cruz
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In response to Helen De Cruz.
In the 1780s the Quakers who were abolitionists and pacifists started the idea in their small circle to boycott sugar that was produced by slaves. Their thought was that if you bought it you helped to keep slavery economically viable. Initially, this movement was small and had little effect. 2/
08:37 PM - Apr 21, 2023
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Helen De Cruz
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In response to Helen De Cruz.
But, it slowly spread to people outside of the Quaker movement and especially to abolitionists (including former slaves). Then in 1789 Wilberforce introduced the anti-slavery bill in Parliament in a rousing, beautiful speech you can read here-- 3/
08:38 PM - Apr 21, 2023
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