All economies around the world are funded by a tax paying and consumer based population. So, every time we spend a single one of our hard earned dollars we are in fact funding the government with taxes from such earnings, and funding the corporations who are manufacturing the goods we purchase. However, have you ever thought of what would happen if we didn't buy as much? Or if we didn't go to the movie theatre? or if we didn't purchase cars and opted for public transportation?
Well. if we as a people decided to not spend our hard earned dollars on the purchase of products and services offered for need and entertainment, we would hurt our economy, the high earning CEO's, the macufacturer, and many otehrs alike. This is because the government is depepndent on corporatios to create products which in turn creates jobs, from which taxes are paid to fund the economy. In fact, we could collapse one national ecenomy or all national economies.
Yes, it is as simple as that! However, we too will be affected due to lack of jobs. Moreover, to jumpstart an economy after one has caused this type of damage can be very very difficult. Furthermore, it could take many years to recover from this type of damage.
In the 1960's during the Civil Rights Era, there was a boycott of a bus company in Birmingham Alabama organized by the very consumers who rode the buses and were dependent on them for their sustenance. It proved to be so damaging that the bus company decided that it was less damaging to allow blacks to sit anywhere on their buses than to go bankrupted and all those whites working for the bus company to lose their jobs. This demonstration showed how we are all linked to oneanother economically.
These basic principles have not changed over the years, No they still apply. However, no one is willing to organize using this method since then. Why, I do not know. However, it is a way of getting your demands met when someone or an organization, company, or other entity has done you and many others wrong. The one element needed to organize such an effort is political will. Once it exist its difficult to take it back.
Depending on the manitude of the tactic it can be done locally. county wide, state wide, or it can be a national tactic. The larger the effort the larger the affected. If Blacks or Hispanics in the US, who represent over 500 billion in purchases woke up one morning and decided they would no longer purchase a pair of Nike shoes because the price was too high. They let Nike know of their intent and for a week to four weeks didn't purchase these shoes the price would go down temporarily. But if they did not purchase Nike shoes for say 6 months, Nike would have to lower their prices on a more permanent basis to recapture their market share and stimulate sales. This would lower their profit margins and their bottom line would be affected as well. Or if we din't purchase a new car, and let the auto manufactures know of our decision, what would happen to GM or Ford?
If say the airlines were raising prices to a point higher than people were willing to pay they too would be forced to lower these to a more acceptable level. But, say that you wanted them to lower the prices because you just didn't want to pay the current prices. You could infact lunch a tactic to convince the public that they must protest against these prices. if you could get enough people on board you will force the airline to drop their prices. Just that easy!
In this very same manner we can now with social media take campaigns national or international and force the hand of the "rulers or mankind" the one tenth of one % percent that own the world and decide what happens in what nation based on their own needs and greed. So next time you are not happy with something know that you, we have strength in numbers and the help of social media to get the word out! Remember that we will only make gains when we are willing to make noise and create social movements to bring aboutchange.
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