Grassroots Groups Confront the Corporation: Contemporary Strategies in Historical Perspective

Abstract

The last two decades have witnessed dramatic changes, both quantitatively and qualitatively, in the grassroots initiatives taken by Americans in response to the offensive behaviors of corporations. Not only have there been marked increases in consumer boycotts, the most common organized grassroots action against corporations, but boycott targets have become more diverse and boycott strategies have largely shifted from a marketplace orientation to a media orientation. This article reviews these contemporary developments from a historical perspective with special attention to the boycott tactics employed, including their psychological foundations and ethical implications.