No gas, no stores, no restaurants, absolutely no corporate spending is allowed — an economic blackout where America fights back from the big corporate billionaires, or at least attempts to.
When big companies continue doing “horrible things,” there are only so many ways the average person can show them it’s wrong, but the biggest way to get them is where they see it most — their revenue. Boycotting is not always the most successful, but the message of them is. When people fail to knock down the business’ revenue, they bring up the education that triumphs everything else.
A “day of economic resistance” began on Feb. 28 called for by John Schwartz, founder of the People’s Union USA. The People’s Union is a political movement that supports the ideas of diversity, equity and inclusion. Schwartz announced the idea of the economic blackout to show “people had power” on Feb. 4, 2025, on his Instagram account.
On its website, it states its missions in who the organization is fighting. According to site, it says, “We are stronger together. This is a movement built by John Schwarz for the people, and by the people, and we need every voice in this fight. If you believe in taking back power, breaking free from economic control, and building a future where the people ”not corporations” decide the direction of this country, then join us today.”
According to the Ethical Consumer, economic blackouts have been a successful method of boycotting for years. The truth is though, they cannot all be successful.
Unsurprisingly, Amazon is the most popular online shop in the U.S., according to Statista. On the Friday of the People’s Union USA economic blackout, Amazon sales were 1% higher than the previous eight Fridays, according to USA Today. However, this does not mean this boycott was unsuccessful however.
Other economic boycotts have struck up due to the Russia-Ukraine war, like Boycott Russia, which praises the corporate companies who stop its operations in Russia. One of these companies that was boycotted due to the Russia-Ukraine war was Starbucks, according to NDTV. This protest against Starbucks reportedly caused the company to close four branches in the Middle East, according to The Jerusalem Post.
While some companies, like Starbucks, do face consequences from economic boycotts, others just receive merely a few bad comments made about them on the internet, like Schwartz’s comments on the economic blackout on Feb 28.
Success in economic protests should not be measured simply by how much revenue the company you protested lost. When the people are educated, that is the real success. With how high sales are at corporate businesses like Walmart, Target or Amazon, you would need a majority of the world to back down on buying for the numbers to fall. The idea of the economic blackout is not to ruin Amazon. Rather, it is to show them that the people protesting, are fighting and want change.
Protests are meant to share your words — your truth. They are a public showing of what you stand for, even if no change occurs right away. Sharing what you believe is still helping whatever cause you are fighting for, even if you do not see the outcome right away.
