If someone put together a plan to boycott oil companies do you think it would help, would you participate?

Question

Put together a list of oil companies profiting off of US sales then start a boycott from the top of the list. (the first company on the list profits the most, the bottom of the list profits the least) Boycott each company, one at a time, for a peroid of two months. No matter what they do with their prices do not purchase their gas, purchase gas from the companies from the bottom of the list.

Answer 1

It would not help. First these type of schemes never work.
OK as an exercise in economics assume you could get everyone to particiapte. If you have boycotted company A, company B, C, D, and E would just raise prices as they would have shortages of supply. And not only that due elasticity, if you remove 20% of supply, prices could rise more than 20%.
So nobody buys from company A, they would just start selling thier excess supply to the other companies.

Answer 2

Perhaps in a country where people aren't so dependent on gasoline, a boycott may actually work, but a boycott in this country would most likely, not work. Unfortunately, America is a country that is a dependent on oil and petroleum products of all kinds, and I don't think that even a strategic, well thought out boycott would work. Automobiles and Air Lines are just among the few things we use that require some form of fuel, and how dependent are Americans on air travel and car travel. Since a good percentage of Americans commute to a further location to work, gasoline is virtually necessary to these commuters. Also, since America is lacking a good train system in a large portion of the States, it is uneconomical and Nonsensical to believe that American commuters could go by train to work. Bicycles? Not a chance, America is such a large country, we couldn't and wouldn't be able to switch to a traveling style similar to Japan. So, I think even though a boycott would be fascinating to participate in, it is not a good way to combat the already soaring gas prices. It's going to take negotiations and the work of the people and diplomacy to lower these gas prices. The person who responded prior to my response is absolutely correct that this process is not something that can be done over night...It will take a while, and patience is wearing thin.

Answer 3

I think that, conceptually, it is a viable plan. The difficulties involved in accomplishing this goal are huge though. First, most of the largest suppliers have vast resources to absorb this kind of attack so the length of time would have to be much greater. Secondly, gathering enough private individuals to have a consensus large enough to make an impact I see as a near impossibility. I would make the sacrifice personally and participate, but probably only after it appeared that I alone could make a difference by doing so. Unfortunately many, many, others I believe would share this position resulting in far fewer people than would be necessary.

Answer 4

I would not participate, because it would not do any good.

Oil companies have successfully negated the law of supply and demand, and raise prices when the demand goes up or down.

Would you also not use services that puchase oil company products, such as EMS and the fire department, or police department?

Would you not purchase gasoline to take a pregnant woman to the hospital?

Would you not purchase products that were delivered by companies that purchase oil company products, such as at grocery stores, the US Post Office, DHL, Federal Express and UPS?

Would you not purchase farm products that were tilled and harvested using tractors and farm machinary that use oil company products?

The problem is not the oil companies. The problem is inflation. Whenever you use a credit card, they get a cut, that increases inflation.

I hate to say it, but gasoline is still cheaper than bottled water.

Answer 5

I wish that would happen. I know a lot of people say they would participate in something like that, but I highly doubt they would actually follow through. Humans are creatures of habit..

It would be cool if everyone in the world stopped buying gas for an entire week.. BUT unfortunately that's an even farther stretch.

Answer 6

I'm always wondering why people don't do this since whenever I hear people complain about gas prices they always bring up the issue of greed. I don't drive so I don't have to worry about paying at the pump, but I know it may be affecting me without me knowing, and could in the future/probably will. It's an important idea and I could see it happening but not anytime soon.

Answer 7

Just buy a used 1998 Volkswagen New Beetle with a Diesel Engine and fill the tank at your local Biodiesel Station. (Be sure to mix the right amount of Diesel with Biodiesel)

You are not going to acomplish anything in two months.

If you buy a Diesel car then you don't have to buy another galon of gasoline ever.

Answer 8

Not as much as EVERYONE in the USA spending the stamp and physically writing(not email) their Representatives once a week to complain. If most everyone called, I sure would.

Answer 9

id participate, just in the end where do we get gas and oil products if everyones boycotted?
you knoe this aint no boston tea party

Answer 10

boycotts won't work, but a plan to reduce and irradicate oil based products will. it takes time