The Whiteboys were a secret Irish agrarian organisation who protested against exploitative landlords and their methods, such as rack-renting and evictions. Their name derives from the white smocks that they wore. Over time, Whiteboyism became a general term for rural violence connected to secret societies.

Landlords in Ireland during the 18th century were overwhelmingly British, and tended to be extremely harsh towards their tenants. Absentee landlordism, extortionate rents and illegal evictions were common and allowed by the British government. The Whiteboys organised in opposition to many individual landlords in defence of tenants rights. Their first bout of activity was from 1761-1763, in the Munster counties of Limerick, Cork, Tipperary and Waterford. While they started with non-violent protests, such as the leveling of ditches that closed off common grazing land, they soon became more forceful. Threatening letters were also sent to debt collectors, landlords, and occupants of land gained from eviction, demanding that they give up their farms. These threats escalated to shows of force (firing guns and marching outside of army barracks) and attacking prisoners and setting them free.

In response, the British government dispatched 50 soldiers and 40 militiamen against the Whiteboys. The groups clashed violently on occasion, leading to arrests and executions of the Whiteboys. Whiteboy informants were arrested and bounties of £200 were placed upon the leaders’ heads by a citizens’ council.

Agrarian struggles in Ireland continued for centuries, during the 1798 rebellion and the land war of the late 19th and early 20th century. Finally in the late 1800s, following a protracted agrarian struggle led in part by James Stuart Parnell, a series of land acts were passed which aimed to improve tenant’s rights, and required the government to assist any tenants who wished to buy their own land from their landlord.

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  • Dirt_Owl [comrade/them, they/them]
    ·
    3 years ago

    [CW: Mental health] :sadness-abysmal: My parents called to ask how I was, I told the truth and said my depression was getting worst due to current events and from being poor.

    "Haha, you're not depressed, you're just lazy. That's why you're poor, because you don't work hard enough. Your whole generation is lazy."

    Yeah needless to say, they don't help my mental health. I'm thinking of just ignoring their calls in the future.

    • Frank [he/him, he/him]
      ·
      3 years ago

      I'm sorry. That's a terribly unkind thing for someone to say, especially from your parents.

    • jackal [he/him]
      ·
      3 years ago

      Parents be like "you're not living up to my expectations"

      My father in Christ, you are the one who raised me

    • InappropriateEmote [comrade/them, undecided]
      ·
      3 years ago

      There are few things that make me as angry on an interpersonal, familial level as when someone equates my being poor and depressed (and full of anxieties) with my being "lazy." FUCK you to anyone who says that to me, you have no idea how hard I've struggled. Of course the inverse is invariably true - the ones saying that are not happy and comfy in their easy lives because they're not lazy, which they often are, it's not because they're industrious, or because of any great positive quality they are magically imbued with. They're comfortable because they're fucking lucky and privileged. Full stop. And in your case, I suspect they can't fathom the idea that their offspring have it harder than they did or do. I know I'm not telling you anything you don't already know. Just my way of saying I empathize. I'm sorry you have to hear that from your parents. But I hope you do what you can to try not to internalize it. I hope you have adequate barriers up that ensure you don't believe that bullshit. You are one fucking awesome owl, just ftr. :meow-hug:

    • blipblip [she/her, they/them]
      ·
      3 years ago

      Going low contact with my parents is one of the best things I've done for my mental health. Would very much recommend.