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

    I'm watching The Boys (season 3) at the suggestion of other hexbears saying it had some clear leftist themes. And hooo boy, Homelander really is an excellent personification of fascism. The outwardly cleancut but thinly veiled covering hiding true evil and depravity, the way he plays libs and their corresponding adoration for him, the smarmy, casual cruelty when no one of consequence is looking, the narcissism and self-importance feeding the civility. Even the realization that if he pushes carefully, he can eventually go mask-off and still reap their love. Of course just the whole wrapping of himself in the flag, patriotism, nationalism in the guise of "all that is good, all that is us."

    I know libs will watch this and remain completely oblivious to the obvious metaphor, but maybe if it's explained after they watch and enjoy the show that Homelander literally = fascism, it might get a few rusty cogs turning. Sigh... unless they think he is ultimately just misunderstood and really is a redeemable character if only sumone wud wub 'im in typical lib fashion. If so, fuck them, they get the wall too. I really hope the show doesn't go that route, it's hard to see how they could at this point.

    • garbage [none/use name,he/him]
      ·
      edit-2
      2 years ago

      he literally fucked a nazi, and forced a jewish girl to commit suicide because he was upset about his nazi ex commiting suicide.

      if a liberal can redeem that, then they are indeed the moderate wing of fascism.