Why was boycott considered an effective weapon in the Non-Cooperation Movement?

Correct answer: Because it reduced public cooperation with colonial institutions

Boycott was effective because colonial administration depended partly on the participation of Indians in schools, courts, councils, and the market for foreign goods. When people withdrew from these institutions and refused imported products, the legitimacy and functioning of colonial rule were challenged. Option A is correct. Options B, C, and D are incorrect because boycott weakened foreign economic and administrative influence while encouraging, rather than ending, Indian participation and swadeshi.