Syriza in shock over creditors' demands

[muriel_volestrangler]

47. It's quite close to the original meaning of 'blackmail'

Yes, the modern meaning of 'blackmail' is 'demand money, or you'll reveal secrets'; but the word originated in the Scottish-English borders, among the reivers, and there it was a matter of 'pay us money or we'll come and trash your farm', or at least let someone else trash your farm.

Indeed, the word ‘blackmail’ comes from the Reivers: a farmer paid ‘blackmail’ – rent in the form of cattle instead of the legal ‘whitemail’, which was paid in silver, to a powerful Reiver who would give him ‘protection’ in return.

http://reivers-route.co.uk/the-route/about-the-reivers-route/

Without the protection of the law, the ordinary people had no recourse but to pay the blackmail. Blackmail in reality meant black rent or a double rent. Rent was paid to the landowner and rent was paid to the blackmailer. Since it was paid in kind, in oats, barley or meal, it was called black meal. For payment of the black meal, the payer was supposed to be left alone and was to be protected against other reivers and if thefts occurred, his protector was supposed to retrieve his goods. Sometimes goods changed hands so much that one would think the thieves were in cahoots - which many were. If a person was too poor to pay the double rent, he could expect to have his cattle and goods stolen. A Scottish Act of 1567 made paying blackmail punishable by death. What choice would that be - pay and die or don’t pay and die. This Act was modified later to fines and imprisonment. The blackmailer was to be punished at the Warden’s discretion. It wasn’t until 1601 that blackmail was made a capital offense in England.

http://www.electricscotland.com/history/other/border_reivers9.htm