THE NEW TEMPERANCE MOVEMENT

The temperance movement never really died. It was relatively dormant for several decades after World War II, but has re-emerged with a new identity and modified ideology. It has been described as "neo-prohibition" (Pittman, 1980), "new temperance" (Beauchamp, 1987; Heath, 1989; Blocker, 1989, p. 158), "new Sobriety" (Page, 1991), "new Victorianism" (Heath, 1989), and "new paternalism" (Gusfield, 1985, p. 76). The renewed movement is based on the assumption that individuals cannot be trusted to make appropriate lifestyle choices. Therefore, "to protect people from themselves or to protect society, the state should pass legislation that enforces restrictions likely [in the belief of the reformers] to promote health by taking away the individual's personal choice" (Engs, 1991, p. 156). This, in spite of the fact that alcohol legislation in the United States already appears to be among the most stringent in the world (Mosher, 1980).

Previous Page | Next Page