Prohibition in Foreign Countries

Report Outline
Prohibition in Finland
The Bratt System in Sweden
Norwegian Control System
Provincial Control in Canada
Regulation in Great Britain and Colonies
Prohibition Movement in Continental Countries

In many countries organizations working for prohibition had made substantial progress before 1914, but it was not until the outbreak of hostilities that nation-wide prohibition went into effect in any country. War time regulations for the restriction and prohibition of the use of alcohol were dictated not only by the necessity for maintaining sobriety in the war crisis, but also by the world shortage of grain which made it imperative that part of the supply usually devoted to the manufacture of spirits should be diverted to essential foodstuffs. These war measures varied in degree from complete prohibition in Russia and most of Canada to the regulatory and restrictive measures adopted on the continent and by Great Britain and her other colonies.

Reaction Against War Restrictions

In the years following the conclusion of peace, the radical turn toward prohibition in the warring countries was followed by a more or less sharp reaction, Complete prohibition now exists only in Finland and the United States. Russia, which permitted the sale of vodka in 1922, went completely wet in 1925. Canada, province by province, is abandoning total prohibition either in favor of modification or of government control. Turkey, which went dry for one year in 1923, returned to her former condition at the end of the year.

While the countries which had adopted prohibition as a war time measure were returning in one degree or another to the pre-war condition, the temperance movement continued to make strides in certain parts of the world. The outstanding example of this was the adoption by Sweden of the Bratt system of state control of the manufacture, sale and importation of liquor, wines and heavy beer. This system is said to have met with success and its popularity indicates that it will be permanent.