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Thursday 13 April 2023 08.30 - 10.30
C-5 ECO05 On the Regulation of Alcohol in Sweden – Consumption, Distribution and Production
B21
Network: Economic History Chair: Lars Fredrik Andersson
Organizer: Lars Fredrik Andersson Discussants: -
Liselotte Eriksson : Voluntary Regulation of Alcohol – Health Effects of Abstinence and ‘Moderate Drinking’ in Early Twentieth Century Sweden
The temperance movement mobilized strong public support for reducing alcohol consumption in late 19th and early 20th Sweden. A life style of total abstinence was perceived as the ideal for the individual, and prohibition of alcohol was viewed as the ultimate goal in society at large. At group level, the ... (Show more)
The temperance movement mobilized strong public support for reducing alcohol consumption in late 19th and early 20th Sweden. A life style of total abstinence was perceived as the ideal for the individual, and prohibition of alcohol was viewed as the ultimate goal in society at large. At group level, the temperance movement formed their own health insurance societies, to assure their members against income losses in the event of illness, accident or death. Temperance societies viewed the use of alcohol as a health risk and temperance as a way to reduce this risk. This paper sets out to examine if a favourable selection of risk could have emerged along with the temperance movement in Sweden at the turn of the twentieth century. Our findings contradict the claim that alcohol per se adversely affected health; but shows that moderate drinkers were not different from teetotallers. Our qualitative evidence shows that the recruitment of members was a strict procedure, based on the recommendation of incumbent members held responsible for any misconduct. Admitting individuals with a reputation of alcohol abuse seems for that reason rather unlikely, while being expelled due to alcohol abuse more expected given the social control of members. (Show less)

Kasper Hage Stjern : Brewing Under Pressure: Brewery Industry Response to State Alcohol Regulation in Norway and Sweden, 1900-1955
During the first half of the twentieth century, Norway and Sweden implemented some of the strictest alcohol regulation regimes in the world. Among such regulations were state control of production, sales, distribution, and marketing of alcohol, going as far as implementing prohibition against liquor in Norway from 1917-1926. On the ... (Show more)
During the first half of the twentieth century, Norway and Sweden implemented some of the strictest alcohol regulation regimes in the world. Among such regulations were state control of production, sales, distribution, and marketing of alcohol, going as far as implementing prohibition against liquor in Norway from 1917-1926. On the production side, beer brewing was increasingly taxed and levied special fees such a smalt usage fees. And on the consumer side, sale of beer was regulated through systems such as state liquor licenses, and restaurants and taverns were required to sell food along with beer orders. In addition, prohibitionists were highly influential in contemporary society, garnering political influence in parliament. Facing increasing pressure, the brewery industries in Norway and Sweden started a number of initiatives to mitigate the situation. Among such measures were cartelization, internal policing of the chain of production and distribution, and political action. This paper examines how the Norwegian and Swedish brewery industries responded to increasing state regulation and control of beer production and consumption between 1900-1955. (Show less)

Paul Nystedt : The Causal Effects of Alcohol Policy Interventions on Strong Liquor Consumption in Sweden between 1900 and 1920
Alcohol consumption, its adverse societal consequences, and different public interventions to mitigate them, has for centuries been a topic of public debate. However, there is only very limited knowledge on the extent to which regulations of alcohol actually have reduced consumption and have the intended societal effects on health, crime ... (Show more)
Alcohol consumption, its adverse societal consequences, and different public interventions to mitigate them, has for centuries been a topic of public debate. However, there is only very limited knowledge on the extent to which regulations of alcohol actually have reduced consumption and have the intended societal effects on health, crime and poverty levels. In this paper we address this issue by using a novel design to examine causal effects of alcohol policy regulation on alcohol consumption. We focus at the impact of different alcohol policy measures (taxes, Licenses, quotas, ration books) on the recorded sales of strong liquor in Swedish cities between 1900 and 1920. Since restrictions on purchases, such as individual quotas on purchases was decided locally, we use the local variation on restriction over time to examine effects on recorded sales. Of particular interest is the local implementation of ration books during the 1910s, before the implementation of nation-wide ration books, where we use a difference-in-difference design to show potential causal effects of restrictions on recorded sales of strong liquor at the city-level. (Show less)

Hedvig Widmalm : Problems and Opportunities for Women Selling Alcohol in 18th Century Sweden
In 18th century Sweden, tavern keeping was a common and accepted form of work for women, and especially impoverished widows. From the 1740s onward, widows could receive permits to keep taverns from the local courts if they argued that they were poor and in need of income. The same opportunities ... (Show more)
In 18th century Sweden, tavern keeping was a common and accepted form of work for women, and especially impoverished widows. From the 1740s onward, widows could receive permits to keep taverns from the local courts if they argued that they were poor and in need of income. The same opportunities were not available for widowed men. This reflected how women, and especially widows, were seen as vulnerable in early modern Swedish society. Tavern keeping was a way to prevent them from becoming dependent on public welfare. At the same time, the consumption of strong spirits was regarded as a growing social problem. The Swedish government made several attempts to ban the distilling of vodka for private use, and imposed taxes and tolls on the selling of strong spirits. There were hard crack-downs against people suspected of selling alcohol illegally, including women. Using the copper mining town Falun as a case study, this paper examines the agency of women tavern keepers in 18th century Sweden. It asks if and how regulations affected their ability to sell alcohol. (Show less)



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