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21-05-2012, 08:22
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The Scots have a reputation as a bunch of pissheads. Is there any statistical proof? Or is it a terrible slur on their national character?

Not sure I have a proper answer to that. What I can say with some certainty is that during WW I they became a more sober bunch. Not necessarily voluntarily. Here are the figures:

Drunkenness in Scotland.—Mr. Galbraith asked the Secretary for Scotland what was the number of proceedings for drunkenness in Scotland during the calendar year 1913 to 1920, inclusive, distinguishing between proceedings against men and women ?

Mr. Munro: The figures for the year 1920 are not yet available, but the number of proceedings for offences involving drunkenness (exclusive of offences for breach of the peace) for the other years mentioned is as follows :—




Year.
Men.
Women.
Total.


1913
38,443
11,773
50,216


1914
39,306
11,859
51,165


1915
36,438
11,739
48,177


1916
24,388
8,713
33,101


1917
14,922
5,568
20,490


1918
9,168
2,395
11,503


1919
17,722
4,250
21,072



Brewers' Journal 1921, Page 106.
I often talk of contextualisation. This is a perfect opportunity to indulge in a little.

One of the things that talk the wind out of the sails of prohibitionists was the obvious decrease in drunkenness after WW I. A major contributing factor was the fall in strength of beer. That and an economic depression that left many working class families with little cash.

Using the same rhetoric as before the war, the prohibitionists arguments became increasingly out of step with reality. Having failed to achieve their dream of total prohibition, they struggled to keep momentum behind their campaign. Disappointing results in the Scottish local veto polls didn't help. The temperance movement began to fizzle out between the wars. WW II, when the government didn't just ignore their calls for restrictions on alcohol but firmly told them to shut up, just about finished it off.

Is it possible to see a correlation between the strength and quantity of beer brewed in Scotland and the number of convictions for drunkenness? Let's give it a try. To get an absolute figure for the amount of alcohol in the beer, I'm using standard barrels.




Drunkenness in Scotland


Year.
Total.
1913 = 100
standard barrels brewed in Scotland
1913 = 100


1913
50,216
100
1,844,109
100


1914
51,165
101.9
1,983,489
107.6


1915
48,177
95.9
1,739,819
94.3


1916
33,101
65.9
1,619,119
87.8


1917
20,490
40.8
1,425,067
77.3


1918
11,503
22.9
762,264
41.3


1919
21,072
42.0
717,424
38.9


Sources:


Brewers' Journal 1921, page 246.


Brewers' Journal 1921, Page 106.




Looks to me like there's a connection between the number of standard barrels of beer brewed and the number of convictions for drunkenness.

Well there's something WW I achieved: reducing the number of drunks rolling around the street.



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