[History] Alcohol, its History and Place in Britains Society

[scottishranger]

Author: Denny Crane!
Original thread: Alcohol, its History and Place in Britains Society

Alcohol, its History and Place in Britains Society

This rambling diatribe was inspired by a conversation with an American friend about the drinking culture in Britain.

Alcohol in Ancient Civilisations

Alcohol has been around in many forms since time imemorial. In medecine, religion and social aspects, it has been vital in our development; having social, analgesic and antiseptic uses. So its integration and integral role in our society is natural and its ability to enhance our social interactions obvious.

The earliest recorded alcohol usage was in the neolithic period (thats 10,000 years ago) where they discovered stoneage beer containers. It is recorded in Genesis that Noah planted a vineyard on Mt Arafat and it is suspected that wine making originated in the wild grape regions of the middle east. The cultivation and brewing of alcohol is thought to have started properly in ancient Eygpt where alcohol played a large role in there societal function. Despite having many local and familial Gods, Osiris the god of wine, was worshipped nationally. It is also believed this God invented beer, which was a neccessity of life and brewed individually on an everyday basis.

Ancient civilisation cultivated a tradition of temperance. Eygpt despite its use of alcohol in nearly all social functions, and its daily consumption, inebriation was frowned upon though not unknown. Hellenic civilisation incorporated wine into its society from about 2000 B.C and by 1700 B.C wine had integrated itself into religous, funeral, medicinal and social occasions. A lack of excess was a quality praised in all sections of Greek life, and it applied to alcohol as well. This was fascilitated largely by there habit of watering down the wine.

Xenophon, Plato, Aristode, Zeno and Hippocrates all praised alcohol but were heavily critical of drinking to excess which in some sections of society had become a problem. The exception to the rule in Greek society was the cult of Dionysus which was especially popular with the Macedonians.

The Romans also practiced great reserve in there lives. Moderate drinking and a distaste for inebriation was prevalent in society. Upon their conquest of the Mediterranean basin however, the erosion of traditional Roman values happened very quickly. Simplicity, frugality and temperance were replaced by excessive drinking and consumption of food. Julius Caesar and Cato the elder like some other prominent figures were praised for there lack of excess, where that behaviour was notable unlike the past when it was simply expected. As the republic deteriorated other public figures like Marc Antony revelled in there destructive habits.

The Early Periods, religion and distillation

Possibly due to the rise and fall of excessive drinking in the Mid to Late Roman Empire early breakaway Christian sects abandoned and condemned the use of alcohol leading the early Christian church to declare that alcohol was a gift from God and could be enjoyed in moderation but excessive use was frowned upon. Though there is disagreement as to whether Jesus actually used wine or grapejuice.

With the fall of the Roman empire and the decline of urban and collective life brewing was reduced and cultivated mainly in monasteries, however by the millenium the rise of ale became popular throught Europe leading to the middle ages when distillation was invented. Aqua Vitae or "the water of life" was increasingly used and developed by physicians, monks and alchemists throughout the middle ages and soon became known as brandy. The latter term was derived from the Dutch brandewijn, meaning burnt (or distilled) wine. Alcohol consumption around Europe skyrocketed during the late middle ages.

Alcohol In Britain - The rise of Gin

It is said if the 16th century created spirits, the seventeenth century consolidated it and the eighteenth century popularised it.

At the turn of the 1700's the government introduced a law imposing severely high imports on imported spirits and allowed unlicensed production of gin. This created a market for poor quality grain that had no value otherwise, unfit for food or beer production. It was extremely popular with poor people for its low price and wide availability and over 15000 gin shops opened in London. The rise of Gin in the capital caused many social and health problems of the time. At the same time though some frowned upon the consumption of Gin Beer still retained its popularity as well Water supplies in Britain were hazardous, as water treatment plants were yet to be introduced. As a result of this, although spirits were viewed as deleterious, beer was considered to be nutritious and healthy.

In 1714 AD, Gin production in London was 2 million Gallons, in 1733 it was 11 million. It became so popular that in 1736 the government introduced prohibitive legislation which led to riots. They repealed this and later introduced another in 1751 banning the free production of distilled spirits. Consumption of this spirit reduced dramatically with the onset of industrialisation partly due to the government but also due to the demands on the workforce.

Alcohol and Wellingtons army

From Alcohol and Red Noses: Alcohol and the British Napoleonic Soldier, "A survey of health in the 1790's declared resoundingly that the British people were as long lived generally as the people of any nation in the world, but later the author added more pessimistically, "on the other hand, by reason of intemperance, and of an unhappy excess that has obtained in spirituous liquors, there is no part of the world wherein people are more subject to die suddenly."

For an ordinary man the consumption of alcohol was the only escape from poverty and misery. Alcoholism was rife and one way to obtain a source of alcohol was to join the British Army where its consumption was an integral part of life. The typical ration was a third of a pint of rum or a pint of wine for an infantry man or a half a pint of rum for a seaman. This was big business as the regimental canteen system was outsourced to private contractors. Wellington was under no doubt as to why "the scum of the earth" joined the ranks, "People talk of their enlisting from their fine military feeling -all stuff- no such thing. Some of our men enlist from having got bastard children- some for minor offences - many more for drink."

It was not discouraged in the ranks by the senior officers and was considered to be an effective prophylactic against yellow fever. Rum, arrack, and sangare were considered to keep the various scourges of army life at bay, particularly in the tropics. Captain Robert Percival said of his mens' habits, "....Drinking plenty of Arrack and smoking tobacco, counteract the bad effects of the atmosphere and the water, while the natives on the other hand live so abstemiously, few or none of them eating flesh or drinking anything but water, that once they are seized with the exhausting distempers they want strength to resist them and they usually fall victims"

It was this attitude that medecine was inherently beneficial to health and an aid to the remedy of ailments that exasperated the situation. As an example of its encouragement in the west indies 52,000 gallons of madeira wine were sent to the hospitals of the leeward islands and St. Domingo.

Fortunaltly as the Napoleonic War progressed certain voices became heard and attitudes did start to change. The privatised import of spirits was regulated to improve its quality and some regiments had officers who at least tried to moderate there mens (and officers) drinking. Though a satirical acount of the peninsular war by a serving officer tells of the unfortunate hero being led astray by his regimental doctor illustrates that things did not change quickly enough:

'Come', says the doctor 'here is rum and segars'
'this is the way we carry on our wars.
'Here, smoke, my boy, I know twill do you good;
'And try this country wine, 'twill cool your blood'

Alcohol In Britain Today

Like the Romans before us, we in Britain are seeing a rise in binge drinking, excess and intemperance fuelled by the club and pub culture. We do not drink for social enhancement but for drinkings sake, we drink in effect to get drunk. The effect(s) on public finances are greater I suspect than the effect of smoking. Although it is very hard to quantify, consider the extra cost of police to maintain city centers. The extra cost of medical staff where in Scotland for example one in ten A and E admissions are alcohol related. The clean up costs for the destructive nature of drunk people and finally the costs of treating alcohol related incidences. I am unsure whether to factor in the amounts dealing with criminal charges relating to alcohol induced crime.

Is it purely that though? Common sense says not, the deaths are not occurring amongst the young alone but are a trend across the board and alcholism. Looking at statistics as well consumption has actually been on the rise since the 1950's, what has changed is the trends in young people. Alcohol consumption is now consumed in binge form amongst young which means we are facing a potential health bomb in the future.

In our country it is a culture that is an expression of our values which we embrace. The hedonism, instant reward. Where we spend on our credit rather than saving, we buy now think later, drink to get drunk rather than enjoy a simpler more refined pleasure of social interaction. I bleieve there is a certain parallel between Britain today and its capatilistic culture and Rome at the turn of the first century when it was descending into debauchery. We have moved from an age of relative poverty, stoicism and temperance to our present society much like the Romans values eroded in the face of a massive influx of wealth and culture from the mediterranean. Though I hesitate to refer to the twenties - fifties as a golden age as I am not a fan of nostalgia. They were times of incredible hardship, todays society is better than it has ever been, but we could educate our populace and make it even better.

Alcohol is a wonderful drug, but moderation is needed, I think the effects without it are available for public scrutiny every Saturday night.

And just to push my pro cannabis agenda consider alcohol before you condemn cannabis.

Peter