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Alcohol and Politics in France*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2013

Bernard E. Brown
Bernard E. Brown
Affiliation:
Michigan State University
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Extract

“On jongle trop avec la structure d'un Pays qui a été, dans le monde, le défenseur de l'individu, de la liberté, du sens de la mesure. Un petit paysan sur sa terre, n'est-il pas humainement autre chose que le chômeur de demain ou l'ouvrier qui sera condamné à fabriquer toute sa vie des boulons?”

Le Betteravier Français, September 1956, page 1.

Large-scale state intervention in the alcohol market in France dates from World War I, when the government committed itself to encourage the production of alcohol. Two chief reasons then lay back of this decision: a huge supply of alcohol was needed for the manufacture of gunpowder, and the devastation of the beet-growing regions of the north had severely limited production of beet alcohol, thereby throwing the domestic market out of balance. A law of 30 June 1916, adopted under emergency procedure, established a state agency empowered to purchase alcohol. At the end of the war, a decree of 1919 accorded the government the right “provisionally” to maintain the state monopoly. In 1922 the beetgrowers and winegrowers gave their support to the principle of a state monopoly which, in effect, reserved the industrial market for beet alcohol and the domestic market for viticulture. In 1931 the state was authorized to purchase alcohol distilled from surplus wine.

Type
Research Article
Information
American Political Science Review , Volume 51 , Issue 4 , December 1957 , pp. 976 - 994
Copyright
Copyright © American Political Science Association 1957

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References

1 On the history of the alcohol statute see: Taix, Gabriel, Les problèmes posés par les excédents d'alcool (Paris, 1953), p. 9Google Scholar; de Silva, Charles, “La production de l'alcool et l'économie nationale,” Chronique Sociale de France (15 February 1956), pp. 10–12Google Scholar; Marckert, Philippe, “L'alcool: notion multiple, problème complexe,” Economie et Réalités Mondiales (December 1955), p. 27Google Scholar; and Marfaing, Norbert, Contrôle de la production de l'alcool en France (Paris, 1940)Google Scholar.

2 One hectoliter equals 26.42 U.S. gallons; one U.S. barrel (or 42 gallons) equals 1.59 HL. The official exchange value of one U.S. dollar after the general currency devaluations of 1949 was 350 francs; thus, one million dollars equaled 350 million francs, etc.; a further 20 percent devaluation to 420 francs took place in two stages in the fall of 1957. In general, see Tixier, Gilbert, “L'alcool dans les finances publiques,” Revue de Science et de Législation Financière (April–June 1954), pp. 360–363Google Scholar.

3 See Malignac, Georges and Colin, Robert, L'alcoolisme (Paris, 1954), pp. 37–41Google Scholar; Philippe Marckert, “L'alcool,” op. cit., p. 27; and “La situation du marché viticole,” Le Monde, 7 December 1956Google Scholar. There is no problem whatsoever with respect to fine wines—which account, however, for only six to eighteen percent of the total harvest. In 1955 only 14.7 million HL of “vin d'appellation” were declared, compared to 45.4 million HL of “vin ordinaire.” Cf. Ledermann, Sully, Alcool, alcoolisme, alcoolisation (Paris, 1956), pp. 27, 37Google Scholar.

4 Figures cited by Charles de Silva, “La production de l'alcool,” op. cit., pp. 5, 17–18.

5 Le Monde, 13 January and 18 July 1956. See also Henri Trinchet's articles, “L'alcool, problème gouvernmental permanent,” ibid., 22 and 23 January 1957. The Suez crisis created a sudden demand that has reduced stocks considerably.

6 Figures are from Gabriel Taix, Les problèmes posés par les excédents d'alcool, op. cit., pp. 20–21.

7 In bringing about a favorable decision on the national carburant, the IFA (Institut Francais d'Alcool) in 1952 negotiated with the Director of Chemical Industries, the Director of Carburants, the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Industrial Production and the Secretary of State for the Budget. See Alcools et Dérivés (October 1952), p. 2.

8 M. Ramadier explained his decision in a letter of April 1956 to the chairman of the Conseil Supérieur des alcools: “My department has calculated that the utilization of on million HL of alcohol for the manufacture of supercarburant ternaire represents in reality a loss of ten billion francs for the public finances.” Quoted in Le Monde, 31 July 1956. The subsequent complete ending of the practice was protested by the beetgrowers, of course, even more violently. See Le Betteravier Français (June 1957), p. 19Google Scholar. In general, see Gabriel Taix, Les problèmes posés par les excédents d'alcool, op. cit., pp. 89–101; Sauvy, Alfred, “Excédents agricoles et alcool carburant,” Bulletin des Transports (August–September 1950), pp. 592–595Google Scholar; and Trinchet, Henri, “La pénurie de carburants ne doit pas servir à encourager la production d'alcool,” Le Monde, 21 November 1956Google Scholar.

9 Gabriel Taix, loc. cit., pp. 20–21, 29–31; Le Betteravier Français (February 1956), p. 18Google Scholar.

10 May, Etienne, Problèmes de l'alcoolisme en France (Paris, 1954), p. 13Google Scholar. The following figures on consumption of alcohol in 1951 (in liters, per adult) permit a comparison of alcohol consumption in France and other countries: France, 28.0; Italy, 14.2; United States, 8.8; United Kingdom, 8.8; West Germany, 5.1; Denmark, 4.9. Cf. “La consommation d'alcool en France et à l'étranger,” Population (July–September 1954), pp. 537–540Google Scholar. Also Malignac and Colin, L'alcoolisme, op. cit., pp. 31–36; Debré, Robert and Sauvy, Alfred, Des Français pour la France (Paris, 1946)Google Scholar; and Dérobert, Léon, L'Economie de l'alcoolisme (Paris, 1953)Google Scholar.

11 Figures cited by Malignac and Colin, L'alcoolisme, op. cit., pp. 63–65; May, Problèmes d'alcoolisme, op. cit., pp. 31–33; and Brunaud, J. S., “Le coût annuel et la prévention de l'alcoolisme,” Chronique Sociale (15 February 1956), pp. 64–65Google Scholar.

12 May, Problèmes d'alcoolisme, op. cit., p. 14; and Debré and Sauvy, Des Français pour la France, op. cit., p. 139.

13 Alcools et Dérivés (October 1954), p. 7Google Scholar.

14 Henri Cayre, secretary-general of the beetgrowers' group, recently suggested that the IFA be reorganized as an interprofessional group to include viticulture interests. See Le Betteravier Français (May 1957), p. 17Google Scholar.

15 For the over-all financial problem: Tixier, Gilbert, “L'alcool dans les finances publiques,” p. 362Google Scholar. See also Callen, Jacques, “Les secrets du ‘lobby’ betteravier,” France-Observateur, 13 May 1954Google Scholar. This article occasioned a celebrated suit for libel brought against France-Observateur by the CGB. The suit was dismissed on the grounds that the article constituted legitimate criticism. Cf. Le Monde, 19 and 20 December 1956.

16 After the enactment of the Mendès-France decrees, M. Lépicard threw his full support to the CGB. See his letter, Le Betteravier Français (November 1954), p. 8Google Scholar.

17 Alcools et Dérivés (November 1953), p. 3Google Scholar. Cayre is probably correct. The price of beet-sugar made in France is 72 francs a kilo, while the price of cane sugar received in French ports is 38 francs a kilo. The CGB, however, shrinks from the obvious conclusion: since production of both beet-alcohol and beet-sugar is uneconomic, the only sensible course of action is to reduce acreage allotted to beets and undertake large-scale conversion to other culture. Cf. Trinchet, Henri in Le Monde, 9 November 1955Google Scholar. In spite of its previous propaganda, the CGB in 1957 proposed a long-range Sugar Plan to further develop the beet market.

18 For a detached view of pre-war legislation affecting bouilleurs de cru, see Norbert Marfaing, Contrôle de la production de l'alcool en France, op. cit. Also, Malignac and Colin, L'alcoolisme, op. cit., p. 100.

19 May, Problèmes d'alcoolisme, op. cit., p. 43. See also the pertinent comments of Bernard Lafay, Minister of Public Health and Population, J. O., Assemblée Nationale (25 October 1955), p. 5260Google Scholar.

20 On the wine lobby: Sully Ledermann, Alcool, alcoolisme, alcoolisation, op. cit., p. 32; and Callen, Jacques, “Le lobby du Noch,” France-Observateur, 27 May 1954Google Scholar.

21 Alcools et Dérivés (October 1956), pp. 3–5Google Scholar; and de Fretay, Charles, “Mort à l'alcool français, mais vive le pétrole arabe,” Le Betteravier Français (October 1956), p. 8Google Scholar. The betteraviers have organized sporadic boycotts of those oil companies (particularly Shell and Esso) reluctant to make use of alcohol in their products. See ibid., March and May 1953.

22 Alcools el Dérivés (July-August, 1956), pp. 129–130Google Scholar; La Journée Vinicole, 28 November 1956; and Le Bouilleur de France, June 1955. The Pepsi-Cola Company of Casablanca is a wholly Moroccan concern whose essay contests are beyond the control of its American counterpart. Ambassador Douglas Dillon's comments on the affair may be found in Informations et Documents (15 January 1954), p. 5Google Scholar.

23 As has been pointed out, the Service des alcools sells 300,000 HL of its stock annually at premium prices for beverage uses. See Ledermann, op. cit., p. 56.

24 Le Bouilleur de France, June 1955. See also J. O., Assemblée Nationale, 27 January 1955, p. 322Google Scholar.

25 For the view of the IFA on the work of the committee, see Alcools et Dérivés (January 1957), p. 4Google Scholar.

26 See Alcools et Dérivés (December 1954), p. 8Google Scholar, and ibid. (July–August 1955), pp. 25–64. By tradition, the civil servants abstain when the Council votes its political resolutions.

27 J. O., Assemblée Nationale, 8 December 1956, p. 5757Google Scholar.

28 Frappart's predecessor as Director, M. René Petit (who served from 1947 to 1956) was popular with his clientele. See the tribute paid him in Alcools et Dérivés (November 1956), p. 27Google Scholar.

29 For Cayre's views: Le Betteravier Français, July–August 1957, p. 8Google Scholar, and May 1957, p. 17.

30 Cf. Alcools et Dérivés (December 1956), pp. 4, 21–26Google Scholar.

31 For the Communist position: J. O., Assemblée Nationale, April 1954, pp. 1777–82Google Scholar, and December 1954, p. 5699.

32 On 5 November 1953 a delegation of deputies from beet departments (including Mm. Legendre, Couinaud, Verneuil and Pluchet) met with the prime minister. M. Laniel listened to the deputies with obvious interest (since they were all supporters of the government coalition), comments the CGB journal, and accepted the principle that beet-alcohol quotas had to be raised in certain cases. Cf. Le Betteravier Français, November 1953.

33 Le Betteravier Français, June 1957, pp. 8, 20Google Scholar, and July–August 1957, pp. 1, 18, 24 Also Alcools et Dérivés (June 1956), p. 5Google Scholar.

34 Laurens also attended the general assembly of the Fédération nationale des coopératives de transformation de la betterave, and endorsed their demands. Cf. Alcools et Dérivés, December 1951, p. 22Google Scholar, and October 1952, pp. 13–17.

35 Meetings of IFA delegations with the Minister of Industry and Commerce, the Director of Carburants, and the Director of the Service des alcools are described in Alcools et Dérivés (November 1953), p. 5Google Scholar. Houdet's letter is reprinted, ibid. (April 1954), p. 5.

36 The IFA's view of the crisis may be found in Alcools et Dérivés (May 1953), p. 3Google Scholar; and ibid. (June 1953), p. 5.

37 On the Haut comité, see the explanatory note in Population (July–September 1955) pp. 592–93.

38 Cf. “Alcoolisme et opinion publique,” Population (July-September 1955), pp. 539–40Google Scholar. Henri Cayre claims that demonstrations by betteraviers against the Mendès-France decrees compelled the government to negotiate a truce. Cayre, Henri, “Trêve, avant le soleil ou l'orage?”, Alcools et Dérivés (January 1955), pp. 3–4Google Scholar.

39 Le Betteravier Français (January 1956), p. 2Google Scholar. However, the Guy Mollet government was able subsequently to adopt several anti-alcohol measures.

40 Typical declaration of the SNBC: “The bureau national invites all its adherents to secure the adoption of motions of protest by departmental and communal assemblies. A great many conseils généraux are going to meet this month. I t is necessary to obtain from them the adoption of motions favorable to our just cause. I t is urgent that, in each department, deputies be presented with numerous written or verbal protests.” La Défense des Distillateurs Ambulants et des Bouilleurs de Cru (October 1956), p. 3Google Scholar.

41 Le Bouilleur de France, May 1951; and Sully Ledermann, op. cit., p. 44. M. Liautey was defeated in January 1956, apparently because of his failure to negotiate an apparentement.

42 Le Bouilleur de France, January 1955. Also, ibid., November 1954.

43 J. O., Assemblée Nationale, 25 October 1955, p. 5275Google Scholar. An MRP deputy caustically remarked: “One declaims against alcoholism, but one votes for alcohol.”

44 The National Assembly in 1956 voted to postpone the effective date of the decree to 1 September 1957. It is probable that the decree will be either postponed indefinitely or abrogated.

45 The minority consisted mainly of Socialists (including Moch, Mollet, and Daniel Mayer) and Popular Republicans (Abelin, Pflimlin, Robert Schuman, Maurice Schumann, etc.), along with a few Radicals and Independents. Curiously, Mendès-France joined the Communists and Liautey in voting against the Lipkowski amendment, while Edgar Faure voted in favor. Cf. J. O., Assemblée Nationale, 8 November 1955, p. 5513Google Scholar.

46 These are essentially the recommendations of Malignac and Colin, L'alcoolisme, op. cit., pp. 108–122.

47 See the statement by Fernand Bieuville, president of the CGB, in Le Betteravier Français (August–September 1956), p. 1Google Scholar. It is never satisfactorily explained by alcohol publicists why the Communist party receives such a large percentage of the votes of the supposedly sober peasantry.

48 Bitter criticism of the attitude of the civil service is expressed by Closier, Jean, “La bataille de l'alcool,” Alcools el Dérivés (June 1953), pp. 4–5Google Scholar; and by Senator Bataille, president of a distillery syndicate, ibid. (May 1954), p. 20.

49 As Georges Lavau has observed: “L'èmiettement de nos forces politiques permet aux groupes d'intérêts de jouer sur un clavier extrêmement étendu et de profiter de la concurrence très vive entre les divers partis.” “Note sur un ‘Pressure Group’ français,” Revue Française de Science politique (April-June 1955), p. 371Google Scholar.

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