Prohibition: A Problem Or A Solution?
By Kandathil Sebastian
05 September, 2014
Countercurrents.org
Cleanliness and prohibition are two issues which interest those who want to appropriate Gandhi’s legacy and hence these issues will continue to linger in the contemporary political discourse. Out of these two, cleanliness has already been taken over by both the incumbent and previous political regimes. I could anticipate an imminent competition to appropriate ‘prohibition’ too. Alcohol was produced and used in India since Neolithic period and since then there were differing positions on the wisdom of letting people to freely use alcohol. Over the years, many governments in independent India tried to appropriate the cause of ‘prohibiting alcohol’.
INDIAN EXPERIENCE IN PROHIBITING ALCOHOL
Thanks to campaigns by popular political leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, consumption of alcohol was considered as a major social evil at the time of Independence and hence the constitution of India (in Article 47 in the Directive Principles of State Policy) stated that "the state shall endeavor to bring about prohibition of the use except for medicinal purposes of intoxicating drinks and of drugs which are injurious to health".
There were sporadic attempts to prohibit use of alcohol. One-fourth of India's population was under some kind of prohibition by 1954. Prohibition led to huge loss of state revenues. The potential loss in state revenue due to loss of excise revenue from the sale of alcohol discouraged most state governments from enforcing long-term prohibition. Consequently, there were no serious efforts in most part of India to impose a total ban of alcohol due to its inherent potential of easy revenue generation
Attempts at prohibition have never been fully successful in India. Prohibition led to the creation of networks of smugglers and home brewers who encouraged people to drink even more than when alcohol was legal. In the absence of well-defined regulations, complete co-operation of the enforcing authorities, speedy disposal of cases, stringent action against offenders, and a fool-proof control system to prevent smuggling and the emergence of illicit liquor, prohibition has failed in many states.
Critics claim that prohibition led to nothing but an increase in organized crime, illicit distillation, deaths from spurious liquor, and widespread defiance of the law. Some sociologists believe that since alcohol was made illegal, people drank more to rebel against a system that sought to control their lives and choices. Currently prohibition is implemented only in Gujarat, Nagaland, and Manipur states while Kerala state is in the process of implementing a prohibition policy.
INDIAN RELIGIONS AND ALCOHOL
Some Hindu Tantric groups and Christians use alcohol in sacraments. For example, Aghori yogis use alcohol as an offering to the deity. They also take it individually during rituals. Christian priests drink wine during Mass and offer it to the believers. Ancient Indian Vedic texts (especially Ayurveda) discuss the benefits of herbal wines called ‘asavas’ and ‘arishtas’ in detail. These herbal wines were regarded as best medicines for weak digestion, poor blood circulation and mental stress. While Ayurveda recognizes the health benefits of alcohol, it insists that it should only be taken in moderation.
To Islam "intoxicants and games of chance" are "abominations of Satan's handiwork," intended to turn people away from God and forget about prayer, and therefore Muslims are instructed to avoid alcohol in any form, even in cooking. Thus Islam was very clear on not letting its followers use alcohol.
Hinduism in general lets its followers to apply discretion and moderation while consuming alcohol and mostly stayed off from prescribing absolute dos and don’ts about alcohol use, though holy books of Hinduism such as the Narada Purana, Bhagavata Purana and Skanda Purana forbid the consumption of alcohol. Bhagwat Geeta forbids use of things which impairs judgment and creates ‘tam bhava’. Even ancient Hindu law book Manu Smriti also considered use of alcohol as a crime.
WOMEN’S MOVEMENTS AGAINST ALCOHOL
In India there were many popular social movements and mobilization demanding prohibition. Notable among them was the nationwide agitations in the 1970s, when rural women protested against the sale of alcohol. Fed up by ‘torture’, ‘abuse’ and ‘beating’ by husbands, and resultant economic bankruptcy and poverty of many families, women went on a huge strike against alcohol and used “chilly powder, broomsticks, kerosene and match boxes as weapons" in this strike. Some women’s groups in Andhra Pradesh and Kerala adopted a militant stand and forcefully closed down some alcohol outlets.
ALCOHOL AS THE CAUSE OF VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
The position of some of the activists that alcohol is the cause of ‘torture’, ‘abuse’ and ‘beating’ of women by men needs to be further examined. Alcohol’s potential to affect the user's ability to perceive, integrate and process information is well accepted. The association between alcohol use by men and consequent increased risk of violence against women, especially against their intimate partners has also been accepted. Alcohol may increase the aggressive response of individuals with low levels of ‘neurotransmitter serotonin’. Alcohol can also increase the user's sense of personal power and domination over others. An increased sense of power and control can, in turn, make it more likely that a person under the influence of alcohol will attempt to exercise that power and control over another. Alcohol use interacts with personality, enhancing the risk of the perpetration of violence among men who are already predisposed to engaging in coercive behavior, including sexual aggression.
Therefore there is enough evidence of some association between violence against women and alcohol consumption by men. But it should not be seen as the root cause of violence against women. While an abuser's use of alcohol may have an effect on the severity of the abuse or the ease with which the abuser can justify his actions, an abuser does not become violent ‘because’ drinking causes him to lose control of his temper. One should also see a wife beater’s intent to gain control over their partner’s actions, thoughts and feelings.
The exercise of male violence, through which women's subordinate role and unequal power are enforced and maintained, is, in turn, tolerated and reinforced by our political and cultural institutions and economic arrangements. There is paucity of data that establishes a direct link showing alcohol use as a cause of men’s violent action. Above all, we ca not attribute the use of alcohol as the main reason behind violence and abdicate men’s personal responsibility for violent behavior towards women! Thus alcohol-wife beating relationship is a myth. This association is used as an excuse by perpetrators for becoming violent and allows them to justify their abusive behavior. Domestic violence and alcohol abuse should be understood and treated as independent problems.
SOCIAL COST OF ALCOHOL
There are many social scientists who argue that the social cost of alcohol far exceeds the economic benefits. Over the years, unrestricted and abusive consumption of alcohol has precipitated a huge social burden in terms of medical and psychological treatment and rehabilitation of the alcohol-addicts in various stages of dependency. Many women, too, had to undergo treatments for the trauma, guilt and low self-esteem created by the addicted men. Various incidents of accidents and crimes, especially violence against women in both home and in public places have been reported among alcohol users. Many emerging health problems such as liver Cirrhosis and cardiac related problems have a history of alcohol abuse. In states like Kerala the increasing number of children taking to drinking was also noted by the researchers.
CONCLUSION
From this discussion it is clear that alcohol consumption and the socio-political and religious issues pertaining to alcohol use are complicated, complex and sensitive. We can still draw a couple of inferences. Firstly, alcohol itself is not the reason for all the alleged social and economic consequences of its use. If we blame alcohol for all the actions its users commit, its logic is faulty as we blame a gun for a murder committed by its user. Secondly, alcohol users should be oriented and trained by community based organizations and local self-government on its moderate and restricted use. Finally, governments should withdraw from selling and promoting alcohol, but should let private players to do their alcohol business while state sets rules of alcohol trade, just like state regulates other hazardous objects like ‘gun powder’. Prescribing what to eat and drink, based on moral positions is perhaps the job of religions and state may not encroach into their domain.
(Kandathil Sebastian is a Public Health researcher, International Development Consultant and a Novelist)
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