Public Attitudes and the Norwegian Alcohol Monopoly

Abstract

This article presents data that describes the changing public attitudes towards the Norwegian alcohol monopoly during its whole existence starting from 1922. The description of the change in attitudes up to the first decades after World War II is solely based on results from local referendums, which were very common in Norway until 1989 when the right to claim such referendums was rescinded from the Alcohol Act. For the years from 1962 onwards survey data are also available, and the results in the article are mainly based on such data. It is shown that attitudes were quite favourable towards restrictive alcohol policy, and relatively stable, up to the early 1950s. From then on public attitudes towards alcohol policy measures have become gradually more liberal. Especially the attitudes towards the alcohol monopoly as a system have changed during the 1990s, and a growing majority seems at present to be in favour of privatising the sale of wine. It is argued that some of the change is a result of the new possibilities, and the more challenging argumentation, that was brought up during the EU debate in 1993–1994. So far there is no sign of a turning point in the liberal trend in popular attitudes.