The Modern Alcoholism Movement

During the post-war period, there were influential “intellectual changes and cultural shifts regarding drinking,” making attitudes towards drinking more favorable. In the ten years between 1940 to 1950, the growing attitude of academic and professional health groups towards the consumption of alcohol was that alcohol problems were less of a social control issue and defined them to be focused on “alcoholism and [alcoholics].” As a result of this changing perception, the modern alcoholism movement began. According to this movement, drinking moderately was socially acceptable behavior and alcoholism was the true problem. The movement believed that “only a minority of the population was afflicted with the disease of alcoholism” which meant that