The vintners on the Missouri: political process and social control during the campaign against prohibition

Abstract

[ACCESS RESTRICTED TO THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI AT AUTHOR'S REQUEST.] Previous research on the prohibition movement have focused on the activities of groups such as the WCTU, ASL and others sharing rural Protestant ideals on cultural norms and lifestyle practices. This perspective advocates that prohibition was a symbolic legislation reflecting the dominant status of those supporting the law. In this sense, prohibition was not focused on instrumental aspects of social control. However, little research has focused on the social groups that prohibition targeted, namely Catholic immigrants. For this study I conduct a textual analysis of the major English newspaper of Hermann, Missouri, a community of German descendants that was largely Catholic at the turn of the 20th century as well as a world leader in the production of wines. Through my analysis I conclude that prohibition was more than a reflection of societal norms by showing the instrumental aspects prohibition had for German Americans in general and Hermann more specifically.