MCQs Flashcards
On Chapter 3 “Sexual Violence”, Men of Blood [tests on transitional attitudes of sexual violence in the 19th century]
Attitudes toward sexual violence shifted as alcohol abuse was linked to domestic violence and rape.
Legal rights for husbands to chastise wives declined, and courts began challenging justifications for male violence.
The temperance movement highlighted alcohol’s role in abuse, while media and public discourse pushed for greater protection of women, marking a move toward recognizing women’s rights and condemning patriarchal violence.
On Selected Memorials from Sun Jiagan and Fang Bao on alcohol prohibition, 1730s [tests on Fang Bao’s advocates and rationales for launching the liquor ban in Qing China]
Resource Waste: Excessive grain used for alcohol hindered population needs.
Economic Control: Alcohol monopolies weakened central authority.
Moral Duty: Heavy drinking clashed with the emperor’s role as a benevolent ruler.
Grain Misuse: Billions of pounds of grain diverted from essential needs.
On Jessica Warner, Craze: Gin and Debauchery in an Age of Reason [tests on the promotion of the Gin Act and the socioeconomic conditions of the British society in the 18th century]
The Gin Act aimed to raise funds for wars, not promote sobriety.
Gin was popular among the poor, providing escape from poverty, but caused binge drinking and social divides.
Licensing laws targeted informal sellers but failed to reduce consumption initially.
Decline in gin use was likely due to rising grain prices and population growth post-1750s.
Policies reflected economic interests of landowners and class tensions in society.
On Chapter 6, Alcohol in Latin America: A Social and Cultural History [tests on general transformation of alcohol abuse in the discursive formation of the Guatemalan state
19th Century: Drunkenness seen as a barrier to modernization, tied to violence and laziness, and used to stereotype indigenous people.
Cultural Significance: Alcohol held ceremonial and cultural importance in Mayan traditions.
State Regulation: Excessive drinking linked to criminality, reinforcing racial and social control.
Gender Propriety: Early 20th-century laws targeted women’s drinking as disruptive to social order.
On “Drunkenness and Disorder in the Imperial Russian Army” [tests on Alison Smith’s argument on alcohol abuse and alcohol prohibition in relation to the decline of the Russian empire]
Drunkenness in Russia: Tolerated but caused disorder, particularly in the army, exacerbating civilian-military tensions and societal grievances.
State Role of Vodka: A critical revenue source (25–40% of taxes), supporting governance and military funding while preventing uprisings.
Prohibition in 1914: Tsar Nicholas II’s vodka ban backfired, causing revenue loss, public unrest, illicit trade, and fueling revolutionary sentiment against the regime.
On Roel Sterckx, “Alcohol and Historiography in Early China” [tests specifically on how legends of overdrinking among ancient kings shaped Han dynasty state-building process, noting particularly the era of Wang Mang]
Historical Lesson: Legends of overdrinking by ancient kings symbolized moral and political decline.
Ritual Significance: Alcohol was vital in rituals but excessive use reflected societal decay.
Wang Mang’s Policy: Proposed an alcohol monopoly to enforce moral order and economic control.
Moral Authority: Moderation in alcohol use became a symbol of effective governance and legitimacy.
On An Unholy Brew [tests on the ways in which alcohol abuse was considered by Indian philosophers during the post-Vedic era]
Moral Issue: Drunkenness opposed dharma and moral duty.
Royal Moderation: Kings were urged to limit drinking to maintain stability.
Religious Prohibition: Brahmins faced strict bans, with severe penalties for drinking.
Ritual Use: Alcohol was both a vice and a key element in rituals and social practices.
On Luo Yuren’s critique of Emperor Wanli, 1590 [tests on Emperor Wanli’s response to Luo Yuren’s exceptional mockery on his habitual drinking]
Emperor Wanli reacted with anger to Luo Yuren’s memorial criticizing his drinking and other vices.
Initially considered severe punishment but was persuaded by ministers to avoid harsh measures.
The memorial was kept private to protect the emperor’s dignity.
Luo Yuren was dismissed from his position instead of facing public punishment.
Wanli defended his actions, downplaying the accusations and justifying his behavior.
The incident highlighted Wanli’s reluctance to accept criticism but his awareness of maintaining his reputation.
On The Drink Trade and the Temperance Movement [tests on the how temperance organizations condemned drinking and alcohol in the pamphlet]
Highlighting the social and moral decay caused by the drink trade, associating it with poverty, crime, and domestic violence.
Criticizing alcohol as a public health hazard and a threat to societal progress.
Portraying the drink trade as exploitative, preying on the working class and hindering their economic stability.
Advocating for complete abstinence as the only solution to combat alcohol’s destructive effects.
Framing temperance as a moral and civic duty essential for improving individual lives and society as a whole.
