In the US, election day and drinking go together like gin and tonic. This year, American citizens had greater reason than ever to seek adult refreshment — not only is it the patriotic thing to do as it involves participating in a national tradition older than the nation itself, but … well, the outcome. "Treating the public to alcohol at elections was a colonial custom borrowed from England," psychopharmacologist Ronald K Siegel writes in his book, Intoxication: The Universal Drive for Mind-Alerting Substances. George Washington failed to respect this tradition in his 1755 run for colonial Virginia’s House of Burgesses. Voters rebuked his lack of hospitality. Refusing to make the same mistake twice, in 1758 Washington "gave away 144 gallons of rum, punch, wine, hard cider and beer; he received 307 votes, better than two voters per gallon." In the 1800s, the connection between the ballot and the bottle grew only stronger. The middle of that century witnessed an epidemic of "cooping", ...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.