Prohibition
Party Platforms, 1872-2020
The
1872-1960 and 1972 platforms are faithfully transcribed from the book,
"National Party Platforms," edited by Donald Bruce Johnson and
Kirk H. Porter, University of Iowa. The 1964, 1968, and 1976-92 platforms
are faithfully transcribed from editions published by the Prohibition
National Committee. The 1996 platform follows the privately printed Camel
Press edition, which is lightly edited from the National Committee version.
The 2000 platform is a faithful copy of the manuscript report of the Chairman
of the Platform Committee; it varies in detail from the edition produced
by the Prohibition National Committee. The 2004 platform is reproduced from the digital type used to print the Prohitition National Commitee-authorized document.
The
two dominant political groups in the United States today, the Democratic
Party
and the Republican Party (cynically referred to as the `Republicratic
Party'
by those of us who are third-party members), both have a liberal wing
and
a conservative wing. The Prohibition Party also has an internal division,
but
this is based on range of concerns rather than on policies: `narrow gauge'
Prohibitionists
restrict their interest to alcoholic beverages and, occasionally, a
few other `moral' issues, while `broad gauge' Prohibitionists are interested
in
the entire range of social and political concerns. Most Party platforms
have reflected
the broad gauge viewpoint; the 1896 and 1928 platforms are notable for
being narrow gauge.
The
Prohibition Party was founded in 1869 by Progressive reformers disillusioned by
the
fledgling Republican Party after it was captured by the Eastern Establishment.
Early Prohibitionists advocated many (at that time) radical ideas
which subsequently were embraced by the major parties, proposals such
as legal
racial equality, equal rights for women, direct election of senators,
arbitration
of industrial disputes, and the income tax, to name only a few. The prohibition
of alcohol, itself, was seen not so much as a moral issue as it was a
practical
reform: by reducing the consumption of alcoholic beverages, society could
also reduce the incidence of spouse and child abuse, of accidents, of
absenteeism
from work, of degenerative illnesses, of pauperism, and of other social
evils.
In
recent decades, the Party leadership has focussed almost exclusively on
morality,
distorting public understanding of the fundamental impact of drinking
and
other vices on American society and creating a public perception of the
Prohibition
Party as a gaggle of Evangelical Christians intent on imposing their own
religious values on everyone else. This has been very damaging to the
ability
of the Party to attract qualified candidates and to win elections.
The
Partisan Prohibition Historical Society hopes that, by presenting the
complete
series of Prohibition Party platforms, the public can be led to understand
that Prohibition is a movement for comprehensive social reform, not (merely)
a crusade
against alcoholic beverages.
"Preach
wherever you go, but only use words when absolutely necessary."
...... Francis of Assissi
Party Platforms:
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