1922 Swedish prohibition referendum

A non-binding referendum on prohibition of liquor was held in Sweden on 27 August 1922.[1] The proposal to prohibit the sale of alcohol failed, with 51% voting against the change on a turnout of 55.1%.[1] Voting patterns were sharply divided between men and women, with 59% of women voting for the proposal and 59% of men voting against.

1922 Swedish prohibition referendum
27 August 1922 (1922-08-27)
[_] For the introduction of a complete prohibition of alcoholic beverages

[_] Against the introduction of a complete prohibition of alcoholic beverages
Left: "Payday evening — vote yes!"; A poster of a drunk husband in front of his weeping wife and children, encouraging voters to vote for prohibition
Right: "Crayfish require these drinks — Vote no"; A famous poster by Albert Engström, encouraging voters to vote against prohibition
Results
Choice
 Votes  %
✔️ In favour 889,132 49.01%
❌ Against 925,097 50.99%
Valid votes 1,814,229 99.66%
Invalid or blank votes 6,223 0.34%
Total votes 1,820,452 100.00%
Registered voters/turnout 3,302,483 55.12%
Results by county
  Yes
  No

Campaign

There was plenty of campaigning from both sides, the best remembered poster being one designed by artist Albert Engström, with the famous quote Kräftor kräva dessa drycker ("crayfish require these drinks").

Both proponents and opponents of the prohibition used similar arguments based around the breakdown of family life and Swedish society.[2]

Result
Choice Votes %
For889,13249.0
Against925,09751.0
Invalid/blank votes6,223–
Total1,820,452100
Registered voters/turnout3,302,48355.1
Source: Nationalencyklopedin[3]

By county
County Total population Male Female
For Against For Against For Against
Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes % Votes %
Stockholm Municipality 21,928 13.5 141,034 86.5 7,680 10.0 69,503 90.0 14,248 16.6 71,531 83.4
Stockholm County 24,626 33.1 49,854 66.9 10,732 26.2 30,272 73.8 13,894 41.5 19,582 58.5
Uppsala County 21,834 49.0 22,749 51.0 9,719 40.7 14,179 59.3 12,115 58.6 8,570 41.4
Södermanland County 28,255 48.1 30,488 51.9 12,386 37.5 20,646 62.5 15,869 61.7 9,842 38.3
Östergötland County 50,686 56.3 39,422 43.7 22,418 45.7 26,598 54.3 28,268 68.8 12,824 31.2
Jönköping County 68,757 81.5 15,591 18.5 31,749 73.4 11,505 26.6 37,008 90.1 4,086 9.9
Kronoberg County 20,671 47.1 23,249 52.9 9,985 39.2 15,497 60.8 10,686 58.0 7,752 42.0
Kalmar County 24,590 41.9 34,059 58.1 11,389 33.5 22,624 66.5 13,201 53.6 11,435 46.4
Gotland County 6,875 37.3 11,550 62.7 3,010 28.4 7,573 71.6 3,865 49.3 3,977 50.7
Blekinge County 13,358 40.3 19,781 59.7 6,086 31.6 13,162 68.4 7,272 52.4 6,619 47.6
Kristianstad County 27,205 44.7 33,605 55.3 12,393 35.3 22,718 64.7 14,812 57.6 10,887 42.4
Malmöhus County 29,470 19.4 122,295 80.6 11,618 13.9 72,046 86.1 17,852 26.2 50,249 73.8
Halland County 10,872 25.1 32,501 74.9 4,692 19.4 19,503 80.6 6,180 32.2 12,998 67.8
Gothenburg and Bohus County 34,931 27.1 93,777 72.9 14,600 21.4 53,580 78.6 20,331 33.6 40,197 66.4
Älvsborg County 46,439 48.7 48,998 51.3 19,961 38.4 32,004 61.6 26,478 60.9 16,994 39.1
Skaraborg County 41,362 55.1 33,719 44.9 18,782 44.5 23,458 55.5 22,580 68.8 10,261 31.2
Värmland County 57,430 66.4 29,120 33.6 26,056 55.1 21,223 44.9 31,374 79.9 7,897 20.1
Örebro County 44,538 63.5 25,571 36.5 19,852 52.3 18,111 47.7 24,686 76.8 7,460 23.2
Västmanland County 30,831 58.8 21,631 41.2 13,782 47.8 15,077 52.2 17,049 72.2 6,554 27.8
Kopparberg County 60,587 70.3 25,538 29.7 27,424 59.6 18,568 40.4 33,163 82.6 6,970 17.4
Gävleborg County 58,434 70.5 24,438 29.5 26,233 59.2 18,088 40.8 32,201 83.5 6,350 16.5
Västernorrland County 58,597 78.4 16,159 21.6 28,654 70.8 11,803 29.2 29,943 87.3 4,356 12.7
Jämtland County 29,485 72.6 11,135 27.4 14,481 63.9 8,194 36.1 15,004 83.6 2,941 16.4
Västerbotten County 43,302 81.4 9,883 18.6 21,717 74.5 7,430 25.5 21,585 89.8 2,453 10.2
Norrbotten County 34,053 79.4 8,827 20.6 16,570 71.6 6,585 28.4 17,483 88.6 2,242 11.4
Total 889,116 49.0 924,974 51.0 401,969 40.9 579,947 59.1 487,147 58.5 345,027 41.5
Source: Förbudsomröstningens slutresultat[4]

See also

References
  1. "Folkomröstningar 1922-2003" (in Swedish). Statistics Sweden. 21 December 2007. Archived from the original on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 22 May 2011.
  2. O’Hagan, Lauren Alex (2022). ""Alcohol is humanity's enemy!" Propaganda posters and the 1922 Swedish prohibition referendum". Scandinavian Journal of History: 1–27. doi:10.1080/03468755.2022.2123037. ISSN 0346-8755. S2CID 252301631.
  3. "Folkomröstning: Tabell: Folkomröstningar i Sverige". Nationalencyklopedin (in Swedish). Retrieved 22 May 2011. (subscription required)
  4. "Folkirorelse" (PDF). Nya Folkets röst.
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