Urlifestyle Magazine October 2016 August 2016 | Page 24

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darken, the need for a strong
French army could not have
been more apparent. However
stagnant birth rates for several years forced the nation to
examine its defense. In 1821
France enjoyed a population
of 30 million. Germany at the
same time had only 21 million. For France this was ideal.
However by 1871 France had
36 million while Germany
jumped to 41 million. There
seemed no better scapegoat
than absinthe.
The lack of growth was perceived as a failure of education
and subsequently, absinthe.
However trends in population growth in correlation to
education conclude the exact
(Above) A postcard from T. Bianco showcasing the horrors associated with absinthe.
opposite. Families tend to be
as Lamarckism. Lamarckists believed that
La Libre Parole (The True Word) during
smaller as education becomes
characteristics would be passed from parthe years of the Dreyfus Affair his publicamore abundant.
ent to offspring. In other words if a child
tions saw much success and helped spark a
Despite more opportunities for learnhas a degenerate parent they will become
wave of French nationalism. His publicaing, France had a difficult time raising
degenerates as well. Lamarckism has
tions slogans, one including, “France for
her army. Prospective soldiers were often
since been debunked due to understanding
the French” helped to strengthen France’s
below the minimum height requirement
of genetics role in personal development.
growing nationalism.
for enrollment. Standards were lowered
An increase in violent crime during the
Despite anti-Semitic attacks against
and once again absinthe took the blame.
early years of the 20th century seemed to
Green Fairy, the absinthe market did not
It must be noted that England once again
support the crusaders view that absinthe
lay blameless. Some distillers marketed
experienced similarities during the same
led to a degenerate society. However pobrands with slogans such as “Patriotism”
time. Poor nutrition and excessive labor in
litical discourse seems to have been a
and “Equality”. One brand from Montbeconjunction with substandard living conmuch larger contributor to the nation’s
liard even marketed an Abinthe Anti-Juive
ditions played more of a role than absinthe
woes.
(anti-Jewish).
itself.
Despite the growing nationalism and
Absinthe and Racism
anti-Semitism in France Capt. Dreyfus’
Degenerate Nation
Taking advantage of racial tensions
conviction would be overturned in 1896
By the 1880s cabarets geared towards
in Europe, the anti-Semitic and eugenic
only to be reconvicted in 1899 and fiwomen began to surface. This was much
wings of temperance movement achieved
nally fully exonerated in 1906. French
to the horror of the conservative right
some success. The most heated times of
anti-semitism would decline during World
wing. They viewed absinthe as a tool of
the absinthe debate coincided with the
War I due to the fact a large percentage
the left to ruin French morals. Ironically
years of the Dreyfus Affair.
of soldiers killed were of Jewish origin.
the radical left held the Green Fairy in the
In 1894 Captain Alfred Dreyfus, a
By 1924 La Libre Parole would close its
same regard. In their mind absinthe was a
young artillery officer was convicted of
doors.
“capitalist poison” to ensure the workers
giving military secrets to the German Imnever rise up.
perial Army. The exact same year PernodThe Beginning of the End
As women became more liberated it was
Fils was bought by Arhtur and Edmond
Initial plans to levy super taxes against
not uncommon for them to drink in pubic
Weil-Picard, who were half-Jewish themabsinthe failed as money generated from
and sometimes