The Changing Image of the State: The Case of Alcohol Regulations in British Columbia

Changing conceptions of the state are revealed through an examination of the content and outcomes of social debates regarding alcohol regulations in British Columbia between 1871 and 1925. These regulations reflect the transformation of the province from a community supporting minimum state power, to one advocating considerable state intervention into private behaviour. The regulations were found to be targeted at marginal groups that were identified as endangering community well-being. The boundaries of the margins were expanded as the demographic, economic, and social fabric of British Columbia changed