In France, in the XIXth century, there Was a dramatic increase in the consumption of Wine and alcohol. The products that were consumed were often of atrocious quality, alduterated or tinted with various natural products or products of synthesis. Besides, within the framework of its public liberties policy, the triumphant Thirs Republic readily fostered the opening of drinking establishments (a law dated July 17th, 1880). In some working class districts, we can rexkon there was an average of nearly three bars for five blocks of flats. Born in the first half of the century and further developed in the wake of the French Commune, the hygienistic discourse held by phylanthropists and physicians tended to describe the working classes as sapped by the curse of alcoholism. Working class leaders and first generation socialists did not respond well to such moralizing considerations. Then, in the 1890s there was a change of tone. Alcoholism and the patronizing of drinking establishments were now regarded as obstacles to the revolutionary cause and a temperance movement of a unionist and socialistic nature was born. Working class alchololism, however, remains an unknown factor — no statistic allowing us properly to ascertain alcohol consumption among social classes.