How and why in Russia at different times the "dry law" was introduced and canceled

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Addiction to alcohol, which is considered almost a national Russian tradition, did not appear overnight. If sobriety movements began to appear with the development of civil society at the beginning of the 20th century, then the problem appeared many times earlier. In Russia and the USSR, drunkenness was fought permanently, but with varying degrees of effort. When and why were "dry laws" introduced and canceled in the USSR and Russia?

Alcohol in Tsarist Russia

Taverns and taverns, as a breeding ground for alcoholism and tempters for drinking, existed in Tsarist Russia, however, in the latter, there were popular anti-alcohol riots. The phenomenon is very specific and has no historical analogues. Thus, the intelligentsia called on state officials to fight against drunkenness at a high level, it was about the closure of the aforementioned institutions. Similar riots were picked up and took place in 32 provinces.

Alexander III was forced to take measures, the sale of vodka was limited, three years of sobriety - which was followed by the abolition of serfdom, most colorfully demonstrate the productivity of such measures at the country level. And this is despite the fact that no one has ever succeeded in limiting alcohol consumption everywhere, given that any housewife knew how to make homemade wine, and men drove moonshine, almost in every village.

Later, Dostoevsky and Tolstoy joined in the anti-alcohol policy, and in 1914 a dry law was adopted. This was the first experience of a complete ban on spirits, despite the restrictive measures that were repeatedly taken in the past, in Russia there was still no experience of imposing sanctions on any alcohol. Still, 40% of the budget revenues that alcohol brings are a sufficient argument in its favor.

But Emperor Nicholas in 1914 makes a tough decision and begins the fight against drunkenness with categorical methods. At first, the sale of vodka and any alcoholic beverages was banned due to military mobilization, and then extended for the duration of hostilities.

Emperor Nicholas, being a man of progressive views and dry law, made him flexible enough and taking into account some nuances. So, vodka and other strong drinks could be bottled in restaurants, but at the same time, city councils, zemstvos could additionally restrict the sale in their territory and in establishments. Beer was not banned, but it became many times more expensive, because the cost of excise taxes increased, wine was on sale where there was no military action.

Such measures can be called a compromise between the desire of the intelligentsia and the need to replenish the treasury. At that time, excise taxes on alcohol brought in more than a billion rubles, which was almost half of the budget. But even before the start of the war, the anti-alcohol movement was again launched, the opposition accused the country's leadership of inaction and a desire to profit from the health and lives of its citizens.

If we compare the indicators of alcohol consumption per capita, then 1913 was indeed marked by a noticeable increase. But this is when compared with previous years, since the level of 7 liters per capita does not compare with the current 15, 7 liters. That is, in decaying and uneducated tsarist Russia, alcohol consumption was more than two times lower than in modern Russia. But now no one starts anti-alcohol movements and does not repair riots in this regard. However, even at that time, the intelligentsia made a fuss in the press not at all out of concern for people, but in order to remove the finance minister from his post. It was Kokovtsov who advocated the preservation of excise taxes, while his direct rival and opponent, Bark, was of the opinion that it was necessary to introduce a direct tax and abolish excise taxes. In the end, these undercover intrigues led to the resignation of Kokovtsov.

The ban on the sale of alcohol led to a quite natural increase in home brewing, a real boom occurred around the middle of the First World War and lasted until the second decade. And this is despite the fact that the dry law was canceled almost immediately after the war.

The fight against alcohol in a Bolshevik way

After the revolution, the provisional government reintroduces the dry law on approximately the same principle by which it operated under the emperor. The fears were justified, during the turmoil and revolutions, losing control over the masses was as easy as shelling pears, besides, during the war, a fairly large amount of alcohol accumulated, the warehouses with which could be seized.

It was this that soon began, and everything was so serious that a special state body was created that was supposed to fight this phenomenon. However, there was another more pragmatic reason for banning alcohol. The market, which existed until now, was completely destroyed by the revolution, so hunger was brewing, and there was no grain for the production of vodka. In addition, private trade had already been banned, and the creation of a state form of production of strong alcohol was too expensive.

It was the desire to replenish the treasury that became the reason for the abolition of Prohibition, but it was not completely canceled (in 1923), but only for alcoholic beverages, with a strength of up to 30 degrees. Under this new rule, a new vodka with the corresponding strength was even released. It was named in honor of the chairman of the people's commissars Alexei Rykov, and was popularly dubbed the "rykovka". Later, when the state was able to establish a monopoly sale, vodka with a strength of 40 degrees appeared.

The second Soviet attempt to "tie" in 1929

Attempts in the country to win or at least curb the addiction to alcohol are similar to the throwing of an addict who, having gone through the day before, suddenly decides to "quit". By 1929, it was decided to intensively develop industry in the country and, so that nothing would distract the Soviet worker from shock work, a dry law was introduced. This was presented as the desire of the masses themselves.

The pubs were closed, in some places they were converted into teahouses, alcohol was no longer sold on certain days, for example, on holidays. It was also impossible to open new establishments in which alcohol-containing products would be sold. On the ground, measures were developed that were supposed to lead to a general rejection of alcohol. Active propaganda work, posters, press work, lectures in labor collectives about the negative impact of alcohol were carried out - all this was widely used and gradually bore fruit.

However, literally the next year, when the losses from the sober population were calculated, the government decided to increase the production of vodka, and quit the campaign. Moreover, the world had begun an arms race, and it was not at all with hands to participate in it with a half-empty budget. So again the Soviet people went to the "denouement".

The recently started industrialization took away all the money, while the countries of Europe went this way without revolutions and other upheavals, relatively calmly and successfully. The Red Army, in spite of the fact that it appeared quite recently, already demanded a transfer to more modern weapons. Moreover, investments were required in this area in terms of further developments and scientific research. The young state simply could not find other sources of income, while alcohol guaranteed a sufficiently large and constant profit.

Nevertheless, some nuances have appeared, the culture of drinking alcohol has become more widely promoted, the range of wine and vodka products has expanded, especially not strong alcohol.

Not very successful attempt in 1958

During this period, the government made an attempt to restrict the sale of alcohol, although this can in no way be called a dry law or even an anti-alcohol company. It was about the prohibition of the sale of alcohol in catering establishments, except for restaurants. Cafes at train stations, airports and railway stations were banned.

They banned the sale of alcohol near schools, kindergartens, industrial enterprises and other facilities. During mass festivities, a ban on the sale of alcohol was often introduced.

During this period, the party's re-education of drunkards begins, a colleague who often takes a drink on a bottle could well be shamed at a comradely trial, and if he does not change his mind, then completely expel him from the party or fire him from the factory.

1972: they began to drink from the good life

By this time, certain indicators had already been achieved, people became freer, they had stable jobs, more opportunities for rest and relaxation, and more finances. Along with this, interest in alcohol has grown. This was already noticeable at the state level, in 1967 even LTP were created - medical and labor dispensaries, where alcoholics were sent for "treatment" and re-education, who, with their behavior, did not give rest to relatives and friends.

In such an institution of a closed type, a person was for a year or two, they were sent there forcibly, after a corresponding appeal from the district police officer and observing some bureaucratic subtleties. The motto of this campaign was: "Drunkenness - fight!"

These institutions were of a closed type, but those who received treatment there were not considered prisoners and subsequently had no "spots" in their biographies. They were involved in useful work, and at that time this method was perceived as fundamentally new and very modern. “Shelters for the intoxicated” appeared in Russia back in 1902, and in Tula, it was there that they came up with the idea of getting out of alcoholic intoxication at the expense of the budget, considering that it was easier and cheaper than letting such a citizen go on free bread. After all, he either himself will become the object of a crime, or he will commit it himself.

In Leningrad, a similar institution appeared 30 years later, ten years later they ceased to belong to the health care system, they were transferred to the Ministry of Internal Affairs. It was in this format that they operated for quite a long time.

In addition, without introducing a ban, the state in every possible way led the promotion of a sober lifestyle, labor collectives were often busy on weekends, sports grounds were built. The number of shops where one could buy alcohol decreased, and there were territorial restrictions on sales near hospitals, schools, and train stations. Vodka was only available from 11 am to 7 pm. The production of vodka with a strength of more than 40 degrees was stopped.

The most famous Prohibition of 1985

The largest sobriety campaign in the country's history, initiated by Mikhail Gorbachev. Although attempts to limit alcohol consumption in the country have been made repeatedly, the task was approached in different ways with enthusiasm and without, with cruel measures and propaganda, but alcohol consumption only grew. For example, by 1984 this figure exceeded 10 liters. And this is only based on the official levels of alcohol sales, and home brewing flourished in the country.

Drunkenness was declared the main reason for the slow development of the economy, because with the consumption of about 90 bottles of vodka a year, it is difficult to generate ideas and even more so, to bring them to life. In addition, they saw this as the reason for the low level of labor and the decline in moral values.

The idea was simple - to complicate the purchase of alcohol, the simplest thing would be to raise the price of excise taxes, but it was decided to go the other way. The production of alcoholic beverages was reduced, moreover, they could only be sold in specialized stores. The latter worked only from 14 to 19 hours. Most were at their workplaces at that time, so purchasing alcohol began to resemble a quest.

Rightly judging that with the official restriction on the sale of alcohol, sales of moonshiners will immediately increase, the state began a strict fight against them. Moonshine began to be punished, and not only by an administrative offense, but also by a criminal one. The state purposefully reduced the flow of funds to the budget from this sphere and was ready for this.

In addition, the campaign was joined by public censure, which in the Soviet Union was always carried out with a bang. Someone was taken on bail, others, those who systematically drank, dishonored, shamed, summoned to comradely courts. Those who got drunk had problems at work, and party members could be excluded from it altogether.

The results were mixed. On the one hand, the death rate has decreased and the birth rate has increased, on the other hand, the number of poisonings with alcohol-containing substances has grown very much. And budget revenues have dropped significantly. The state subsidized essential products - bread, sugar, but if it was about a decrease in income, then the prices for these goods could also rise. The result was well known. The program, in its scale, was curtailed, but some points were preserved.

Certain measures to restrict the sale, and hence the consumption of alcohol, which have been actively used since Tsarist Russia, are still being applied. Their effectiveness is a moot point, but the fact remains, since the Gorbachev era, the state no longer made any notable attempts to introduce a dry law and force its population to live soberly. An attempt to solve the problem at the state level often led to a sad result, while in a single family, alcohol addiction often led to family breakdown, even among celebrities.