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One of the most common myths that is intensely cultivated in the West, this is an all-round drunkenness, which distributed among the Russian people because of its supposedly natural propensity to vodka intoxication. However, even statistics of today shows that in Russia drink alcohol drinks are quite moderate, at least much less than in many countries of Western Europe.
By the way, since ancient times, low-alcohol drinks have been drunk in Russia, such like kvass and mead, which were more beneficial to a person than harm. And only Peter the Great began to introduce in Russia following the example Western “civilized” countries pure alcohol – vodka, which it was very difficult to take root here at first.
A photo from open sources
Did you know that in the 19th century, when the Russian government empire in every way began to encourage drunkenness, which gave huge the receipt of money in the state treasury, then the country even peasant riot swept during which Russian people massively began to boycott and even smash drinking institutions? Despite the brutal measures on the part of the government (only 11 thousand people were sent to hard labor), this did not give no result, moreover, soon they began to appear numerous sobriety societies, and the attack on the “green serpent” went on all fronts, as the press got involved, public and religious figures. And the government was forced introduce instead of a wine buy-out system in the liquor trade, which practically forced the population to drink vodka, excise taxes on alcohol beverages.
A photo from open sources
By the way, the fight against alcoholism in the Russian Empire was conducted and with the introduction of excise taxes, and only the First World War, during which “dry law” was established in the country, put in this matter bold point.
No wonder that the Russians themselves belong to the myth of the polls drunkenness in Russia with irony, with a grin saying that the Russian people just knows how to drink, unlike many other nations, but because never loses his head even being heavily drunk. In all times it struck someone, but someone envied. Not these do envious people compose tales of Russian alcohol addiction and their total drunkenness? ..
Russia
