Main content

USSR Wages War on Alcohol

Sales of alcohol in the USSR were limited in 1985 to fight drunkenness. But the anti-alcohol campaign was scrapped three years later when the Soviet economy was in trouble.

Sales of alcohol in the USSR were severely limited in 1985 in a bid to fight drunkenness. But the anti-alcohol campaign was abandoned three years later when the Soviet economy was in trouble, and the government need more taxes. Dina Newman discussed the reasons for the campaign's failure with the former advisor to the Central Committee of the Communist Party, Alexander Tsipko.

Photo: A Soviet anti-alcohol poster; Credit: Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images.

Available now

9 minutes

Last on

Wed 22 Aug 2018 07:50GMT
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service except News Internet

More episodes

Previous

Prague Spring

Next

Baba of Karo

See all episodes from Witness History

Broadcast

  • Wed 22 Aug 2018 07:50GMT
    Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service except News Internet

Podcast