Bulgakov about Vodka

'In my time', began the editor [...], 'when I worked on Vanya Sytin's Russian Word, people used to drink themselves into seeing elephants.' (Mikhail Bulgakov, The Fatal Eggs,1925, Chapter X)

Bulgakov is referring to Ivan Sytin (1851-1934), who became one of the greatest entrepreneurs Russia's when he started publishing books on a large scale, for the first time in Russia. This was extraordinary considering Russian population being predominantly illiterate and his own background, him coming from the class of unlettered peasants (90% of Russia's people that time). His printing plant as well as Moscow daily newspaper were called Russian Word.

"Vodka-the colourless innocence!"

Already back in 1984, Colin Thubron commented in his book Among the Russians-From the Baltic to the Caucasus on the famous Russian drink as follows: "Vodka-the colourless innocence! It's the curse and the liberation of Russia, a self-obliterating escape from tedium and emptiness, from interminable winter nights, and the still longer, darker nights of the soul." (68, Vintage, London) (Image: Amazon)

Russia and Vodka

Russia and vodka seem to belong together like hen and egg. Since the times of Peter the Great, Russians have been known to be heavy, but jolly drinkers. Tsar Peter the Great was said to have even encouraged his fellows and subjects to drink more than they could handle as to boost their resilience towards alcohol. Stupid, roar male affectation if you ask me.
Recently though, Russia's vodka consumption as well as population decline have been resounding throughout the lands again. After Gorbachev's unsuccessful attempt to restrict alcohol uptake in 1985, Medvedev has resumed the anti-alcohol campaign in order to stop the shrinking of the Russian population, alcohol is believed to contribute to. According to a report in The Lancet medical journal in June 2009, the average male life expectancy is just over 60. On top, alcohol-related diseases caused more than half of all deaths of Russians aged 15 to 54 in the 1990s. Everybody thinks Russian men just drink themselves to death.

He has urged the government to pass new laws to regulate the sale of alcopops, vodka and beer. Currently, Russians are said to consume about 18 litres (32 pints) of pure alcohol per capita per year, which is more than double the maximum, recommended by the World Health Organisation. What's more, Medvedev wants a minimum price for a bottle and strong government control over the production of any alcohol.

One big supporter stands to his side, the Russian Orthodox Church, whose deputy head Georgy Roshchin expressed willingness and determination to take part and implement the new strategies.