The Leading Role of the Russian Orthodox Church in the Anti-alcohol Struggle of the Early Twentieth Century in Russia
 (on the Example of the Penza Diocese)

Abstract

The article is devoted to the role and significance of the Russian Orthodox Church in the struggle with the excessive consumption of alcohol in Russia together with the state and society at the beginning of the twentieth century. The time period is determined by the action of the treasury wine monopoly. Some special attention is paid to the anti-alcohol activities of the Penza Diocese; we draw your attention to the objective difficulties which were faced by the church in countering alcohol consumption because of the agrarian nature of the territory covered by the diocese’s jurisdiction. The effectiveness of the anti-alcohol struggle of the church and the state is analyzed. As part of it, the work of the Civil Guardianships on People's Sobriety is
 considered, their low effectiveness in the framework of the anti-alcohol struggle, which manifested itself in an increase of the treasury costs and at the same time an increase in per capita alcohol consumption. The work of parish societies, their successes and achievements are compared with them. The article also refects on the meaning of drinking alcohol spirits not only in peasant life and traditions, but also their role in the everyday life of clergymen. Particular attention is paid to the work of parish societies during the years of the so-called Alcohol Prohibition, when the civil struggle for sobriety was minimized. Some parallels are drawn with the current stage of the anti-alcohol struggle in order to take into account the mistakes and successes of the past in the present.