The success of a failure: Gorbachev's alcohol policy, 1985–88

Abstract

IN THE GREEK LEGEND, the stable where King Augeas of Elis kept his 3000 oxen had not been cleaned for 30 years. Hercules performed the task in one day by diverting two rivers through the stable. The pollution that the last leader of the Soviet Union tried to sweep out by leading glasnost' and perestroika into his society presented a much greater challenge. From the very outset Gorbachev's agenda included not only political and economic reform but also moral recovery: the pursuit of truth, the struggle against corruption, the restoration of human rights, and the search for sound lifestyles. Andropov started out in this direction with his pursuit of law and discipline, but Gorbachev followed suit with a more comprehensive programme for ethical reformation. For the leadership taking over in the mid 1980s, legality and social hygiene were essential political objectives. A significant plank in this platform was the quest for sobriety. In the early 1980s the growing consumption of alcohol was identified not only as a health hazard but also as a serious cause of economic inefficiency, and a broad programme was launched to modify the drinking habits of Soviet citizens. This offensive was particularly forceful during Gorbachev's first years in power, but on paper at least the new alcohol policy remained in force until 1988, when a more moderate line was adopted. The final years of the Soviet empire were marked by a cautious retreat from the radical stance of the mid-1980s.