The role of the magazine “Crocodile” in the anti-alcohol campaign of 1985-1987

   Since the Bolsheviks seized power until the collapse of the USSR, five anti-alcohol campaigns were conducted: in 1918-1925, in 1929, in 1958, in 1972 and in 1985-1987. The last campaign had a number of positive and negative aspects. On the one hand, in this short period of time, according to official statistics, there has been a decrease in the level of alcoholism among the population and, consequently, in the level of mortality. The birth rate, on the contrary, increased. On the other hand, the use of alcohol surrogates, which are even more harmful to health than state-standard alcoholic beverages, has not disappeared. Moonshine, which was prohibited by law in the Soviet Union, developed. In addition, the decline in alcohol production has adversely affected the State economy. The mass media took an active part in the fight against drunkenness. They presented it as an asocial phenomenon standing in the way of communism and promoted a healthy lifestyle. It was then that the slogans “Sobriety is the norm of life” and “Fight Drunkenness” appeared. This article reveals how often the problem of drunkenness was raised and how it was presented in the literary and artistic illustrated satirical magazine “Crocodile” before and during the anti-alcohol campaign of 1985-1987. The article also considers the following documents: the resolution of the CPSU Central Committee “On measures to overcome drunkenness and alcoholism”, the resolution of the USSR Council of Ministers “On measures to overcome drunkenness and alcoholism, the eradication of moonshining” and the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR “On strengthening the fight against drunkenness and alcoholism, the eradication of moonshining”.

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