1894-1914年俄国酒销售垄断政策目的与结果为何相悖(上)

The Reasons for the Contradiction Between the Purpose and the Result of the Russian Alcohol Monopoly Policy from 1894 to 1914

从古至今酗酒问题一直困扰着俄国。国家垄断酒销售既是政府增加财政收入的举措,也是治理民众酗酒问题的手段。1894—1914年俄国实施了酒销售垄断政策,初衷是增加国家岁入,同时引导民众文明饮酒和减少酗酒,然而,减少民众酒消费和增加国库收入存在根本矛盾,二者很难兼顾,因此面临取舍的难题。而在俄国政府看来,国库利益永远高于戒酒利益,当国家财政紧张时就更是如此。这是酗酒问题难以根除的客观原因,民众的饮酒方式和习俗则是主观原因,俄国各阶层民众都有饮酒习惯。围绕对酒垄断的原则与目的、酒销售垄断的财政结果、影响烈性酒消费收入增加的若干因素、酒销售垄断与酒消费、民众饮酒方式和习俗的探讨,可以理解酒垄断时期俄国政府的两难处境与未能缓解民众酗酒的原因。

The problem of alcoholism has plagued Russia since ancient times.The state monopoly on alcohol sales is not only a measure of the Russian government to increase fiscal revenues,but also a means to tackle the problem of people’s alcoholism.From 1894 to 1914,Russia implemented the alcohol sales monopoly policy.The original intention was to increase the country’s revenue,while at the same time guiding the people to drink in a civilized manner and reduce alcohol abuse.However,there is a fundamental contradiction between reducing people’s alcohol consumption and increasing national treasury income.It is difficult to balance the two,so they are faced with a difficult choice.In the view of the Russian government,the interests of the treasury are always higher than the interests of abstinence,especially when the state’s finances are tight.This is the objective reason why the problem of alcoholism is difficult to eradicate.People’s drinking methods and customs are the subjective reasons.People of all walks of life in Russia have drinking habits.By discussing the principles and objectives of the alcohol monopoly,the financial results of the alcohol sales monopoly,several factors that affect the increase in the consumption of spirits,the alcohol sales monopoly and alcohol consumption,and people’s drinking methods and customs,we can understand that the Russian government faces the dilemma and it was failed to alleviate people’s alcoholism.