Temperance societies in Eastern Siberia (1890-1911)

Modern Russia needs to change destructive alcoholic policy. The most ruinous damage is made to the population of the cold unbounded Siberia and the Far East. The objective of the article is to study the historical counteraction experience to withstand alcoholic threat. The task of the article is to summarize and present the data about spontaneous pubic organizations -temperance societies operating in 1910-1911 in East-Siberian general-governorship province. (Modern territory of the Republic of Buryatia, Sakha (Yakutia), Khakassia, Zabaikalsky and Krasnoyarsky territories and Irkutsk region). Brief review about the societies from 1890 to 1916 is also presented. The sources of information used are the reports of the secretaries of spiritual consistories (the Russian State Historical archive), regulations and reports of the societies, periodicals and reference book of 1911 by I.P. Mordvinov, an outstanding temperance movement personality. The set of sources is sorted under a special questionnaire-card. The obtained results are as following. By December 1910 - January 1911 there were 30 temperance societies in the region numbering 2000-2200 members. 29 societies (96.7%) belonged to the church, i.e. operated at orthodox cathedrals; some of them had regulations approved by archeries. One society (3.3%) was operating under regulations approved by civil authorities. The societies geography: 1) the biggest number of the societies - 27 (90%) - was located in the rural area and only 3 (10%) were in the towns; 2) in each province/region the societies were established in the most densely populated and economically developed areas, where the population were most capable to self-administration; 3) most of the societies 24 (80%) were operating in Zabaikalsky region. Apparently, the latter was due to the support of the young and energetic bishop Zabaikalsky Methodiy. The pioneers and leaders of the societies were orthodox priests, while the members were mostly peasants (in Zabaikalie they were also cossacks). Most of the societies registered the members or took sobriety seal for a defined period in the cathedral. Five societies conducted religious and moral anti-alcohol lectures, two organized discussions and sermons, two organizations participated in the campaign by the III State Duma to support the draft law on the anti-alcohol activity, one society organized sobriety lessons and another one distributed special literature. Askyzskoye society of Minusunsky uyezd had a Sunday grammar school for adults, paid interest-free loans and rendered charitable aid. The number of abstainers relative to all the population was not great, but the societies had an important role of cultural landmarks, facilitating people seeking physical and spiritual health and comfortable living. They presented valuable experience of local self-administration. Temperance movement facilitated healthy lifestyle and harmonization in the communities. This activity involved Russians, Evenks, Buryats, Khakasses and Yakuts

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