I happened upon this cool bit of history while searching for some images the other day. It’s the Museum of Anti-Alcohol Posters, a collection of old Soviet propaganda posters on the evils of drinking. There are more then thirty of them here, with translations. What struck me most in looking through them is that they’re really not all that different from the propaganda used by neo-prohibitionists working today in the United States. It’s the same sort of sensationalist nonsense with little basis in facts. But it’s somewhat comforting to know that propaganda is propaganda, no matter where it came from, and they are sort of fun to see. Enjoy.
Translation: “Rich inner substance.”
Translation: “Profiteer is a worst enemy.”
Interesting Jay. Thought you might enjoy a few more alcohol related posters from the Soviet era (courtesy the oh-so-awesome “A Soviet Poster A Day”).
First, promoting Soviet ‘champagne’:
http://sovietposter.blogspot.com/2007/10/in-victory-you-deserve-champagne-in.html
Second, a pro-tobacco poster emblematic of the pro-smoking and -alcohol message that enabled the young communist government to fund itself:
http://sovietposter.blogspot.com/2007/08/you-dont-smoke-or-drink-oh-my-do-you.html
Finally, another prohibitionist poster:
http://sovietposter.blogspot.com/2007/07/socially-dangerous-year-unknown.html