Council of Ministers Decree on Relaxing Alcohol Sale Restrictions (October 1988)
「주류 판매 제한 완화에 관한 각료회의 결정」(1988년 10월)
A decree adopted by the USSR Council of Ministers following the CPSU Central Committee resolution of October 12, 1988. It effectively terminated the Gorbachev anti-alcohol campaign that had been in force since May 1985, acknowledging that excessive production cuts and sales restrictions had caused budget deficits, long queues, a moonshine boom, and sugar shortages, and directing a substantial increase in alcohol output to eliminate queues. Championed by Council of Ministers Chairman Nikolai Ryzhkov, it was the operational follow-through to the Central Committee resolution that condemned the campaign's 'administrative excesses.'
Sources
- kommersant.ru confirms 12 October 1988 CC resolution and Ryzhkov's role: budget deficit of 10 billion rubles, 9 billion from vodka; the resolution 'фактически прекратившее антиалкогольную кампанию'
- Wikipedia (RU) provides full context of the 1985–1990 campaign, including the Council of Ministers decree № 410 of May 1985 as starting point
- Wikipedia (EN) English-language overview: 'In October 1988, under public pressure, the anti-alcohol campaign was effectively discontinued'
- pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov NBER/NIH paper: 'The Soviet Central Committee officially ended the anti-alcohol campaign in October 1988'
- ed-glezin.livejournal.com reproduces the full text of the October 12, 1988 CC resolution, confirming its criticisms of 'запретительные, волевые методы, перехлёсты' and its directive to restore production
- st-hum.ru academic article noting the CC resolution 'по сути дела положившая конец антиалкогольной кампании'