The Role of the Rural Community in the Fighting Against Drunkenness on the Right-bank Ukraine in the Second half of the 19th – early 20th century

The article analyzes the role of the community in the fighting against drunkenness, which was common among the rural population in the second half of the 19th – early 20th century (on the example of Kyiv, Podillia and Volyn provinces). Ways to solve this problem, which were implemented by the joint efforts of the rural community and with the active participation of clergy, as well as methods of direct public influence on people who abused alcohol and possible punishments for immoral behavior. An important source for our study are the notes of priests, ethnographic material, official documents (instructions, protocols, reports of organizations dealing with social issues), published on the pages of the «Diocesan Information» of the above provinces. The problem of the spread of drunkenness among Ukrainian peasants in the second half of the XIX – early XX century became relevant after the abolition of serfdom, in particular due to the increase in the number of drinking establishments in the villages of that time. Excessive alcohol consumption was condemned by popular morality. Drunkenness was not only a family problem, but also a public one. It was a tradition to take care of the drunken host’s family. He was despised, and such a negative attitude on the part of the community, in some cases, forced him to return to normal. One of the measures taken by the priests to combat drunkenness was the so-called «marriage of sobriety». Parish guardians were actively involved in the fighting against alcoholism. They established rules for peasants to visit taverns, and also regulated and banned the sale of alcoholic beverages. Conclusions are made regarding the social and educational functions of the rural community in the struggle for the morality of the population. The methods of their direct influence were persuasion, encouragement by example, mentoring, or public condemnation and punishment. Conscious representatives of the clergy made great efforts to combat drunkenness. At the initiative of the village priest, the community made collective decisions to close local drinking establishments. Their desire to reduce alcohol abuse was realized through the organization of sobriety societies, which allowed them to unite public efforts to overcome this bad habit. In addition, the societies were engaged in the development of cultural, educational and artistic spheres.