Part 6/10:
Leo Tolstoy famously stated that it is a sin to produce and sell alcohol, and as the 20th century approached, Russian liberals sought to combat the rampant alcoholism that plagued the nation. Their attempts faced direct opposition from the Tsar, who understood that a sober populace posed a direct threat to his power. Alcohol kept the citizens apathetic, impotent in their struggles, effectively securing the regime’s stability.