One prediction of Fedor Dostoevsky. A role of Sergey Rachinsky in a temperance movement in the late 19th century

Annotation

Fyodor Dostoevsky explores the topic of drunkenness in many of his works. In 1873, he wrote in the 'Diary of a Writer' about the scourge of widespread drunkenness among the People. 'Even the least significant village schoolteacher could undertake the whole initiative to liberate the people from the barbaric passion for drink,' Dostoevsky wrote, 'if only he so desired.' In 1882, one year after Dostoevsky's death, the village schoolteacher Sergey Rachinsky founded The Tatevo Temperance Society. Sergey Rachinsky was a professor at Moscow University, an educator, and the founder of the school in Tatevo, Tver Oblast. He was also the founder of 20 schools near Tatevo. He was a close friend and interlocutor of Konstantin Pobedonostsev, who served as the Chief Procurator of the Holy Synod. Pobedonostsev wrote to Emperor Alexander II about The Tatevo Temperance Society. However, an expansion of this local initiative only began after 6 years, in 1888. In that year, an unusual incident occurred in Tatevo, witnessed by many local peasants who began to join the temperance society. This inspiring event motivated Rachinsky to seek support from Pobedonostsev. Subsequently, the Holy Synod endorsed the initiative, leading to the emergence of new temperance societies across the Russian Empire.

Keywords

Sergey Rachinsky, Fedor Dostoevsky, Konstantin Pobedonostsev, temperance movement, soberity societies, school in Tatevo

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