Anti-Moonshine, Soviet Propaganda

This 1974 anti-samogon (Moonshine) poster, designed by K. Ivanov and published by Izdatelstvo Sovetskaya Rossiya, exemplifies the intersection of visual propaganda and legal authority characteristic of Brezhnev-era social campaigns. The composition deploys a diabolic figure, the moonshiner as tempter and social deviant, operating distillation apparatus while the commanding 'ВОН' (Out/Away) establishes the directive tone. The right panel reproduces text from the Presidium of the RSFSR Supreme Soviet's decree on strengthening the struggle against drunkenness and alcoholism, specifying graduated penalties: up to one year imprisonment or corrective labor for personal production, escalating to three to five years with property confiscation for commercial sale. This juridical specificity distinguishes Soviet social posters from their Western counterparts, embedding state authority directly within the visual field. The campaign against samogon served multiple state interests: protecting revenue from legal vodka sales, asserting control over rural populations who maintained traditional distillation practices, and addressing genuine public health concerns about unregulated alcohol. The poster's survival documents a policy tension that would culminate in Gorbachev's aggressive 1985 anti-alcohol campaign. Size: 17.0" x 12.75" Artist: K. Ivanov Condition: Very Good, Age-appropriate wear, fading and toning. General border wear. Please use the photo zoom feature to get a better understanding of overall condition. *Additional photos available upon request.