“Tell Me What You Drink, and I Will 'Tell You Who You Are': How the Interrelation between Social Class and Type of Alcohol Consumed in Russia has Changed

Abstract

This research develops a periodization of the alcohol history of modern Russia based on the prevalence of types of alcohol consumed and their relationship with social class. Based on data from the Russian Monitoring of Economic Situations and Public Health by HSE University from 1994 to 2021, seven types of alcohol were identified using cluster analysis. The strength of the relationship between social class and these types are unstable: in the 1990s, it was relatively consistent, in the 2000s it became volatile, and from the 2010s onwards, it gradually weakened. The study period is divided into four periods: the first (1994–2001) is characterized by the destruction of the Soviet consumption model; the second (2002–2011) is distinguished by an established Central-European model with a dominance in the consumption structure of vodka and beer; the third (2012–2019) and fourth (2020–2021) periods show the emergence of elements of postmodern society in Russian consumer practices when choosing alcoholic beverages. Using regression analysis and the affinity index, it was determined that during these periods, different types of drinks dominated and they were preferred by different social classes.