Kommersant-History No. 10: which misfortunes caused the greatest damage

Do you know what caused maximum damage to the country and its inhabitants?

Wars and epidemics naturally come to mind first. But the epidemic of the epidemic is different. At the end of the 19th century, a mass disease of scurvy appeared in several provinces of Russia, and in its most terrible form. In addition, the disease spread so quickly that some doctors began to doubt that scurvy was not an infectious disease. About what happened – text “You want to think about food for these cattle”.

Another disease did not cover huge masses of people, but disfigured its victims, and then killed precisely and inevitably. It was possible to stop its spread in the only way, which was very difficult to take root in Russia. All details are in the article “Infected with the Crimean disease”.

Someone else’s example can be contagious. So, 90 years ago, on October 19, 1933, Germany left the League of Nations. There is no doubt that Berlin followed Tokyo’s example, but these countries chose different reasons for leaving the predecessor organization of the UN. Which ones and why – in the publication “The principles of international law must be significantly changed”.

Excessive suspicion can sometimes be caught no worse than the worst infection. What happens as a result – in the selection “Unconditionally and immediately stop accepting Armenian immigrants”.

And adherence to traditions, like a chronic disease, sometimes prevents the development of the most profitable crafts and industries. There is an article about this “The shelling of nuts is done by charwoman’s teeth.” in our regular column “Forgotten Life”.

This issue of the monthly Kommersant-History is about these and other phenomena of our long and recent past that are harmful to the life of the country and people.

Evgeny Zhirnov, head of the historical and archival service of the Kommersant Publishing House

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Content

“You want to think about food for these cattle” / How protest charity appeared

“The principles of international law must be significantly changed” / How aggressive countries justified their actions

“But no measures are taken to eliminate them” / What does the sharp acceleration in the production of military equipment lead to?

“Infected with the Crimean disease” / How they fought an incurable disease

“Unconditionally and immediately stop accepting Armenian immigrants” / Why the reception of Armenian repatriates was prohibited

“The shelling of nuts is done by charwoman’s teeth.” / Why little could be squeezed out of pine nuts

All dates before February 1, 1918 are given in the old style.