“You cannot remain deaf to the groans of the motherland” – Culture – Kommersant

In early February, First Deputy Prime Minister Andrey Belousov informed about discussing with business the idea of ​​a voluntary one-time payment to the budget from excess profits. This week, the head of the Russian Union of Industrialists and Entrepreneurs Alexander Shokhin declaredthat such payment has already been agreed upon as mandatory.

“General meeting asks you voluntarily, in order to work discipline, to give up the dining room. No one has canteens in Moscow…” (From the story of Mikhail Bulgakov “Heart of a Dog”, 1925)

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“What is this contribution? asked Winston and mechanically reached into his pocket for his purse. About a quarter of the salary went to various voluntary donations. There were so many of them that it is impossible to remember. (From George Orwell’s 1984, 1949)

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“– You, as a representative of private capital, cannot remain deaf to the moans of the motherland … However, you can leave, but I warn you, we have long arms!” (From the novel by Evgeny Petrov and Ilya Ilf “The Twelve Chairs”, 1928)

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“- 50 kopecks each, Novoseltsev. Donate money for a wreath and an orchestra.
— If anyone else dies or is born today, I will go without lunch.” (From the movie by Eldar Ryazanov “Office Romance”, 1977)

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“- Did anyone collect membership fees for the mutual benefit fund?
– Peter.
Petya needs to be released. He’s too soft for the job.” (From the film by Eldar Ryazanov “Zigzag of Fortune”, 1968)

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“- … I suggest you take a few magazines – in favor of the children of Germany! Half a piece!
– No, I won’t.
“But why are you refusing?”
– Don’t want.
– You do not sympathize with the children of Germany?
– Sorry.
– Oh, sorry for the fifty dollars ?!
– No.
“So why not?”
– Don’t want.
“Do you know, professor, if you weren’t a European luminary and you weren’t interceded for in the most outrageous way, you should have been arrested!” (From the story of Mikhail Bulgakov “Heart of a Dog”, 1925)

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“In the end, the parties came to an agreement that wizards, of course, should not pay taxes, but will nevertheless make donations to the city treasury in the amount of, say, two hundred dollars a head – everything is on a purely voluntary basis, no offense, you – to me, I – to you, the money will be used exclusively for peaceful and environmentally acceptable purposes. (From Terry Pratchett’s The Grim Reaper, 1991)

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“Come on, Marina, don’t argue about it. You need to be on the farm. They will say about me: “He lures people to the collective farm, but fenced off Marina.” Conscience will mature.
– I will not go! Anyway, I won’t go!
– Then, look, we’ll have to – pot on pot and apart.
– Threatened!
“I’m not threatening, but I just can’t do otherwise.” (From the novel Virgin Soil Upturned by Mikhail Sholokhov, 1932)

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“Distribute among the residents of our ZhEK!
— Ah… E…
— And if they don’t take it, we’ll turn off the gas.” (From the film by Leonid Gaidai “The Diamond Hand”, 1968)

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“In 1976, three of my stories were published in the West. From now on, Soviet publications were closed to me … I was charged under three articles of the criminal code. Parasitism, disobedience to the authorities, “other edged weapons.” Then I was unexpectedly sent to the Kalyaev prison. I don’t want to give details. I can only say one thing – I did not like it in prison … Then I was suddenly released. And they offered to leave. I agreed”. (From the collection of short stories “Ours” by Sergei Dovlatov, 1983)

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“As to the countless wives of the harem, the all-powerful Shah
can change only with another harem,
I changed empire. This step
was dictated by the fact that it carried a burning
on four sides – at least cross the stomach;
from the point of view of the crows, from five. (From Joseph Brodsky’s poem “Lullaby of Cape Cod”, 1975)

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“- Why the hell did you voluntarily go to the front and even rise to the rank of officer? How can this be reconciled with your views?.. Surprisingly! A man is against the war… hehe… against the destruction of his these… class brothers – and suddenly… a cornet!…
“I left voluntarily because they would have taken it anyway.” (From Mikhail Sholokhov’s novel Quiet Flows the Don, 1928)

Author-compiler: Andrey Egupets