National Prohibition Of Alcohol example essay topic

Prohibition, as defined in Webster's Dictionary, is the legal ban on the sale and manufacture of intoxicating drink. In the United States, it became a movement designed to reduce drinking and its associated ills by eliminating the businesses that manufactured, distributed, and sold alcoholic beverages [7]. Prohibition did not achieve its aim. Instead, it added to the problems it was intended to solve, as seen through the periods in history when such bans have been in force, as well as, the political and social movements advocating it. Prohibition activities have occurred when significant numbers of people believed that the consumption of alcohol presented a serious threat to the integrity of their institutions, especially the institution of family.

Drunkenness has been considered an evil thing in many of the world's major religions. Most of the Middle East forbids even the moderate use of the fermented drink. Here in the West, however, efforts to ban the consumption of alcohol have been a relatively recent event. [4] The early prohibition movement in the United States began in the 1750's with the English Government making repeated, but futile, efforts to discourage the excessive use of drinking in the American colonies, and England. It was thought that drinking produced inappropriate behavior in some, such as ministers, and dangerous behavior in others, such as Indians [5]. It wasn't until the 19th century that many religious and political leaders were beginning to see drunkenness as a national curse.

They believed there was a close relationship between drunkenness and rising incidence of crime, poverty, and violence. They concluded that the only way to protect society from this threat was to abolish the "drunkard making business". It was at this time that the first state prohibition law was passed in Maine in 1851. It prohibited the manufacture and sale of "spirituous or intoxicating liquors" not intended for medical or mechanical purposes. By 1855, 13 of the 31 states had such laws [9]. When the American Civil War broke out, political crises distracted attention from Prohibition.

Many of the early state laws were modified, repealed, or simply ignored. For years, few restraints were placed on the manufacturing or selling anything alcoholic. Soon, there were over 100,000 saloons in the country. These drinking establishments were rapidly becoming more and more popular. Competition rose for the drinkers' wages. Thus, many saloons not only permitted, but encouraged, gambling, prostitution, sales to minors, public drunkenness, and violence [11].

In reaction to this, the "Woman's Crusade of 1873-1874" broke out across the nation in 1873 [7]. Thousands of women marched from church meetings to saloons armed with prayer and song. They demanded that saloon keepers give up their businesses. In less than twenty years, men joined the women, now millions shared this hostility toward the saloon. They came to regard it as the most dangerous social institution threatening the family. [7] It was at this time, the Anti-Saloon League of America (ASL) was organized.

They effectively positioned politicians who demanded their state governments allow people to vote "yes or no" on the question of continuing to license the saloons. By 1916, no less than 23 of the 48 states had adopted anti-saloon laws. Those states closed the saloons and prohibited the manufacture of any alcoholic beverages. The national elections, of that year, returned a U.S. Congress in which the ASL-supported dry members (those who supported Prohibition) outnumbered the wet members (those who were against Prohibition) by more than two to one [4]. On December 22, 1917, with more than the two-thirds requirement, Congress submitted to the states the 18th amendment to the Constitution, which prohibited "the manufacture, sale, or transportation of intoxicating liquors".

By January 1919 approval was complete, with 80 percent of the members of the 46 state legislatures having accepted. On Midnight of January 16, 1920, one of the personal habits and customs of most Americans suddenly came to a halt. The Eighteenth Amendment was put into effect and all importing, exporting, transporting, selling, and manufacturing of intoxicating liquor was put to an end [2]. To enforce the 18th amendment, Congress passed the National Prohibition Act, which is usually referred to as the Volstead Act because Congressman Andrew Volstead of Minnesota introduced it in 1919. This law defined the prohibited "intoxicating liquors" as those with an alcoholic content of more than 0.5 percent that were not used for medicinal, sacramental, industrial purposes, or for fruit or grape beverages prepared for personal use in homes.

The Congress and the state legislatures, however, were reluctant to appropriate enough money for more than token enforcement. [13] The opportunities for disregarding the law through smuggling, distilling, fermenting, and brewing were rampant. Prohibition, once again was more an ideal than a reality. [13] National prohibition of alcohol, the 'noble experiment,' was to reduce crime and corruption, solve social problems, reduce the tax burden created by prisons and poorhouses, and improve health and hygiene in America. [3] This, however, was undoubtedly to no avail. The Prohibition period became a time of moral decay and social disorder.

It distorted the role of alcohol in American life. People drank more rather than less. Many people hid their liquor in hip flasks, false books, hollow canes, and anything else they could find [2]. Many home products were sold to those customers who wanted small quantities of alcohol.

Volstead ism came to mean intolerable searches, seizures, and shootings by police who, with their token enforcement, threatened intrusion into the private lives of law-respecting citizens. [5] It generated a wave of organized criminal activity. Bootleggers smuggled liquor from oversees and Canada. They stole it from government warehouses and produced their own.

As good as the ideal sounded, prohibition was far easier to proclaim than to enforce. With only 1,550 federal agents and over 18,700 miles of vast and virtually unpoliceable coastline [14], "it was clearly impossible to prevent immense quantities of liquor from entering the country" (Behr, 162). Barely five percent of smuggled liquor was hindered from coming into the country in the 1920's. [4] Illegal liquor business fell under the control of organized gangs, which overpowered most of the authorities [14]. Illegal "speakeasies" replaced saloons. By 1925, there were over 100,000 speak-easier in New York City alone [2].

On account of the industry being so profitable, more gangsters became involved in the moneymaking business. Large cities became "home" for these organizations. Much rivalry developed between gangsters who flaunted their wealth and power. This period of time established many young members as leaders of the New Age Mafia. [6] Although there were over a half dozen powerful gangs in New York, Chicago was the capital of racketeers.

Johnny Torri o, "Bugs Moran", the Genoas, and the O'Banions were men of power [1]. "The most infamous bootlegger, however, was Al Capone who operated out of Chicago" [1]. Thanks to Prohibition, one of the most gruesome and remembered gangster shoot-outs of all time occurred. On Valentine's Day, 1929, because of business differences, Capone had his henchman, "Machine Gun" Jack McGurn plot the murder of the O'Banions. Led by Bugs Moran, McGurn staged a delivery of alcohol to Moran at a warehouse.

He had his gang members impersonate police officers and pretend to raid the transaction. With a sweep of machine gun fire, McGurn killed everyone in the warehouse. Being in Miami at the time, Capone had a solid alibi. No convictions were ever made.

This event is only one example of how prohibition fueled gang warfare and lead to the end of resistance to continued "business dealings". Prohibition is directly credited with the uncontrolled rise in horrific crime rates in America during this time [2]. "Seldom has a law been more flagrantly violated. Not only did Americans continue to manufacture, barter, and possess alcohol; they drank more of it" [2].

At this time, more and more Americans found the idea of repeal increasingly appealing. The government's failure to enforce the law was just one of the many reasons. Most Americans were happy that the old-time saloon had been abolished, but they felt that a new society presented more problems. Emerging now was a primarily urban and industrial society of immense geographic, social, ethnic, and religious diversities. Now, protection of the family from alcohol was less socially urgent than the expansion and protection of individual freedom.

[10] In the U.S., a major shift in public opinion occurred during the early years of the Great Depression. Opponents argued persuasively that Prohibition deprived people of jobs and governments of revenue, generally contributing to economic stagnation. The actual political effort for repeal was mainly the work of the Association Against the Prohibition Amendment (AAPA). This organization of wealthy and influential citizens were "wet" and feared that through Prohibition, the federal government might permanently endanger peoples' individual freedom. The AAPA's goal was that Congress should submit the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, which would repeal the 18th. They succeeded.

Congress, for the first time since the Constitution itself was ratified, called for ratifying conventions in each of the states. [10] Delegates were elected by the people for the specific purpose of voting "yes or no" regarding the question of the 21st Amendment. In 1933, the elections produced a repeal vote that ran at almost 73 percent. In a remarkably coordinated effort by the states and the Congress, ratification was complete in December of 1933.

Following the repeal, liquor control again became a state rather than a federal problem. Most states, presently, still retain restrictions on the sale and consumption of alcohol. [4] "The results of the experiment [prohibition] are clear: ... organized crime grew into an empire; ... disrespect for the law grew; and the per capita consumption of the prohibited substance -- alcohol -- increased dramatically" [8]. It was a colorful era that historically proves that prohibition was a failure. Although consumption of alcohol fell at the beginning of Prohibition, it subsequently increased.

Alcohol became more dangerous to consume. Crime increased and became "organized". [12] The court and prison systems were stretched to the breaking point and corruption of public officials was widespread. Prohibition removed a significant source of tax revenue and greatly increased government spending. Without a doubt, prohibition did not solve any problems of the time, it only added to them.