An interesting aspect of the 1920s was the implementation of prohibition. It was put into effect under the 19th Amendment in 1919 and made the distribution and manufacturing of alcohol illegal. More of an experiment than a law, prohibition was generally ineffective. The majority of the American population did not view alcohol as illegal and it was therefore hard to regulate. Nevertheless, it was an experiment that did have some positive outcomes.
Prohibition was popular in the Midwest and especially the South. They saw alcohol as a way blacks could "burst out of their place". The goals of the prohibitionists were however unrealistic. Drinking was an American past time that many did not view as a crime. For many foreigners, alcohol was a way to socialize, for example, in beer gardens or corner taverns. Also, the federal government did not have enough resources to regulate alcohol consumption. The job of regulation was first assigned to the IRS(Internal Revenue Service) and then transferred to Justice Department. There were signs of success in the beginning, in places who were supportive of prohibition, but ultimately, advocates of a alcohol-free America were fighting a for a losing cause. There just weren't enough officers and many of them were easily bribed because they also wanted a drink. The prohibitionists struggled because they were fighting a battle in which they did not have sufficient resources or moral support.
People got inventive during this time period. New saloons that were called "speakeasies" opened up; these were usually concealed rooms in public that offered thirsty neighbors a drink. All one had to do was speak softly to the barred door and they would be allowed to enter. Because transporting and concealing bottles was rather difficult, people resorted to other forms of alcohol like hard liquor. Americans also started making there own drinks, like "home brew" and "bathtub gin". Some of these drinks were rather infamous because there were cases of blindness and even death.
A different type of crime emerged during prohibition. "Bootlegging", the illegal manufacturing and selling of alcohol, became a common practice for gangs. Among the most famous mobsters during this time period was Al Capone. He was able to earn 60 million dollars a year from manufacturing and selling alcohol. His success reflected the desire of the American people: the majority of them were against prohibition and wanted their drinks. Tensions continued to rise as people were getting shot over the issue.
Despite the unsuccessful attempts of prohibition, there some notable positives. Bank savings increased(correlation not causation) and the number of strikes decreased. Ironically, there was probably more alcohol drunk during prohibition than the time before. Ultimately, prohibition was a new perspective of life for Americans and illustrated the extent that alcohol can influence.
Source:
"Prohibition." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 06 Dec. 2015.
Something interesting to note is that prohibition didn't actually make it illegal to drink alcohol; rather, it banned the manufacture, transport, and sale of liquor. This is ironic in that people who go to parties where alcohol is abundant are not directly guilty of any crime, although it could be argued that they are indirectly supporting its sale. It is also important to know that there were indeed those who were opposed to alcohol; there were temperance societies that thought of alcohol as "a destructive force in families and marriages".
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I think its counterproductive to ban the production and sale of alcohol while not banning the consumption of alcohol because that leads to an increase in smuggling and less money raised for the country through taxes, and tariffs. How did the people make "bathtub gin?" If they used rubbing alcohol that would explain the deaths and dangers.
ReplyDeleteI think that when somebody writes about the significance about the Prohibition it is also the perfect opportunity to analyze how the prohibition led to the rise of crime and corruption in America. One of the first names that comes to mind during the era of Prohibition is Al Capone. This man would use the Prohibition to his advantage in order to make money and exert massive amounts of control over huge chunks of Chicago. Therefore, one can wonder what the Prohibition can teach us about America at the time. It certainly showed that the government had no authority whatsoever to implement certain measures, and people would only find ways to circumvent the law. You could talk about the corruption that existed among politicians at the time as well.
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I agree, I believe that Prohibition, although it banned the sale of liquor, it also gave many bootleggers opportunities to make heaps of money. It's interesting to see that prohibition is something so widely known to be illegal but almost everyone breaks the law anyway. As we said in class, this can be connected to underage drinking and in the modern day. It's interesting that bootleggers take this risk despite the consequences.
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