Awake
Essay by 24 • August 26, 2010 • 2,443 Words (10 Pages) • 3,900 Views
The people had suffered this act were brought to a conclusion, but with
the thought of reality of Prohibition in practice the charm was undone, and the
law appeared in its true aspect a monstrous reversion to the bogies of our
historical infancy. (Monahan 82)
National Prohibition, brought about by the Eighteenth Amendment and
enforced through the Volstead Act, lasted for over ten years. Besides a
growing lack of public support for both Prohibition and temperance itself, the
outlaw of alcohol continued throughout the United States--at least in the law
books. In practice, however, National Prohibition was much less effective
than temperance and Prohibition leaders had hoped, in the end causing more
problems than it solved. Once started, Prohibition led to the rise in crime
during the twenties, the public health problems associated with bootleg liquor
and alcohol substitutes, the problems between religious, racial, and the
political rise in response to its presence.
Prohibition did enjoy some success. History revealed that alcohol
drinking did drop after the National Prohibition and the Volstead Act. This
lower on a national level was not all that much to the effect of recent
problems in specific areas or communities. Also, after this drop alcohol
drinking continued to rise through Prohibition to the point where it was
thought drinking would actually pass pre-Prohibition levels. The same was
true of alcohol related diseases while lowering, alcoholism and
alcohol-related illness climbed to new heights, all while Prohibition was still
in effect (Thornton, "Failure" 70-71). The initial ideas of Prohibition was
reversed.
Crime was a problem during Prohibition. Since demand does not generally
lower or at least not greatly alcohol continued to be traded even though laws
exist to stop those kind of problems. The black market increased the crime
rate related to the making and selling of alcohol. "Prohibition creates new
profit opportunities for both criminals and non-criminals," especially for those
previously involved in criminal activities (Thornton, "Failure" 116-117).
During National Prohibition in the 1920's and early 1930's--crime rate
continued to raise as less and less people were willing to quit drinking or to
respect the ideas of prohibition, as shown by the raise in fines given for
Prohibition violations through its time. Crime quickly became "organized" for
the first time, running activities contrary to Prohibition on a never before seen
scale (Thornton, "Failure" 70). In fact, by the end of Prohibition, speakeasies
had actually outnumbered the saloons of pre-Prohibition years, spreading the
influence of alcohol over a much wider range (Thornton, "Failure" 72).
Alcohol prices rose greatly due to the troubles of making and selling a
prohibited substance especially among the working classes, to steal alcohol
or to steal other things which could then be sold to pay for alcohol.
Prohibition was first meant to stop the abuses thought to be from
alcohol, main problem was crime. As more and more people began to ignore
Prohibition, new criminal activity associated with alcohol began to start. In
response the effort to enforce the Act rose through the twenties and thirties.
Prisons filled to full and beyond most money was spent on enforcement. It's
not surprising then that crime dropped very quickly after the repeal of
prohibition.
While meant to limit the problems connected to the influence of alcohol
industries Prohibition also raised the number of kurupt government officials.
The rise of criminal activity in the form of organized crime, speakeasies, and
bootlegging created yet another need to bribe government officials, as the
black market still remained active and profitable (Thornton, Economics 112).
To keep the profits leaders of the illegal alcohol trade needed to keep costs
low to avoid criminal penalties. Bribes became common. Most of New York
City police officers were accepting bribes, bootlegging, drinking, or
gambling themselves, some doing all. The Anti-Saloon League itself said that
they had spent over fifty million dollars on their Prohibition efforts was
accused of using money to keep government officials in support of
Prohibition.
Eliminating or at least controlling crime and kuruption was proven
impossible for Prohibition leaders. Not one person actually had a good plan
for stopping the flow of alcohol into the United States,it would need making
both a naval blockade of the coasts and a patrol of both borders on each side
Not
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