The effects of the approval were banning of manufacture, transportation, and sale of intoxicating liquors. The law that led to the Prohibition era came into effect in 1920. Even though the amendment took place at the federal level, a time when the Prohibition was legally effected, at least 33 states in the United States had effective and ratified prohibition laws.[2] The legal history of the Prohibition era and the prohibition illustrate the clear intentions of addressing the problems of alcohol abuse which was not a radical sentiment in the least. Nevertheless, the informal but popular alcohol prohibition movement had been in existence for no less than five decades before the Prohibition was made a national law.[3]
According to statistics, on average by 1830, any American resident over the age of 15 consumed at least 88 bottles of whiskey per year. Enforcement of the prohibition proved to be a challenge even though it received immense support from the public. Alcohol consumption had a direct impact on commerce of the country.[4] Besides consumption of the intoxicating substance was perceived as a commercial enterprise which led to the Internal Revenue Service being assigned the enforcement task.[5] However, due to the increased levels of crimes attributed to the sanctioning of the Prohibition, the enforcement authority was transferred to the Justice Department. Though, many people supported and advocated for Prohibition, most of them did not, and they found creative ways through which they flouted the law. Some these creative ways included moonshine or bathtub gin in private homes. Gangers involved in organized crime groups such as mafia took the opportunity to benefit themselves from Prohibition and took part in the illegal business of manufacturing, distributing and retailing illegal alcohol.[6] The emerged gangster bootleggers were involved in massive smuggling of illegally produced alcohol into underground watering holes known as speakeasies. Due to the involvement of mafia cartels in the illegal business of alcohol, crimes levels spiked. Over time, crime organizations become stronger and wealthier as they continued to intensify their illegal activities. For example, the infamous gangster AI Capone was allegedly reported to make more than $50 million per annum from bootleg activities.[7]
Drinking Trends during the Prohibition Era
During the early years of Prohibition, those that supported for its existence had valid reasons to believe that the law would be work positively and have long-term effects. Consequently, the number of arrests for drunkenness, and reduced incidences of hospitalization for alcoholism. Besides cases of liver-related illnesses also reduced drastically.[8]
The Prohibition era that was attributed to the endorsement of the 18th
amendment had varying impacts on the society.[9]
One of the things that were affected included individual income. Given the rise and rapid intensification of illegal bootlegging activities and speakeasies in operation, those in the middle and upper class had access to the high priced alcohol. The only difference with the affordability of alcohol was the fact that those from middle-class and upper-class speakeasy and night goers were breaking the law. After the introduction of criminality, more illegal activities mushroomed. Some of these new illegal activities that emerged included gambling and prostitution.[10]
Therefore, it can be concluded, even after making alcohol illegal, some of these vices were not eradicated, but were submerged in the underground resulting in fusion with other illegal activities.[11]
Even though the working class may not have been in a position to afford the alcohol and entertainment at speakeasies that did not stop them from consuming alcohol. Some working-class Americans changed their drinking locations from the saloons of earlier times into their homes where they considered to be more private. Drinking from their homes was assumed to be out of sight of authorities’. The working class individuals eventually resorted to making their bathtub gin, because they were priced out of the high cost of black market moonshine.[12] Such trends illustrate the high levels of the ingenuity of Americans.
The federal enforcement authorities and associated resources were strained during the Prohibition era. It is during this time when mob activities and at-home lawbreakers began to enjoy alcohol without the consent of the authorities. For example, the Federal Prohibition Bureau did not have enough agents to help in the fight against the proliferation of alcohol abuse, out of the 3000 agents stationed to help, more than 280 were fired on allegations of corruption. President Henry Ford had to make some adjustments due to the frustrations of the enforcement. The President recommended the transfer of enforcement authority to the Army and Navy. The failure of the enforcement gnarled the public’s support for Prohibition.
History force emerging from the Government and Politics: Assisting Crime through Change
During the 1800s the temperance societies greatly supported for Prohibition to be effected. The support was attributed to the strong association between the societies and the United States governments passing of the 18th amendment. The American Temperance Society was the first major temperance groups, founded in 1826 with the aim of convincing the society on the harmful effects of alcohol consumption. In response, several temperance groups were formed for instance the Women’s Christian Temperance Union.[13]
Another significant temperance society that was formed was the anti-Saloon League that played a significant role in ensuring the national ban on intoxicating beverages. The ban was however implemented through the enactment of the 18th amendment into the Constitution. The formation and existence of these temperance groups were founded on the belief that by the government gaining control over the issue, crime rates would reduce as well as improvement of marital life and the society.[14]
While the formation and development of temperance groups originally pushed for the inclusion of 18th Amendment into the United States Constitution, there is need to analyze how the impacts of politics and government history force on the increased crime. On the 16th of January 1919, the 18th
Amendment was approved by 36 states before it became effective a year later, 20th
January 1920. The 18th Amendment was sanctioned to prohibit the sale, manufacture, and transportation of intoxicating liquor. However, it did state clearly what such liquors included, and penalties for individuals found guilty of the prohibited activities were not defined. In an attempt to rectify the Amendment, the National Prohibition Act was instated by the government to identify and promote the 18th Amendment.[15]
The government of the United States had a direct association with the increased crime levels due to the ratification of the 18th Amendment and the National Prohibition Act. At the start, the Amendment was successful in reducing the level of alcohol consumption in the United States. Despite the reduced levels of consumption, the rates of societal disobedience resulting from those against the prohibition movement were on the rise. The increased societal crimes led to the transformation of the affluent business system of production and supply of liquor by the United States’ government. The changes led to increased crimes including bootlegging, that is the illegal distribution or production of alcohol brews under the control of powerful immigrants.[16]
Immigration leading to increased Crime Rates
The society’s perceptions of the national authority changed after the outcomes of passing the 18th Amendment. The government of the United States failed in protecting the U.S borders and waterways from the supply, distribution of alcohol. As a consequence of the government’s failure, bootlegging became a common form of civil disobedience due to the endorsement of the 18th Amendment. Bootlegging activities generated a lot of income for those involved which made it easy for bootleggers to regularly pay off government officials. One reason that led to widespread of bootlegging was the lack of adequate enforcement at the local and governmental level during the prohibition era resulting in high levels of crime within the urban settlements. Immigrants located in the urban regions of the United States often took assumed management of the bootlegging businesses. For instance, George Remus, a good bootlegger, was an immigrant from Germany who due to his resourceful nature was able to buy distillers and drug companies to obtain medicinal licenses. Remus bribed government officials in favour of getting the medical licenses. Besides, ethnic gangs were also reported to take part in violent acts as a way of maintaining or obtaining control over the bootlegging activities. Despite the fact that the immigration of such individuals was not linked to the passing of the 18th Amendment, they greatly contributed to the intricate bootlegging system that led to increased violence and crime in the urban settlements of the United States.[17]
Impacts of Prohibition-era on Contemporary Drug Policy
The prohibition era of the 1920s may have primarily focused on alcohol but laid the foundations of how to best understand the benefits and pitfalls of the sanction on illicit drugs. There are persuasive arguments on the issues of legalization or enduring criminalization of illicit drugs. Supporters of drug legalization have today come up with numerous arguments. For instance, there have been compelling arguments drawing a direct parallel with prohibition. The prohibition era is said to have facilitated the growth of the American mafia. The Drug Policy Alliance points out that black market drug involved in the manufacture and supply constitute the fundamental principle of supply and demand.[18]
Suppliers will always be present where the demand for something is high, even though the goods of trade are illegal. Further, from the history and trends of the prohibition era, it does not show the illegality of using alcohol during the time as it did not stop consumers from drinking. In fact, the era led to the criminalization of once legal activity. It is from such trends that proponents of legalization make assumptions that consuming intoxicating substances is so deep-rooted in our society that it should be accepted and legalized.
However, opponents of the same have also raised their arguments citing the need to maintain the ban on drugs. Some of the reasons given to back up the arguments revolve around the fact that drugs kill, destroy lives and ruin families. These arguments and reasons assume that increasing accessibility of drugs would result in the increased intake. However, the problem is that increased consumption of certain drugs could be fatal even during first use.
Conclusion
Prohibition movements in the United States emerged during the 1800s when various religious believed “drunkenness” were perceived as a threat to the American society. The initial movements enabled the sanction and approval of the Eighteenth amendment in 1920, which prohibited manufacture, sale and distribution of liquor in the United States focusing on reducing crime rates. The black-market violence facilitated by bootlegging was a major driving factor to the high levels of corruption of law enforcement. Other factors that could have led to the violent societal change included the politics and government, exchange and interaction and responsibility of specific individual’s history forces. Consequently, the passing of the 18th Amendment and the Volstead Act that led to the prohibition of alcoholic substances was the cause of the violent societal change and influential factors. Despite the fact that the amendment transpired at the federal level, by the time the Prohibition era was in full effect, more than 30 states had by then ratified their prohibition laws. By anlayzing the legal history of the Prohibition era, it is clear that the desire and intentions to address the issue of alcohol abuse was not a radical sentiment in the least. Actually, before Prohibition became national law, there were informal but popular alcohol prohibition movement that existed for at least five decades. Even though the prohibition era of the 18th Amendment was a failure in cutting overall alcohol consumption during the 1920s, and consumption levels remaining below pre-Prohibition levels until 1940s, is an indication that the era did not take into consideration the population in temperate habits.
Bibliography
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Hawes, Timothy. "The relationship between the passing and repeal of the prohibition of alcohol and the passing of prohibition of marijuana and the movement to legalize marijuana." PhD diss., Humboldt State University, 2015.
"History And Impact Of Prohibition On America | Futures Of Palm Beach Top Addiction Treatment Center FL". 2018. Futures Of Palm Beach FL Addiction Treatment, Rehab, And Detox Center. https://www.futuresofpalmbeach.com/addiction-research/history-impact-prohibition-america/.
Rosenfeld, Derek. 2018. "80 Years Ago Today We Repealed Alcohol Prohibition, Now It's Time To End Drug Prohibition". Huffpost. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/derek-rosenfeld/prohibition-repeal-drug-war_b_4392354.html.
Rosenberg, Jennifer. 2018. "What Is The 18Th Amendment?". Thoughtco. https://www.thoughtco.com/the-18th-amendment-1779200.
Spaeth, Sidney J. "The Twenty-First Amendment and State Control Over Intoxicating Liquor: Accommodating the Federal Interest." Cal. L. Rev. 79 (1991): 161.
Welskopp, Thomas. "Prohibition in the United States: The German America experience, 1919-1933." Bulletin of the GHI 53 (2013): 31-53.
[1] Rosenberg, Jennifer. 2018. "What Is The 18Th Amendment?". Thoughtco. https://www.thoughtco.com/the-18th-amendment-1779200.
[2] ("History And Impact Of Prohibition On America | Futures Of Palm Beach Top Addiction Treatment Center FL" 2018)
[3] Ibid
[4] Ibid
[5] Spaeth, Sidney J. "The Twenty-First Amendment and State Control Over Intoxicating Liquor: Accommodating the Federal Interest." Cal. L. Rev. 79 (1991): 161.
[6]
[7] Hawes, Timothy. "The relationship between the passing and repeal of the prohibition of alcohol and the passing of prohibition of marijuana and the movement to legalize marijuana." PhD diss., Humboldt State University, 2015.
[8] Blocker Jr, Jack S. "Did prohibition really work? Alcohol prohibition as a public health innovation." American journal of public health 96, no. 2 (2006): 233-243.
[9]
[10] ("History And Impact Of Prohibition On America | Futures Of Palm Beach Top Addiction Treatment Center FL" 2018)
[11] Ibid
[12] Welskopp, Thomas. "Prohibition in the United States: The German America experience, 1919-1933." Bulletin of the GHI 53 (2013): 31-53.
[13] Blocker Jr, Jack S. "Did prohibition really work? Alcohol prohibition as a public health innovation." American journal of public health 96, no. 2 (2006): 233-243.
[14] Ibid
[15] Ibid
[16] Ibid
[17] Ibid
[18] Rosenfeld, Derek. 2018. "80 Years Ago Today We Repealed Alcohol Prohibition, Now It's Time To End Drug Prohibition". Huffpost. https://www.huffingtonpost.com/derek-rosenfeld/prohibition-repeal-drug-war_b_4392354.html.
