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18th Amendment Pros And Cons

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Saint Johns High School The 18th Amendment Cantrel Nielsen Democracy/Free Enterprise Mr. Smith March 9, 2015 In December of 1917, the 18th Amendment, or “the great social experiment,” was passed by Congress (history.com, 2013). The incentive was to “reduce crime and corruption, solve social problems, reduce the tax burden created by prisons and poorhouses, and improve health (object.cato.org, 2008).” However, events such as the Depression and Al Capone’s St. Valentine’s Day Massacre in Chicago helped change the mind of the American public; so, Congress passed the 21st Amendment to repeal the 18th (history.com, 2013). Some of the arguments against the 18th Amendment include: that it was a destructive experimentation on the public, …show more content…

Even though the law banned the “manufacture, transportation, and sale of intoxicating liquors,” “the liquor trade was highly profitable, and bootleggers battled each other for control of liquor supplies and markets (Kadish, 1983).” This is what led to Al Capone and all the other social problems. It was only natural to have mafia if the law didn’t ban the consumption. Certainly, there still may have been disrespect for the law had there been a ban on consumption of alcohol, but it wouldn’t have been such a lucrative business for the bootleggers. If there wasn’t a big enough market for alcohol, there naturally wouldn’t have been as many suppliers; but, since there wasn’t a ban on consumption, it was natural to have a bigger market and more suppliers. This leads to the next indictment of …show more content…

Then if people feel that drinking is wrong and that it damages society, then why are the previous Amendments accepted and prohibition not? Economic circumstances, like the depression, might be valid reasons for such an acceptance. However, no such conundrum is prevalent today. Slavery was thought to infringe on another’s rights (Danzer, 1998). All laws promote this concept: you are free until you prohibit someone else’s freedom, then you are restricted. “Three-fourths of all the crime... existing in our land are traceable to the use of intoxication liquors (Kadish, 1983).” It is proven alcohol wreaks havoc on society. Then why isn’t it banned? If people say the government is stepping into their personal life, oh well, the government has a right to, for the sake of the public as a

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