How Do Gangsters Affect The Economy Of The 1920s

Gangsters of the 1920s are very similar but also so different from most people's opinions of gangsters today. The definition of a gangster is, “a member of a gang of violent criminals”(“Legends of America”). This without a doubt matches what a gangster was in the 1920s, but isn’t quite the first thing that comes to mind while thinking of them. A gangster is someone who brutally murders someone because they stepped on the wrong shoe right? Well not exactly, don’t take that the wrong way because they weren’t opposed to killing people. Although they were more interested in the route to fast money. The sales of illegal alcohol, gambling, prostitution, and black market drug sales were just a few of the routes taken. Although a gangster is thought as bad more often than not, they absolutely impacted

A prime example of this was during the prohibition that started in 1920. The prohibition was the outlawing of production, sale or importation of alcohol in the United States. The gangsters, who were always looking to make money, found this to be a perfect opportunity to do so. These money driven gangsters took it upon themselves to start selling alcohol behind closed doors, despite the new laws issued by the US government. They decided to secretly import foreign made beverages and selling them on the “black market,” this went on to be known as “bootlegging.” The effect of gang activity in the United States took a toll on more than just the economy in the 1920’s. Many gang members were large suppliers of illegal drugs/narcotics. These drugs were being pumped into large cities very rapidly. Therefore with a rise in drug activity, there also came a higher crime rate in these areas. With a higher crime rate the sale of drugs became more popular, which gave the gangsters more motivation to sell. This process of supply and demand resulted in a huge spike in illegal drugs in the United