Long Term Effects Of Prohibition

Ever since the founding of the United States, alcohol had been widely consumed among the population, however, for just as long, there have been critics of the practice. Prohibition or temperance, a national ban on the consumption, manufacturing and sale of alcohol, which went into effect in the 1920s time period of American history. What was believed to be a beneficial attempt on bettering society resulted in more resentment than anything. The noble experiment of prohibition was an undeniable failure, and to no extent was it successful in its goals. The cause of the temperament movement had virtuous roots. Prohibition support stemmed as a response to social issues with connections to alcohol such as child abandonment and domestic violence.

Advocates of the movement anticipated change in not only this area of crime, but also positive economic change as well. The banning of alcohol would in theory encourage people to spend their finances on other things. Companies such as real estate, restaurants, and beverages among other goods were projected to experience a boom in consumers, as well as entertainment companies like movie theaters. (1) With the perceived benefits as well as the push from progressives, the 18th amendment was proposed and finally passed in 1919. The Volstead Act was also passed to enforce the amendment, defining intoxicating beverages as any containing a half percentage of alcohol. This put prohibition laws into constitutional effect and was the start of a new era. The economy, lowering societal issues, lowering crime should have had every reason to occur in theory due to the designated perpetrator being taken away.. What these ideas did not take into account though, was the failure of previous attempts at the same thing. In the 1800s, laws were passed in certain states that aimed to achieve temperance(3). Many of these laws were repealed shortly after they were passed. There were also anti- alcohol movements aimed at immigrants

The economy declined due to the closing of many businesses. Restaurants were losing business due to the loss of being able to sell alcohol (1).The loss of revenue from alcohol sales also had a negative impact on the economy. Another issue was the rise of bootlegging. Bootlegging is the illegal production of alcohol. People were making alcohol for their own consumption in their houses, which gave a gateway to unsanitary production. Illegal alcohol sales also still took place in establishments known as speakeasies, although the high prices were not feasible for everyone(2). The laws against alcohol did not prevent people from obtaining it, some even going as far as to claim religion as reason to acquire alcohol. The expansion of illegal manufacturing, led to more arrests and put many in jail. Prison population increased in the years following prohibition. This led to a rise in the crime rate which opposed the forecasted decrease. The proposed benefits of passing the 18th amendment led to a reversed expected result. Prohibition failed in and actually made worse the areas it set to