Prohibition and Organised Crime

Prohibition

The nationwide ban on the production, importation, transportation and sale of alcohol from 1920 to 1933

Morality

Alcohol was seen by some to be contributing to a decline in moral values. Some politicians believed that America would be a better, healthier place without alcohol

Rural America

People in rural areas saw the new and growing towns and cities as places where alcohol-fuelled violence and crime were commonplace. There had been a strong campaign against alcohol

Religious organisations

Many religious organisations and churches opposed alcohol, they claimed it caused a variety of social problems like violence, poverty, addiction and debt

Patriotism

Many beers on sale in America were imported from Germany or brewed by German immigrants. During WW1, it was argued that Americans who drank beer were traitors

Prohibition agents

Tried to locate places that sold or made alcohol, then make arrests and confiscate the alcohol

Problems prohibition agents faced

The agents faced a near impossible task of trying to prevent alcohol being smuggled in by sea or over the border (bootlegging)

Problems faced during prohibition

Millions of people were willing to break the law and continue drinking, Prohibition was difficult to enforce. It was easy to get alcohol since criminal gangs got involved in making and supplying it. They ran illegal bars (speakeasies) that sold bootleg alcohol. They also sold moonshine. Were hidden in cellars or private hotel rooms. The gangs made a lot of money, they were able to avoid arrest and prosecution. They bribed some police officers, Prohibition agents, border guards and judges

Organised crime

Gangs made money through fixing horse and dog racing, running brothels and racketeering (when businessmen paid money to the gangs to stop them smashing up their premises). Was a phrase to describe this behaviour

Al Capone

Al Capone (Scarface) was making $2 million a week through organised crime. Organise crime leaders were rarely arrested or charged with any offences since they had control over the police. No witnesses ever wanted to come forward against them

The impact of Prohibition on society

They were approximately 200 000 speakers in the USA. In NY there were more speakers than there were bars before Prohibition. There was a rise of gangsters, organised crime and police corruption. The Association Against the Prohibition Amendment (AAPA) argued that Prohibition was a threat to a person’s right to choose to drink and that Prohibition was making people lose respect for the law. Was argued that if alcohol was legalised again, lots of legal jobs would be created in the brewing industry. The government could tax the alcohol, so they would make money rather than gangsters

Who opposed Prohibition?

Franklin D Roosevelt gained money votes in the 132 presidential election campaign. He won the election and in the early 1933 he repealed Prohibition