How Successful Was Prohibition Research Paper

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Pages: 5

How did some of the most infamous gang operations in American history stem from a policy originally intended to lower crime and raise morality? In an attempt to get rid of alcohol consumption and improve public morality, the United States implemented Prohibition through the Volstead Act and the 18th Amendment. The nationwide ban on the manufacturing, distribution, and transportation of alcohol from 1920 to 1933 caused a huge transformation in American culture. Despite its hopeful ideas and goals, Prohibition swiftly proved to be a disastrous failure because it not only failed to reduce alcohol consumption but also paved the way for widespread organized crime. Prohibition was a complete failure, as it not only failed to eliminate the consumption …show more content…
This shows how some would think that Prohibition was a success because, for some time after it was put in place, drinking rates shot down. Along with alcohol levels dropping, domestic violence also went down because of the lowered number of drunk men. Without all the emotions of alcohol in their system, they could think straighter. Another reason why some believed that Prohibition was a success was the movements that came after it. In a separate article, it says, “Historians have shown, however, that National Prohibition was no fluke, but rather the fruit of a century-long series of temperance movements springing from deep roots in the American reform tradition.” (Jack S. Blocker, Jr,). The article shows why people believe Prohibition was a success because it paved the way for other movements to try to make change. They think we would not be anywhere near where we are today without the Prohibition movement. Lastly, some believe that it wasn’t a failure because the crime that came from it was not as bad as people