Event: Prohibition I. The Rise and Fall of Prohibition on Alcohol(Rose Dryer, History 10B, Writing an Outline) II. Introduction A. Prohibition is still alive today due to subtle brainwashing by the government of the American public about things other than alcohol. B.
Was prohibition the key factor why US society in the 1920s was so divided? Prohibition was a key factor in the social unrest in America, It had many social impacts. Due to the unpopularity of Prohibition and people still wanting to consume alcohol even though it was now illegal, many ‘mafia’ type gangs saw an opportunity to make a lot of money by bootlegging and illegally selling alcohol and although organized crime was already around by the time Prohibition was put in place there was a rapid rise in it once Prohibition became the law of the land. Speakeasy’s were opened, these were illegal bars and clubs in which people would go to consume alcohol, these could range from tiny backrooms to large buildings with entertainment such as dancers and musical acts, The alcohol was supplied by the local gangs - It in some ways glamourized organized crime, making the idea of Gangs seem cool and a good way to make money – but gangsters would bribe the local police and government officials into ignoring the many illegal clubs in the area, They would also use fear tactics into getting the club managers and owners into paying them “protection money” this would ensure that their club was “protected” from the gangs but if they refused to pay the gangs the money they would often find their clubs blown apart or themselves being gunned down. Al Capone was one of the most famous gangster who made a profits during Prohibition, it is estimated that he made $60 million from bootlegging alone, He took control of the whole Chicago liquor industry by killing off all the competition in the area, he had a good talent for avoiding jail.
One reason comes from Edwin Sutherland's and in simple terms people learn deviant behavior. It was Sutherland who came up with the theory of differential association; people learn or conform to the norms of the company they keep. The business of selling drugs and laundering drug proceeds has become a very lucrative enterprise. Somewhat like the profits made by organized crime during the prohibition era. It is all about supply and demand, as long as there will be a demand there will always be a supplier who can run the market.
Was prohibition the key factor why US society in the 1920s was so divided (24 marks) Prohibition was a key factor in the social unrest in America, It had many social impacts. Due to the unpopularity of Prohibition and people still wanting to consume alcohol even though it was now illegal, many ‘mafia’ type gangs saw an opportunity to make a lot of money by bootlegging and illegally selling alcohol and although organized crime was already around by the time Prohibition was put in place there was a rapid rise in it once Prohibition became the law of the land. Speakeasy’s were opened, these were illegal bars and clubs in which people would go to consume alcohol, these could range from tiny backrooms to large buildings with entertainment such as dancers and musical acts, The alcohol was supplied by the local gangs - It in some ways glamourized organized crime, making the idea of Gangs seem cool and a good way to make money – but gangsters would bribe the local police and government officials into ignoring the many illegal clubs in the area, They would also use fear tactics into getting the club managers and owners into paying them “protection money” this would ensure that their club was “protected” from the gangs but if they refused to pay the gangs the money they would often find their clubs blown apart or themselves being gunned down. Al Capone was one of the most famous gangster who made a profits during Prohibition, it is estimated that he made $60 million from bootlegging alone, He took control of the whole Chicago liquor industry by killing off all the competition in the area, he had a good talent for avoiding jail. The St Valentine’s Day massacre is a good example of how extreme the organized crime became, on the 14th February 1929, two rival gangs, one led by Al Capone and the other led by Bugs Moran, 7 mob associates were killed out in broad daylight
Drug trafficking, in years past, have been very present in countries like Cuba, where drug lords attempted to run the country. Through drug cartels, as mentioned earlier, groups of people try to sell these illegal drugs in attempt to gain money and power. However, these type of cartels are very dangerous as the affect the lives of individuals. More recently, Mexico has been heavily hit by the drug trafficking epidemic, and this has caused an ongoing war that seems almost impossible to end. Living the United States, one can easily forget how great a right it is to practice free speech.
In addition, gangs increasingly are smuggling large quantities of heroin, cocaine, and MDMA (also known as ecstasy) into the United States. Local street gangs in rural, suburban, and urban areas transport drugs within very specific areas, most of what seem to be low socio-economical areas. Some gangs collect millions of dollars per month selling illegal drugs, trafficking weapons, operating prostitutions rings, and selling stolen property. Gangs launder their proceeds by investing in real estate, recording studios, motor cycle shops, and construction companies. The extent of gangs/drugs A proliferation in gangs will also mean a growth in drug and violence in our community’s and threatening society in general.
One of the most recent and predominantly exhibited problems of today is the abuse of firearms within the American culture. Since the effects of Illegal use of firearms have been currently rampant in the United States, our government has implemented laws to regulate offenders and format a solution in attempts to eliminate the accidents, misuse, and crime on the rise. Although it seems as if these laws would quickly diminish this problem, they have many repercussions. The rights of Americans, specifically the second amendment, are being questioned by the members of society who obey gun laws and safety regulations. This is creating an enormous debate and concern for many people, not only within our government.
In the United States, The War on Drugs is a major event that has been negatively affecting our country for many years. Since it began, the War on Drugs has wasted a ton of money and put harmless people in jail. All drugs should be legalized. It has been proven, and is blatantly clear that people are doing drugs whether they are legal or not. The War on Drugs is causing more harm than good in our country.
Initiatives spring forth to attack the high crime rates caused by gangs. The decline of stable families is an obvious cause of gang popularity, along with urbanization and poverty, but those conditions and trends today are almost impossible to reverse. Mix in the allure and power of money from illegal drug sales, and the weapons used to survive in the illegal drug business, and the current disaster survives all initiatives to stop it. Public opinion, not science, drives reform. Some decades ago, the American public demanded a war on drugs, three-strikes legislation, mandatory minimum sentences, new criminal statutes and the abolition of parole in the federal system.
Prohibition has altogether proven itself to be ineffective when it comes to illegalizing a substance that people want. The prohibition of alcohol is a great example of such inefficacy. When it was made illegal in 1920, it caused a surge in black-market alcohol sales which was inevitably followed by an increase in crime rates (Muscoreil). Even though it seems contrary to its purpose, prohibition actually increased overall alcohol consumption (Muscoreil). It is possible that this was a result of, among other things, a “forbidden fruit” effect—by making it unavailable or unlawful to possess, the general citizen may actually be more tempted to use it.