Prohibition: Its Origin, Impact and Failure

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As early as the 1600’s there have existed groups that wish to ban the manufacture and the use of alcohol. Massachusetts state records indicate that as early as 1657 the state made efforts to ban the manufacture and sale of alcohol in that state. These actions served as a sort of starting off point for what would become a time in American history known as prohibition. Prohibition began on January 16, 1920, when the eighteenth amendment to the Constitution went into effect. The law made the manufacture, sale and transportation of alcohol illegal in all states. The only exception to the law was any alcohol used for medicinal and religious purposes. “Prohibition was meant to reduce the consumption of alcohol, seen by some as the devil’s advocate, and thereby reduce crime, poverty, death rates, and improve the economy and the quality of life. “National prohibition of alcohol -- the ‘noble experiment’ -- was undertaken to reduce crime and corruption, solve social problems, reduce the tax burden created by prisons and poorhouses, and improve health and hygiene in America” (Behr 1996). Prohibition had a negative impact on the United States because of the resulting organized crime, the corruption of police and government officials and the lack of enforcement of the law. After the American Revolution there was a marked increase in drinking of alcoholic beverages. In an effort to circumvent this, various societies were organized as part of a Temperance movement which attempted to convince people to refrain from imbibing and becoming intoxicated. One of the most prominent and efficient of these was the Woman’s Christian Temperance Movement established in 1874. Initially these organizations encouraged moderation, but eventually the movement's focus shifted to complete prohibition of alcohol consumption. They succeeded in getting their propaganda in textbooks and,

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