Prohibition

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Crime was thought to go down after prohibition, but the corruption definitely went up and spread all over America. Many began to become outlaws and bootleggers themselves since the bootlegging of alcohol was so prosperous. Amongst these outlaws was the most famous gangster Mr. Al Capone (Alfonso “Scarface” Capone). Capone was the top gangster in bootlegging and prostitution, which also did not improve after prohibition like thought it would, and grossed well over $50 million in profits. When the law criticized Capone for his activities his response was “Some call it bootlegging. Some call it racketeering. I call it business. They say I violate the prohibition law. Who doesn’t?”3 To the government Capone was the enemy who was making all the profit from what the government had banned and stop making a profit off of themselves. To the people, on the other hand, Capone was a hero. He gave back to his community despite his criminal doings and made big contributions to waiters and gave a place of shelter and food to the homeless. The citizens seen him as a hero because of these things they see but did not know how much of ruthless individual towards authority, but the law did. In 1929 Eliot Ness started taking Capone and his business down one by one until he was convicted and sentenced to 11 years in prison.

In a whole prohibition was not as successful as the women in the organizations formed thought it would be nor they way the Anti- Saloon League thought. America still went through loop holes to get the alcohol after the sale of it was legally banned. Prohibition could not last too long. It only lasted from 1920 – 1933. After the complete fair the economy started to crash and prohibition was no more. The great depression started and lasted until 1939 and alcohol was once again available for sale and the government began profits. Until this day alcohol is still being sold and brewed and distributed. It is now the leading legal drug addiction.

Refences

- Billy Sunday, America: A narrative History (New York: W.W. Norton & Company, INC.)

- Hall, Wayne 2010, What are the policy lessons of National Alcohol Prohibiton in the United States 1920-1933?) Addiction 105. N0.7 1164-1173. Pshcology and Behavioral Sciences collection EBSCOhost

- Alphonso Capone. America: A narrative History (New York: W.W. Norton & Company,INC.)