Vivian Marlowe
The prohibition of alcohol in the United States, which lasted from 1920 to 1933, was the result of a temperance movement that began in the 1830s and 1840s. The movement, rooted in America's Protestant churches, initially urged moderation but eventually demanded that governments prohibit alcohol. The Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), led by Frances Willard, lobbied for local laws restricting alcohol and created anti-alcohol educational campaigns. The Anti-Saloon League (ASL), led by Wayne Wheeler, also played a significant role in the prohibition movement, forming alliances with various political groups and industrialists to push for a constitutional amendment banning alcohol. The prohibition era was marked by the emergence of black markets and crime syndicates dedicated to distributing alcohol, and it had negative economic effects, eliminating jobs in the alcohol industry. While some sources indicate that alcohol consumption declined during prohibition, others dispute this claim, and it is challenging to determine the overall effects of prohibition on society.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason | To reduce drinking by eliminating the businesses that manufactured, distributed, and sold alcoholic beverages |
| Supporters | "Drys" |
| Opposition | "Wets" |
| Start date | 17 January 1920 |
| End date | 1933 |
| Amendment | Eighteenth Amendment |
| Enabling legislation | Volstead Act |
| Supporters' groups | Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU), Anti-Saloon League (ASL), Prohibition Unit, American Temperance Society (ATS) |
| Opposition groups | Beer industry, wealthy Catholic and German Lutheran communities |
| Effects | Reduced consumption of alcohol, reduced cirrhosis death rates, reduced admissions to state mental hospitals for alcoholic psychosis, reduced arrests for public drunkenness, reduced rates of absenteeism, increased organized crime, increased corruption in law enforcement, detrimental to the economy |
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What You'll Learn
Alcohol's impact on health and morality
The excessive use of alcohol was seen as injurious to both physical and psychological health. Benjamin Rush, a prominent 18th-century physician, labelled drunkenness as a disease. The leaders of the prohibition movement were alarmed by the drinking behaviour of Americans, particularly the culture of drinking that had developed around saloons. These establishments were often associated with gambling and prostitution, and many Americans found them offensive.
Women played a significant role in the push for prohibition, with groups like the Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) lobbying for local laws restricting alcohol and creating anti-alcohol educational campaigns. Middle-class women, seen as the moral authorities of their households, rejected alcohol consumption as a threat to the home. They were also disproportionately affected by alcohol-induced domestic violence and child abandonment, further fuelling their support for prohibition.
The prohibition movement gained momentum in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, with the formation of the Anti-Saloon League and the passage of the Eighteenth Amendment in 1919. While not all alcohol was banned, the amendment prohibited the manufacture, transportation, and trade of alcoholic beverages. The movement's supporters, known as "drys", believed that prohibition would improve public morals and health.
The impact of prohibition on alcohol consumption and related issues is debated. Some sources indicate that alcohol consumption declined substantially, along with cirrhosis death rates, admissions for alcoholic psychosis, public drunkenness, and absenteeism. However, prohibition also gave rise to organised crime, bootlegging, and speakeasies. By the late 1920s, opposition to prohibition emerged, criticising the policy for lowering tax revenues and imposing "rural" religious values on "urban" America.
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The rise of the temperance movement
The temperance movement, rooted in America's Protestant churches, first urged moderation in alcohol consumption. It then encouraged drinkers to help each other resist temptation, and ultimately demanded that local, state, and national governments prohibit alcohol outright. The movement began amassing a following in the 1820s and 1830s, bolstered by the religious revivalism that was sweeping the nation at the time.
The American Temperance Society (ATS), formed in 1826, helped initiate the first temperance movement and served as a foundation for many later groups. By 1835, the ATS had reached 1.5 million members, with women constituting 35% to 60% of its chapters. The Prohibition movement, also known as the "dry crusade", continued in the 1840s, spearheaded by pietistic religious denominations, especially the Methodists. Many abolitionists fighting to rid the country of slavery came to see drink as an equally great evil to be eradicated – if America were ever to be fully cleansed of sin.
The Anti-Saloon League (ASL), formed in 1893, was another key organisation in the temperance movement. It received much of its support from Protestant evangelical congregations. The ASL also proactively supported women's suffrage, and the 19th Amendment (women's right to vote) was secured in the year following the passing of the 18th Amendment (prohibition). The ASL's ultimate goal, a prohibition amendment to the constitution, was shared by the Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU). The WCTU, led by Frances Willard, lobbied for local laws restricting alcohol and created an anti-alcohol educational campaign that reached into nearly every schoolroom in the nation. Its members viewed alcohol as the underlying source of a long list of social ills and found common cause with Progressives trying to ameliorate the living conditions of immigrants and protect the rights of young children working in mills and factories.
The temperance movement's strength grew, especially after the formation of the ASL. The League, and other organisations that supported prohibition such as the WCTU, soon began to succeed in enacting local prohibition laws. The movement was taken up by progressives in the Prohibition, Democratic, and Republican parties, and gained a national grassroots base through the WCTU. After 1900, it was coordinated by the ASL.
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The role of women and true motherhood
Women played a significant role in the Prohibition movement, with their involvement being integral to the passing of the Eighteenth Amendment in 1919. The movement allowed women to enter the political sphere in unprecedented ways, advocating for their rights and the protection of families and children.
The Temperance movement, which began in the early 19th century, served as a foundation for the Prohibition movement. Women constituted 35% to 60% of the chapters of the American Temperance Society (ATS), formed in 1826. The movement urged moderation in drinking and later demanded that governments prohibit alcohol. The Women's Crusade, organised in Ohio in 1874, was a religious group motivated by ending the alcoholism they saw as a social ill. It was not a political organisation but laid the groundwork for the Women's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU).
The WCTU, founded in 1874, became the largest women's organisation in the United States. It was led by influential figures such as Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Frances Willard. The WCTU lobbied for local laws restricting alcohol, created anti-alcohol educational campaigns, and viewed alcohol as a source of various social problems. It found common cause with progressives seeking to improve living conditions, protect children's rights, and secure women's rights. The WCTU's goal of a prohibition amendment seemed out of reach, but it laid the groundwork for future successes.
Middle-class women, seen as the moral authorities of their households, rejected alcohol consumption, believing it threatened the home. They joined the Prohibition movement due to personal experiences with drunk husbands and fathers and as a way to enter politics. The movement allowed women to become regulators of morality and advocates for other women and children affected by alcoholism. It aligned with the suffrage movement, helping to build support for women's right to vote. Women's involvement in the Prohibition and suffrage movements transformed their public, private, and political lives, challenging traditional Victorian-era roles and advancing their autonomy.
However, not all women supported Prohibition. Some believed it was a breach of citizens' rights and ineffective due to bootlegging. Others felt it wasn't a woman's place to act so publicly or disagreed with temperance ideals. The normalisation of drinking, including by women, became more prominent during the Prohibition era, with liquor companies targeting women in their advertising.
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The economic impact of prohibition
Additionally, the emergence of a black market and organised crime syndicates led to widespread corruption in law enforcement, as criminal organisations used bribery to avoid prosecution. The illegal distribution of alcohol also resulted in a loss of tax revenue for the government, which was particularly critical in the lead-up to and during the Great Depression. The working class was also affected, as they were often unable to afford the price hike that followed the illegalisation of alcohol.
However, some argue that prohibition did have some positive economic impacts. For example, famous economist Irving Fisher argued that alcohol consumption was detrimental to economic productivity, and that prohibition would therefore improve productivity. Additionally, some supporters of prohibition believed that the elimination of alcohol sales would reduce the influence of the alcohol industry on politics, which had been a concern due to the steady stream of tax revenue the industry generated for the government.
Furthermore, prohibition leaders believed that removing the license to do business from alcohol sellers would provide churches and reform organisations with an opportunity to persuade Americans to give up drinking. This, in turn, could potentially reduce social issues such as domestic violence and child abandonment, which were presumed to be caused by alcohol consumption. While it is difficult to determine the overall effects of prohibition, there is evidence that alcohol consumption did decline substantially during this period.
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The emergence of organised crime
The enactment of Prohibition in the United States gave rise to a new era of organised crime. The Eighteenth Amendment, which came into effect at 12:01 am on January 17, 1920, banned the manufacture, distribution, and sale of alcoholic beverages. However, this did not stop Americans from drinking, and a black market soon emerged to meet the demand for alcohol. This included bootleggers, who smuggled alcohol into the country or distilled their own, and speakeasies, which were clandestine establishments serving alcohol.
The emergence of this black market created opportunities for organised crime syndicates to coordinate the illicit trade of alcohol. These criminal organisations bribed law enforcement officials to turn a blind eye to their activities, leading to widespread corruption in the police force. The complexity of the operations required to produce and distribute alcohol illegally meant that these crime syndicates had to be well-organised and coordinated. They formed a complex chain of operations, from the manufacture and procurement of alcohol to its distribution and sale on the black market.
One of the most notorious figures of this era was Al Capone, a bootlegger kingpin based in Chicago. Capone's criminal enterprise was extensive, and he became a symbol of the power and influence of organised crime during Prohibition. Capone's operations were eventually brought down by Eliot Ness and his team of Untouchables, Prohibition agents who were known for their incorruptibility and dedication to enforcing the law. Their success in taking down Capone demonstrated that organised crime could be combatted, but it was a constant battle, and other criminal enterprises continued to thrive during this time.
The proliferation of organised crime during Prohibition had a significant impact on American society. It led to an increase in violence and homicide rates, as criminal organisations fought for control of the lucrative alcohol black market. It also contributed to a sense of lawlessness and a breakdown of social order, as citizens flouted the law by consuming alcohol and engaging in other illegal activities associated with the speakeasies, such as gambling and prostitution. The emergence of organised crime during Prohibition thus had far-reaching consequences, shaping the social, political, and economic landscape of the United States in the early 20th century.
While Prohibition was intended to improve public morals and health by reducing alcohol consumption, its unintended consequence was the rise of powerful criminal organisations that exploited the demand for illegal alcohol. The efforts to combat organised crime during this era were challenging and highlighted the complexities of enforcing a nationwide ban on alcohol. The emergence of organised crime during Prohibition serves as a cautionary tale and has informed law enforcement strategies and policies in the decades since.
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Frequently asked questions
The prohibition of alcohol in the US, also known as the Temperance movement, was driven by a desire to eradicate the social issues associated with alcohol, such as alcoholism, domestic violence, saloon-based political corruption, and child abandonment. The movement also had religious roots, with Pietistic Protestants aiming to cleanse America of sin and rid the nation of drink.
The 18th Amendment, ratified in 1919, prohibited the manufacture, sale, importation, and transportation of alcoholic beverages. The Volstead Act, passed in 1919, established the legal definition of intoxicating liquors and set penalties for producing them.
Prohibition had a significant impact on American society. While it successfully reduced alcohol consumption, cirrhosis death rates, admissions to state mental hospitals for alcoholic psychosis, arrests for public drunkenness, and rates of absenteeism, it also led to the rise of organized crime and the American Mafia. Additionally, it had negative economic effects, eliminating jobs in the alcohol industry and reducing tax revenue.
