Miskolci Egyetem Bölcsészettudományi Kar Modern Filológiai Intézet
THE WAR FOR THE SOBER AMERICA PROHIBITION IN THE UNITED STATES
Készítette: Konzulens: Konyári Ádám Láng Viktória Anglisztika, BA tudományos segédmunkatárs
Miskolc, 2017 Table of contents
Table of contents ...... 2 1. Introduction ...... 4 2. The Alcoholic Republic ...... 6 2.1. Early times ...... 6 2.2. The Whiskey Ring ...... 6 2.2. The Comstock Law ...... 7 2.3. Consumption on the rise ...... 8 2.4. Women against alcohol and the Anti-Saloon League ...... 8 2.5. The Eighteenth Amendment ...... 10 2.6. The Nineteenth Amendment ...... 11 3. The rise of the Noble Experiment ...... 12 3.1. Prohibition inside out ...... 12 3.2. Ethnic changes and the consequences ...... 12 3.2. Organized crime and corruption ...... 13 3.3. “For the Greater Good” ...... 15 3.4. Prohibition and the Ku Klux Klan ...... 16 4. The Fall and Aftermath ...... 18 4.1. Freedom for every entrepreneur ...... 18 4.2. The Great Depression ...... 18 4.3. The Twenty-First Amendment ...... 19 4.4. The Aftermath ...... 20 5. Conclusion ...... 21 6. Works Cited ...... 22 7. Összefoglalás ...... 24
“I am like any other man. All I do is supply a demand.” (Alphonse Gabriel Capone 1. Introduction
My thesis is built upon the idea of investigating the chronology of alcohol prohibition in the United States, providing an altered perspective concerning social and political factors, criminal activity, governmental control, giving my straightforward answer for why the so-called “Noble Experiment” failed in the end. During my research my intention was to focus on the less-known history of Prohibition, with the introduction of more recent studies regarding the topic. I think Prohibition and its consequences are often mentioned only in the footnotes of the history books nowadays, but the topic deserves way more than that. However, Prohibition was a stillborn idea, we can learn from even today. The prohibition in the United States is often pointed out as one of the great missteps in the nation’s timeline. Alcohol itself has been a real part of the American culture since the beginning of the colonial era. Centuries later U.S. government yet introduced a nation-wide ban of the production and distribution of the substance. For many people liquor was a part of the everyday life, an extension of freedom the Americans fought to gain. Throughout the years the consumption of alcohol raised in the country causing the “Temperance” groups to appear alongside with the women’s rights movements. The civil activists who fought against alcohol had the common name of “Drys” and many of them believed that alcohol was generally making the world a worse place and the only solution is the absolute prohibition that would provide crime and morally questionable behavior to disappear from the face of America. The campaign of the Drys reached their ultimate goal on the 18th of December, 1918 when the National Prohibition Act passed in the United States Congress, later known as Volstead-Act. The 18th amendment was introduced by Andrew Volstead to the United States Congress. The act enabled the legislation of for the enforcement of Prohibition in the United States beginning in 1920. Ironically the triumph of the Volstead Act caused the prohibitionist movements to collapse. The demand for alcohol was still unquestionably high and there were many who were willing to operate outside the law providing illegal liquor nationwide. Some even began to store large quantities of booze even before the Volstead-Act passed to sell the stock afterwards. After 1920 alcohol became the most fruitful product for criminals and made some of them extremely wealthy and powerful. Organized crime skyrocketed and became
4 almost invincible for the authorities because of the resourceful criminals and the wide-spread corruption. Interestingly, prohibition caused some brighter social and cultural changes too. The so-called speakeasy and blind pig bars were establishments operated illegally but they were far more open for women than the bars in the days before prohibition. The era of “men only” bars came to an end. These establishments also gave a kick start to jazz music and the related culture. Nevertheless, way too many people wanted to gain some profit from the booze business and home manufacturers started to appear. The moonshiners were operating usually nighttime at some remote location, producing poor quality liquor which caused the death of thousands of people during the prohibition. Prohibition did not elevate the American society to a higher level, did not stop crime, poverty, social issues but the opposite. The era was not a black and white conflict of good versus evil, but a far more complex struggle of a nation with itself. In a little more than a decade the Volstead-Act lost its support in every layer of the American society and was finally revoked in 1933. All in all, the introduction of the Volstead Act was in fact the culmination of previous events concerning to repel alcohol consumption in the United States. The Noble Experiment had a memorable impact in the life of the American citizens. Many already-existing criminals begun new illegal activities, and many who were previously innocent become somehow involved in crime. In the end, the history of Prohibition in America is a cautionary story. Any kind of Prohibition has to be discussed in many perspectives. However, it was a complete failure its legacy still lives with the American people. In the recent years many historians and authors started to reevaluate what we thought about prohibition. In this thesis my main goal is to review the whole era of prohibition in chronological order, introduce the recent discoveries and provide my own interpretation for how the war for the sober America got lost.
5 2. The Alcoholic Republic
2.1. Early times
A critical episode started for the American middle class when prohibition was introduced as a result of series efforts mostly by this particular social class. From the very beginning, hard liquors and spirits such as rum and whiskey always had a noble place in the nation’s history. Rum was a vital part in the Triangular slave trade between Africa and the Americas. Whiskey often meant the only acceptable currency for people living in the North- American wilderness. In 1791 the newly formed federal government introduced the taxation of whiskey. It was the first tax imposed on a domestic product during the presidency of George Washington. The result was the broke-out of the Whiskey Rebellion (also known as the Whiskey Insurrection) which meant public protest against the new tax across the United States. As a result of the better economic environment in the new independent America alcohol consumption skyrocketed in the late 18th century, especially from the beginning of the 19th century. (Johnson)
2.2. The Whiskey Ring
After the Civil War, the government was seeking possible sources of income for the restoration. The taxation of whiskey showed great potential, but instead of a reliable source of federal income, it became the root of corruption. The Whiskey Ring scandal broke out in 1875 in St. Louis and it became on f the major scandals in the history of the United States. It involved hundreds of individuals, storekeepers, politicians, distillers, reporters and federal agents in St. Louis, Chicago, Milwaukee, New Orleans, Cincinnati and Washington D.C. The corruption even reached the General Orville E. Babcock, the secretary of President Ulysses S. Grant. (Wanko) The idea of the Whiskey Ring scandal was not complicated. Whiskey manufacturers rewarded federal agents with immense bribes. In return, manufacturers and distillers were able to evade federal taxes on the whiskey with the help the authorities. “U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Benjamin H. Bristow resolved to break the conspiracy. To avoid warning the suspects, he assigned secret investigators from outside the Treasury Dept. to collect evidence. Striking suddenly in May, 1875, he arrested the persons
6 and seized the distilleries involved. Over $3 million in taxes was recovered, and of 238 persons indicted 110 were convicted. Although President Grant's secretary, Orville E. Babcock, was acquitted through the personal intervention of the President, many persons believed that the Whiskey Ring was part of a plot to finance the Republican party by fraud.” (Encyclopedia.com)
2.2. The Comstock Law
The overflowing alcohol consumption caused a serious social and moral crisis across the United States. The profoundly religious American middle class started its own crusade against alcohol with the gospel spirit of the pilgrim fathers and fury of the Salem witch hunters. America meant the land where the sinners were always persecuted by the righteous under the mighty flag of the Calvinism, good morality, anticommunism, antiracism, feminism or political correctness. (Johnson) Anthony Comstock (1844-1915) was a determined abolitionist who fought for the Union during the American Civil War and later became a leading figure of the anti-alcohol movement. In 1873 Comstock established the New York Society of the Suppression of Vice, an institution for the supervision of public morality. According to Comstock, the anti- alcoholic concept is strongly related to the rejection of any obscenity. In the same year he successfully convinced the United States Congress to accept the so-called Comstock Law which made the delivery of “obscene, lewd or lascivious” material illegal. At the peak of his power, he even got a special permission from the United States Postal Service to investigate for packages with illegal content. Another amendment was passed because of his influence which declared illegal the postal shipping of obscene material. Comstock believed that the obscene magazines, prostitution and the distribution and consumption of raw spirits are heavily related and they are the catalyst for serious moral degradation. (Smithonian National Postal Museum) Comstock’s views were far from being unique. During the 19th century, many Americans believed that if the production and distribution of alcohol becomes legally prohibited that would not only mean the end of drunkenness but the morality of the country will move to the better direction on countless other ways. Some statesman also shared Comstock’s beliefs, but not necessarily agreed on his methods. Thomas Jefferson thought that the best antidote for alcohol addiction is viticulture. James Madison stated that every
7 young fella should swear not to drink alcohol. According to Abraham Lincoln the “poisonous drinks” are like the “angel of death in Egypt” taking the fairest member of every family instead of firstborn. (Johnson)
2.3. Consumption on the rise
The common spirits have been marketed with around 40% of alcohol. In the 1830’s the average alcohol consumption was 27 liters per capita. This number becomes more frightening if we consider that women and slaves only consumed alcohol only figuratively or not at all. These distressful data led to the nation’s contemporary nickname “The Alcoholic Republic”. In the 1840’s a businessman from Portland, Neal Dow concluded a study on the effects of alcohol consumption. Dow discovered that the consumption of alcohol is strongly related to domestic violence, different crimes and felonies, poverty and ignorance. In 1851 He convinced the legislative body of the state of Maine to accept the so-called “Maine law” which simply banned the distribution of alcohol across the state. By the year 1855, similar regulations were introduced in 12 more states, besides Maine. The popularity of the Republican party was on the rise and they had to remove prohibition from the party’s agenda because the Irish and German Catholics were very much against it. (alcoholproblemsandsolutions.org)
2.4. Women against alcohol and the Anti-Saloon League
After the end of the civil war, the situation of women started to change dramatically. Women wanted to gain equal rights and social status with men. Various feminist and women’s rights movements appeared across the country. They not only believed in equal rights but most of them believed in prohibition as well. The first major step for organized women activism was the foundation of Woman Suffrage Association in 1869, hence women started to gain political influence. The first two states where women had the right to vote were Utah and Wyoming. The Brewer’s Association quickly realized that women’s suffrage could be a major threat to the alcohol industry and they started to oppress the initiative. However, the Brewer’s Association’s plan immediately backfired, giving even larger popularity to the suffrage movement. (Johnson)
8 There were countless temperance organizations, but there was one which played the most significant role in establishing Prohibition, The Anti-Saloon League. The League was founded by Methodists in Washington DC and Oberlin, Ohio at the same time. The members of the organization deeply believed that America was losing its religious values and morality and the source of this tragic degradation is no other than alcohol itself. They tried to destroy this threat to society by introducing anti-alcohol laws. The League held their first congress in 1895 and they wanted to persuade the protestants congregation for their cause. As a part of their strategy, they recruited new members from churches. By the year 1920, the Anti- Saloon League was present in 30,000 Congregationalist, Baptist, Methodist and Presbyterian churches, moreover they even cooperated with thousands of non-religious organizations. (Johnson) The political strategy of the League was also unorthodox; they tried to reach individual governmental figures and their personal opinion on alcohol, instead of supporting a right or left-wing party. The league proved to be very successful in convincing the legislative bodies of series of states to introduce regulations concerning alcohol production and distribution. The states where anti-alcohol regulations were introduced before the federal prohibition, were very constructive about women’s right to vote. (Encyclopædia Britannica) They even established their own publishing agency in Ohio, that helped to increase their power on the public. The agency was named the American Issue Publishing Company and published several tons of writing every year, including the main literature, the American Issue. Despite the huge popularity, the Anti-Saloon League also received many criticisms. Mark Thornton wrote the following: “The league´s strategy of political opportunism, consisting of large payments to professional reformers and the direct use of the pulpit for political purposes, was often criticized by member churches. The league´s criticism of blacks and Catholics, comparing them to the Ku Klux Klan or characterizing them as non-citizens or nonhumans who would sell their vote for a drink, was also criticized.” (Thornton)
9 2.5. The Eighteenth Amendment
By the year 1916, 21 states introduced regulations of alcohol production and distribution. The 21 “dry” states acquired absolute majority in the United States Congress. In 1917 the Congress submitted the 18th amendment under the name of National Prohibition Act which was finally ratified in 1919 and became known as the Volstead Act. An Act to prohibit intoxicating beverages, and to regulate the manufacture, production, use, and sale of high-proof spirits for other than beverage purposes, and to ensure an ample supply of alcohol and promote its use in scientific research and in the development of fuel, dye, and other lawful industries. (Cherrington) The 18th amendment got its name after Andrew John Volstead who was a member of the United States House of Representatives and the Republican Party. In the early years of prohibition Volstead did not want discuss the National Prohibition or its social control, but he effectively used his political position to defend the act against any bill designed to modify or ease the 18th amendment. There were policy-making attempts to raise the legal amount of alcohol content of beverages, conclude a national referendum on prohibition, let the states decide which liquor is intoxicating or simply repeal and amend the Volstead Act. These efforts clearly showed that there was a major part of the American politicians who still did not believe in prohibition. Volstead’s political influence had key importance in the ratification process of the amendment, but he only assisted in building up the bill itself. The real constructor behind the 18th amendment was Wayne Wheeler, the de facto leader of the Anti-Saloon League. Wheeler is known as one of the most effective prohibition advocates in the United States. His influence on the American politics was so great and he was so obsessed with the concept of prohibition, that he received the nickname “Dry Boss”. Wheeler possessed exceptional leadership and political skills, and soon developed what is known as pressure politics or Wheelerism. Under his activity, the league only focused on achieving and maintaining prohibition. (Okrent) Wheeler generally claimed that the 18th amendment is only his intellectual product, but Andrew Volstead firmly denied the allegation. It was never really decided what was Wheeler’s real contribution to the amendment, but there is no doubt about the fact that he was at least highly influential in constructing the Volstead Act. (Okrent)
10 2.6. The Nineteenth Amendment
Women had an active role in promoting and enforcing prohibition from the beginning. The Nineteenth Amendment finally provided the right to vote for women. In 1918, it was introduced to the United States Congress, with the support of the suffrage organizations who united behind the idea of this constitutional amendment. The activists even convinced President Woodrow Wilson for the cause. With the presidential support, the Nineteenth Amendment was finally ratified in 1920.
11 3. The rise of the Noble Experiment
3.1. Prohibition inside out
State-level prohibition laws were already in effect before 1920, hence most of the people already experienced such regulations. The alcohol consumption rates actually started to decline in the early 1910’s because the temperance movements already had a great influence and pressure on the American public. Prohibition as a federal law came in effect on the 17th of January, 1920. The era of the so-called “Noble Experiment” officially begun. The initiative meant to cleanse the American society from drunkenness, crime, low morals and create a better country. In realty, the consequences were far from the expected. In reality the introduction of Prohibition turned the slow but steady consumption-declining process upside-down and the demand for alcohol skyrocketed in 1920. As it was mentioned before, it was a gilded age of the women’s rights’ movements. However, in most of cases, the younger generation of women did not want to follow the bright ideas of their ancestors and visiting speakeasies and drinking meant a way to rebel against the new morals. (Peck)
3.2. Ethnic changes and the consequences
The United States experienced a major change in the diversity of the population. Immigration rates skyrocketed with about 5 million people arriving every year in the late 19th century. In 1880, only about 11% of the total European immigrants went to America, but in 20 years this rate went up to 73%. The largest of immigrants came from Italy, who later had a major role in organized crime. Four million people moved to the U.S. from Italy and Sicily by 1920. Another major group has to be mentioned here, the Jews who came from all over Europe, seeking religious and social freedom. By the time, immigration to America outpaced every other popular destination. However, social issues started to emerge because the majority of the new members of the great American “melting pot” refused to integrate into the society. The crucial changes in the ethnic landscape later contributed to the establishment Prohibition. The incoming of the millions of new residents caused mass confusion in America. The origins of the mafia and right-wing extremist groups (like the Kuk Klux Klan) are rooted in this period. (Grossman)
12 A major group within the prohibitionist movement declared that alcoholism is primarily the disease of the immigrant working class and prohibition is designed to provide a solution for that. However, the law itself induced serious isolation for the minorities and created a more subdivided society instead of giving a helping hand for the affected groups. There were no efforts in order to find a solution for integrating the minorities into the Anglo-Saxon majority. Prohibition was a real landmark of the process in which the substantial Anglo-Saxon classes lost their position. For instance, half of the bootlegging operations in New York were controlled by Jews and the other half by Italians, Irish and Polish criminals. However, the vast majority of the keen alcohol consumers were Anglo-Saxons. The situation in Chicago was somewhat similar; the profit from the booze business was divided between the Italian and the Irish, the Anglo-Saxons only consumed. The Italians especially mastered the art of organized crime and the efficient distribution of illegal substances. They possessed the experience of the Sicilian, Neapolitan and the Sardinian criminal organization, moreover they revolutionized the methods of syndicalism. (Johnson)
3.2. Organized crime and corruption
“Organized crime syndicates, realizing that demand for alcohol would dramatically increase, quickly seized the opportunity and established bootlegging operations throughout the nation. The competition for business quickly turned deadly, and organized crime was thrust into the spotlight as a major problem in the United States, particularly in larger cities like New York and Chicago” (Philip Carlan) Long before the government’s declaration of war, Chicago was known for the widespread political corruption. Alderman Mike Kenna, a member of the city’s so-called “Gray Wolves”, was one of the many politicians who sold out profitable city finances in return for some kickback money, also offered protection against police raids for Chicago’s gambling and brother business activity. By the time, police officials regularly attended the banquets and receptions held by the city’s vice king, Colosimo. Cooperation between organized criminals and state officials appeared on the most unexpected levels. A whole commercial enterprise appeared with illegal and forced underground, crime bosses and judges, law enforcement agents and politicians. (Johnson)
13 Prohibition offered unmatched opportunities for the “outlanders” to disorganize the law-abiding society. It was particularly true in Chicago, under the mayoralty of William Hale Thompson, also known as “Big Bill”. Thompson is considered probably the most unethical mayor in the American history, particularly because of his interests in organized crime. Mayor Thompson was only the most notorious. He gave the city, according to the Chicago Tribune, “an international reputation for moronic buffoonery, barbaric crime, triumphant hoodlumism, [and] unchecked graft. Although Big Bill was firmly attached criminal activity his hard-hitting political methods are also recognized by the historians, making him a “Political Chameleon”. In the early years of prohibition, Thompson was a real catalyst for the development of the criminal activity in Chicago, but the real “big fish” was John Torrio, also known as “Papa Johnny”. Torrio was an Italian-American gangster who established the great criminal empire in Chicago, as well as the so-called National Crime Syndicate, a multi- ethnic initiative which connected criminal organizations across the United States. From 1920 to 1924, Torrio earned an estimated 30 million dollars from organized crime, mainly bootlegging. This incredible amount of wealth made him the most profitable criminal in America. Torrio bribed way too many politicians and federal agents, therefore he was practically untouchable. His figure and success meant inspiration for thousands of criminals by the time. A proof was for his great business skills was that Torrio wanted to sell excellent quality liquor for a fair price. In terms of violence, Torrio is not considered a classic criminal, hence he believed in diplomacy and cooperation. Torrio returned to Italy in 1925 and passed his empire and the Chicago Outfit to his successor, Alphonse Gabriel Capone. (Johnson) While John Torrio was a pacifist (at least in gangster terms) and believed in politics and diplomacy, Al Capone was completely the opposite. However, He is the most well- known gangster-figure from the period, he was not as successful as his predecessor, Torrio. Al Capone’s reputation is mainly based on his violent policies and the fact that he was practically untouchable by the authorities for a decade. Under his reign, the streets of Chicago once again were filled with aggression and gang wars between the Chicago Outfit and the Irish. Although he tried to provide for the public with charity and donations, he became “Public Enemy No. 1” because of the war-like situation caused by his outlawed operations. Interestingly, even in these conditions, the majority of the city dwellers approved bootlegging and rumrunning operations. It became impossible to cleanse a city from organized crime because of the public sentiment. (Rosenberg)
14 On the social level, prohibition proved to be a complete catastrophe that caused irreversible ascendance of the modern organized crime and corruption. Running an illegal nation-wide network for manufacturing, smuggling and distributing tremendous amount of liquor also developed other black and grey industries. Meyer Lansky and Benjamin Siegel organized their gambling empire based on bootlegging experiences. During prohibition there were unbelievable amount of money to be invested in not only gambling but prostitution, and drug trafficking. This was the time when the wholesale crime was born and lived on even after 1933, when the 21th amendment has been ratified and ended prohibition. Prohibition did not integrate the minorities, but isolated them even further with providing a new battleground for criminals coming from the Italian, Irish, Jewish, and the African American minorities. A research concluded in 1970 by the Department of Justice, stated that the still-existing criminal dynasties are originated from the era of prohibition.
3.3. “For the Greater Good”
In the middle 1920’s, the government was obviously loosing the war declared on alcohol. By the time the dry majority in the government was unmistakable. During the presidency of Calvin Coolidge, the Treasury Department was led only by dry politicians, and it was intended to primarily enforce the liquor regulations. As a desperate but inhumane move, the authorities started to increase the amount of methanol in industrial alcohol, which was a common ingredient used by the bootleggers and moonshiners. Long before Prohibition started, there was a government policy that required industrial alcohol manufacturers to add certain contaminates to their products in order to separate it from consumable alcohol. Thus the authorities already had the experience to influence the manufacturers to add different chemicals to industrial alcohol. The highly poisonous substances were intended to discourage people from drinking. The consequences were extremely distressful. (Blum) In the middle of the decade, alcoholism rates and fatal methanol poisoning incidents were still on the rise across the country. As a consequence of mass poisoning, the bootleggers were forced to use a special method to filter the methanol out from industrial alcohol, so the authorities introduced a more severe policy. In 1926 the congress passed a regulation that required the manufacturers to add more poisonous chemicals like benzine, mercury and wood alcohol to industrial alcohol. At this point, it was a chemists’ war between the bootleggers and the authorities. As a part of the strategy, the government started an open campaign to inform the public about how dangerous bootlegged liquor can be. Government
15 officials received a series of warnings from medical experts and toxicologists about the possible tragic consequences. They did it anyway. Even the cautious estimates count approximately 10,000 deaths as a result of the organized mass poisoning in the United States. (Lopez) Real whiskey was still available because enormous amount of spirits was smuggled from Canada and the Caribbean, but the original and safe liquor was mainly the privilege of the wealthy classes. For the absolute elite, it was even possible to get the most sophisticated European liquors, it was only the question of good taste and money. Not surprisingly, the majority of the victims were from the poorer layers of the society, because bootlegged liquor was way cheaper than the real stuff. The speakeasies were full of costumers at the time, but nobody knew where they get their booze from. (Lopez) However, the regulations by the government weren't the only root of poisoned liquor. Some of the bootleggers are also responsible for mass poisoning because they tried to find liquor substances all the time. A great example for that is the case called Ginger Jake. Bootleggers in the south tried to come up with a formula in order to manufacture a substitute drink for the widely popular ginger-flavored liquor, the Jamaican Ginger. The substitute product was successfully able to give a hard buzz or even a blackout to the costumer, because it was pure neurotoxin with ginger flavor. The short term semi-paralytic symptoms of Ginger Jake were very similar to polio, but this disease only affected poor people. (Lopez) This is another evidence for the fact that moral crusades are usually very dangerous. The majority of the Drys strongly believed that even these cruel methods will be justified in the light of the noble purpose. In fact, it is part of the human nature, people truly believe that if they implement a right moral code in legislation, they could build a better society.
3.4. Prohibition and the Ku Klux Klan
The Ku Klux Klan was established in 1870 and it became the most well-known and organized racist society in the history of America. The Klan had flourished during the era of Reconstruction. The KKK promoted its anti-immigrant, anti-Catholic, anti-Semitic and white-supremacist agenda and by this successful campaign, they managed to recruit roughly 4 million members until 1920, when the Klan reached its peak of popularity. Interestingly, they shared many common interests with Women’s Christian Temperance Union and the Anti-Saloon League concerning alcohol Prohibition, the protection of Protestantism and
16 domesticity. The KKK and the WCTU also both believed in hostility towards immigrants. (Alcohol Problems and Solutions) The Ku Klux Klan successfully grabbed the opportunity to join the war on alcohol and managed to turn itself into a dynamic social movement. In the early 1920’s they declared their mission to “clean up” communities by putting gangsters out of business. The Klan fulfilled the militant temperance sentiment of the Anti-Saloon League and the Woman’s Christian Temperance Union with the guarantee of militant action. The Klan also promised that they will aid the law-enforcement units and step-up against gangster activity where it is needed. In certain regions where Klan activity was banned by the local authorities, Klan intervention often turned into gunfights or open warfare between Klan members and the officers of the law. However, there were many cases when Klan activists were deputized by the authorities giving them the official power and support in the war against the gangsters. (McGirr) From Birmingham, Alabama to Jackson City, Oregon the KKK worked in cooperation with the state and local enforcement officers, mainly because of the public pressure to eliminate sources of alcohol supply. The cleanup actions defined the KKK as militant Protestant warriors who are fighting for “dry cause”. They saw themselves as an army who fights in the light of the Anglo-Saxon white Protestant nationalism. The main target of the Prohibitionist Klan agenda was obviously “foreign bootlegging”, which was perfectly compiled with the anti-Semitic and anti-immigrant policies. (McGirr)
17 4. The Fall and Aftermath
4.1. Freedom for every entrepreneur
The rise and fall of prohibition perfectly illustrates several principles that shaped the American history. First of all, the introduction of prohibition highlighted the deeply rooted confidence in the Christian utopia of building a perfect, pure and supreme society on American soil. Secondly, a strongly related concept was that the integration can only be achieved with strict laws and compulsion. Thirdly, it draws the attention to the weaknesses of American politics and public; both are willing to pursuit goals but with the lack of knowledge and the right instruments. The Volstead Act meant compromise, therefore it could not provide the ruthless instruments for maintaining its guidelines because if it did, it would not have been ratified by the United States Congress. The Bureau of Prohibition operated under the Department of Treasury and it only moved to the Department of Justice in 1930, moreover, none of the U.S. presidents provided the right financial support for its operation. Finally, the utopia of prohibition is in direct opposition with the nation’s basic principle of providing absolute freedom for every entrepreneur. America is probably the least totalitarian state in the world, hence it did not possess the suitable economic and law enforcement system to have total control over the market. The real consequence of prohibition was that the production and distribution of alcohol have been pushed from the legal frame to the world of outlawed criminals and organized crime. The fast pace of this impressive realignment in the economic and legal system is the emblematic characteristic of the dynamic American state. (Johnson)
4.2. The Great Depression
The rapid growth of the US economy went in parallel with Prohibition in the 1920’s and the total wealth of America roughly doubled until between 1920 and 1929. Despite the growing economy, unemployment rates started to rise showing another symptom for the social crisis which was strongly related to prohibition as well. Industrial production showed a declining curve in the second half of the decade. The stock market touched its peak in August 1929. Moreover, the average salary was low, hence consumer debts escalated. Besides heavy industry, the agricultural sector also struggled because of the unfortunate
18 weather and lowering food princes, this is why banks had to gave of tremendous amount of loans causing liquidity issues. By the summer of 1929, the American economy fell in the one-way rabbit hole. (History.com) On the 24th of October, 1929 the whole stock market was thrilling and the investors started to sell their shares. On the so-called “Black Thursday” 12.9 million shares were traded. Five days later, another wave of panic broke out at the New York Stock Exchange, causing a mass-sale of 16 million investments and millions of them ended up absolutely worthless. It was the “Black Tuesday”. Because of the stock-market crash, many Americans fell into critical debt, further escalating the already deep social crisis. (History.com) The United States Congress had to realized that the economy desperately need governmental intervention. While the economy was on the verge of total catastrophe, illegal alcohol-related businesses were still flourishing, exchanging tremendous amount of money everyday. Many congressmen saw a way out from the crisis in legalizing alcohol production and distribution again. The additional tax-incomes from the liquor market promised an incredible amount of money, just what the economy desperately needed. All in all, the wide- spread social crisis and the economical collapse demanded another major reform and these factors were highly motivated the Congress ratify the Twenty-First Amendment.
4.3. The Twenty-First Amendment
After a while, the American public became completely disappointed in Prohibition. By the late 1920’s many anti-prohibition organizations appeared nationwide. The most well-known organizations were; Women’s Organization for National Prohibition Reform, Association Against the Prohibition Amendment, The United Repeal Council and the Women’s Moderation Union. These movements had a major role in repealing Prohibition in America. From 1932, presidential candidate Franklin D. Roosevelt built his campaign on anti-prohibition ideas. The Democratic Party finally won the elections, along with Roosevelt and the promises did not remain unfulfilled. On the 5th of December, the United States Congress voted on the ratification of the 21th Amendment repealing the 18th Amendment. Finally, with 31 votes in favor, the 21th Amendment has been officially ratified, ending the era of Prohibition. The Twenty-First Amendment: “Section 1: The eighteenth article of amendment to the Constitution of the USA is hereby repealed.”
19 Section 2: The transportation or importation into any State, Territory, or Possession of the USA for delivery or use therein of intoxicating liquors, in violation of the laws there of, is hereby prohibited.” Section 1 legalized the production and distribution of alcohol again on the federal level. Section 2 gave back the authority to regulate alcohol to the individual states.
4.4. The Aftermath
Although we live without prohibition for almost a century now, its legacy still determines the nowadays America. The so-called Noble Experiment was a complete failure, but it taught countless lessons not only for America, but the whole world. Although the 18th Amendment was repealed in 1933, state-level prohibition existed until 1966. However, even nowadays there are certain areas in America which are still dry and many citizens still support the idea of the Sober America.
20 5. Conclusion
Prohibition eventually failed because controlling the Volstead Act was probably the greatest paradox in the American history. The majority of the population wanted to carry on consuming alcohol and by the late 1920s, the American public realized that Prohibition taints the very idea of the free and independent nation. In fact, while there was a huge demand for solving the social problems and moral degradation caused by alcohol consumption and to act against the threatening forces for the public and political status quo, there was no governmental motivation to provide the right instruments and support to stop drinking itself. Prohibition was in effect for 13 years which was a great testimony for the influence of the old American values, but the increasing disappointment and the hard-hitting Great Depression guaranteed its failure. It is now considered as a footnote in the American history, like a strange episode between the first world war and the Great Depression. However, because Prohibition manifests a clash between several contradictory visions of the nation, it deservers to be much more than that. Furthermore, despite the defeat of the Noble Experiment, it changed the American society and the way people drink alcohol for ever. The catering industry changed dramatically; old-fashioned saloons extinct and drinking at home became much more popular. Before prohibition, women found drinking and saloon society unpleasant or even hostile, but this behavior turned upside-down after Prohibition. Drinking became standardized, normal and finally an accepted behavior for the “polite” people. Drunkenness did not disappear from the streets of America, but society somehow started to accept drunks. Prohibition is a proof for not only successes but failures can also change the world for ever. However, consumption rates finally decreased to “normal”, alcohol has never been seen or consumed the same ever since in America.
21 6. Works Cited
1. Cherrington, Ernest H. "The Evolution of Prohibition in the United States of America." The Evolution of Prohibition in the United States of America (1920): 320. 2. Thornton, Mark. "The Economics of Prohibition." - (1991): 51. 3. Smithonian National Postal Museum. Anthony Comstock . 01 01 2017. 16 11 2017.
22 15. Peck, Garret. The Prohibition Hangover: Alcohol in America from Demon Rum to Cult Cabernet. New York: Rutgers University Press, 2009. 16. Philip Carlan, Lisa Nored, Regan Downey. An Introduction to Criminal Law. New York: Johnes & Barlett Publishers, 2010. 17. Rosenberg, Jennifer. Biography of Al Capone. 08 08 2017. 16 11 2017.
23 7. Összefoglalás
Szakdolgozatom alapvetően a Egyesült Államokban lezajlott szesztilalmi időszak kronológiai vizsgálatára építkezik, egy árnyaltabb perspektívát bemutatva a szociális és politikai tényezők, szervezetbűnözés és kormányzati tevékenység figyelembe vételével, ezzel kínálva személyes hipotézisemet arra vonatkozóan, hogy a szesztilalom miért fulladt teljes kudarcba Amerikában. Vizsgálatom során igyekeztem kevésbé ismert részleteket feltárni a történelmi korszakot illetően, ehhez sok napjainkban megfogalmazott tézis is hozzásegített. Úgy gondolom, hogy az amerikai szesztilalom és annak következményei méltatlanul háttér beszorul amikor az amerikai történelmet vizsgáljuk. Annak ellenére hogy teljes kudarc volt a kezdeményezés, rengeteg tanulságot vetít le a modern korra nézve is. A szesztilalom kudarcának valós oka véleményem szerint az, hogy a Volstead- törvény az amerikai történelem talán legnagyobb paradoxonja. A tilalom ellenére az amerikai nép nagy része igenis alkoholt kívánt fogyasztani és rá kellett ébredniük arra, hogy a szesztilalom magát a független és szabad nemzet alapvetését mérgezi. Az igény arra vonatkozóan, hogy megállítsák a társadalmi és morális degradációt, valamint hogy fellépjenek a nyilvános és politikai status quot fenyegető veszélyek ellen, igenis valósnak bizonyult. Ennek ellenére nem volt valós érdemi támogatás az amerikai kormány részéről, hogy magát az alkoholfogyasztást állítsák meg. A szesztilalom 13 évig tartott, amely a régimódi amerikai értékek ékes bizonyítéka, de a növekvő társadalmi csalódottság és a gazdasági világválság garantálták a biztos bukást. Manapság csak a történelem lábjegyzeteként beszélünk a szesztilalomról, mintha egy bizarr epizód lenne az első világháborútól a gazdasági világválságig vezető úton. A szesztilalom alapötletében ugyanakkor ellentétes nemzetformáló elképzelések tömkelege ütközik egymással, ezért mindenképpen érdemes beszélnünk róla. A korszak örökre nyomát hagyta az amerikai társadalom arcán megváltoztatva, azt hogy az emberek hogyan tekintenek az alkoholra. A szesztilalom ékes bizonyítéka annak, hogy nem csak a sikereink de kudarcaink is mindörökké meg tudják változtatni a világot.
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