There were multiple resulting effects of prohibition. A nation of law abiding citizens changed into law breakers. Nobody followed the law due to speakeasies, bootleggers, and moonshiners. If anything, prohibition made people want to rebel more. Flappers were a good example of rebelling people. Flappers were women in the 1920’s who started wearing more scandalous clothing, such as showing ankles and shoulders. They also drank and smoked during their free time. Bootlegging was also a result of prohibition.
There was a huge rise in gang violence. Al Capone was not only the greatest gangster of the 1920’s but also the greatest gangster of all time. “While the number of arrests for drunkenness had initially fallen, they soon rose again and the increase in crime associated with prohibition only strengthened the demands for repeal.” (Neal Wynn, 2017- 2019).
There was a result in a loss of respect for the law and the government. This was due to the corruption of police and politicians. Such as the group the “Untouchables” who didn’t follow the laws while they were gathering information about gangsters. What didn’t help with this was the public not wanting to do there part in following the new laws.
One of the causes of prohibition was due to people lacking good jobs. “During prohibition, consumption of hard liquor dropped by about fifty percent and other alcoholic beverages by about one third percent.” ( Neil Wynn, 2017-2019). This was a positive effect on prohibition. Although, this also meant alcohol wasn’t being distributed nearly as much as it had been. Prohibition almost destroyed the brewing industry which caused a huge loss in jobs. There was also a loss of $11 billion in tax revenues and it costed $300 million to enforce.
“Prohibition had positive effects: the the number of deaths from cirrhosis of liver fell considerably, but was offset to some extent by deaths caused by drinking adulterated alcohol.” (Neil Wynn, 2017- 2019). The rise in deaths from drinking tainted liquor was due to people adding methyl and toxic chemicals as a deterrent. (Anderes, 2015). Another positive effect was the amount of hard liquor being consumed went down.
President Franklin D. Roosevelt was newly elected in 1932. One of his famous quotes is “ what America needs now is a drink.” (Neil Wynn, 2017- 2019). National Prohibition came to a halt on December 5, 1933. This was when the twenty first amendment of the United States became a new law. The point of this law was to repeal the eighteenth amendment. This meant any form of alcohol, such as manufacturing, selling, or consuming was now legal.
