Boom in the 192os

Boom in the 192os

There were many effects of the prohibition such as increased violence and gang violence, more poverty and social problems, immoral behaviour, corruption and more people started drinking illegally so more crimes were being committed. Firstly gangsters and violence increased tremendously, as people still wanted to drink and the gangsters were prepared to supply it for them. This is how they became rivals with each other from different areas as they all wanted to get involved in the trade and get money. Al Capone who was the leading gangster of Chicago got mostly known throughout the prohibition as he was involved in bootlegging and speakeasies (illegal bars). Gangsters including Al Capone controlled the mayor of Chicago Bill Thompson. Thompson took bribes easily and didn’t interfere with the gangsters activities. However when he got defeated in the election in 1923, the new mayor was honest and he planned to deal with the gangsters and bootlegging. Secondly prohibition just made the drinking problem worst as it introduced bootleggers and speakeasies. By 1932 there was up to 32,000 speakeasies and the government had to appoint 1500 prohibition agents to try and shut them down. Some people were even distilling their own alcohol at home, which became known as ‘moonshine’. As a result of prohibition many people had lost respect for the law and drunk more strong spirits instead of cutting down. It came impossible for the prohibition agents to do their job and New York and Wisconsin even refused to enforce prohibition, Furthermore all of this just led to more alcohol related crime. There were occasional drunks and people who were drunk disorderly, there was also an increase in drunk drivers and alcoholics. Also in Philadelphia during 1920-25, there was a rise of 30,000 alcohol related crimes. Prohibition still has its long term effects today and it had turned organised crime into one of America’s biggest business. Even today modern gangsters are organised in secret...

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