During each decade in history, there have been a different types
of corruption created by the brilliant minds of American citizens.
Thoughts of drugs, liquor, sex, and murder have pervaded the minds of
people even to this very day. A certain decade in history which has
gone down in history as one of the the most corrupt and exciting is
the decade of the1920s. This era is also known as the "Roaring
Twenties".
This decade was characterised not only by middle class citizens, but
it was a decade also notable for its law breakers, sensational murder
trials, flappers, and its rise of organized crime. This increase in
criminal activity by not only organized crime but also the middle
class citizen can be attributed to the ratification of the Eighteenth
Amendment.
On January 29, 1919, the Eighteenth Amendment was ratified and set to
take effect in 1920. It prohibited the sale, manufacture, or
transportation of intoxicating liquor. (Boardman, 68) The Amendment
has often been refered to as the "Noble Experiment" because its main
purpose was to decrease alcholism and to make life better overall.
Many people thought that this amendment was in the best interests of
the whole nation. The results showed a very different picture.
The main problem with the Eighteenth Amendment was that very many
people didn't stop drinking because the law didn't specifcally deny
it. Underground bars or saloons, called
speakeasies, opened up
for business. Citizens who had once been law abiding now had to seek
entertainment, refreshment, and socialization in illegal bars. In
many instances this was achieved with relative ease as Congress had
not set provided for a large number of government officials to
enforce Prohibition. The number of federal agents assigned to deal
with lawbreakers was vastly inadequate.
A wooden beer keg, circa 1920.
Congress eventually realized that they hadn't been specific enough in
writing and passing the Eighteenth Ammendment. To deal with the
rising crime rate and to clarify exactly what alcohol was, they
passed the Volsted Act in October1919, over President Wilson's veto.
This act defined an intoxicating beverage as one that contained
one-half of one percent of alcohol by volume. (Boardman Jr., p68)
This act helped to clarify the 18th Amendment but did little to
inhibit the lawbreakers who continued to visit their neighborhood
speakeasy.
It was eventually accepted that the "Noble Experiment" started with
the passage of the 18th Amendment was not working. Prohibition was
repealed in 1933 with the passage of the 21st Amendment. The
experiment had failed.
