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Prohibition and Rise of Organized Crime: How did it come to be?

Prohibition: was the nationwide constitutional ban of the production, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages (1920-1933)

Purpose: to reduce the drinking of alcohol by preventing the presence of alcohol within the U.S. (The Anti-Saloon League). Another motive was the fear that Americans were asslimlating to European cultures. (Large quanties of European immigrants living in America, at the time.

Organized Crime: Mobs/mafias began to appear throughout the country, but primarily in the cities. (i.e. New York City). Prohibition lead the the increase of crime due to alcohol consumption no longer being available, which resulted in the public turning to gangsters and bootleggers for their alcohol. Resulting in bootlegging becoming profitable industry, causing rivalries between gangs.

Prohibition: Personal Gain and Freedom?

Attitude of Prosperity and Wealth

Traditional Rural vs. Modern Urban

In contrast, organized crime allowed people to have a sense of freedom, which was taken away from them due to prohibition. The mob leader often times obtained wealth from bootlegging, which allowed them to posses the prosperous attitude.

Once Prohibition was enforced, there was an increase in crime, but more specifically organized crime. The unemployment rate increased significantly, after the addition of the eighteenth amendment, which led to the joining of mobs to make money to support their families.

In addition to the materialistic changes, those in the Northern societies began to think differently, now that there had been an increase in competition for jobs and housing. They began to think of personal advantages, and how they could become better,more successful. Resulting in making them an indepedent society from one another. However, the south were dependant on each other since the formation of America. Leading to the South's difficulting in adjusting to the new ideals, therefore they resisted the new "culture" of America.

Mobs: Liberal Reaction?

Prohibition: Conservative Backlash?

However, the rise of organized crime was a liberal reaction to the Prohibition, with mobs specifically targeting the black market for alcohol. In many cases, these mobs ruled over cities, with law enforcement paid off.

Traditional Rural vs. Modern Urban

Organized Crime: Personal Gain and Freedom?

Attitude of Prosperity and Wealth

In many ways, the cultural revolution of the 1920s was due to the fight between old, southern, agricultural ideals and the new, captialistic ideals of the Progressive movement. Although there were those who opposed to the drastic changes occurring during the time, others were in favor due to the many advancements that resulted from the change. Examples of these advancements include machines that could do the work of four people, railroads, and cars.

Prohibition was a conservative attempt to limit the influence Europe possessed over America. Therefore, by controlling the public with the eighteenth amendment, it limited the influence. The Progressive Era was filled with new ideals and these ideals differed from the prior existing ones. (The era was based on eliminating issues that were caused by urbanization, immigration, and corruption within government).

Due to the sudden suppression, a way people found a sense of freedom was by getting involved in different forms of illegal activities. (i.e. producing alcohol) Organized criminal gangs ensured their “freedom” would remained; the gangs controlled alcohol market and ignored law enforcement and even bribed them with money or alcohol

While the people were the ones at fault for the rise of crime, death, and unemployment, they blamed the government for prohibiting alcohol and claimed none of this would have happened without the 18th amendment

During prohibition, the attitude of prosperity and wealth wasn’t real. The intent of prohibition was not only to prevent Americans from the assimilation into European culture, but also limit the prosperous and controlling brewing industry. By squandering the success of the brewing industry, the attitude of society went from individual success to personal gain and profit.

Prohibition and the Rise of Organized Crime during the 1920s

by: Josh Block, Timmy Neibert, Dot Adedigba, and Alessandra Campos

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