Page 33 - All About History - Issue 09-14

What if...
PROHIBITION HADN’T BEEN REPEALED?

productivity, higher levels of personal savings and so on. States that voted to keep Prohibition, 1933
Those were major goals for the Prohibition campaigners before
it was brought into force, but that simulating effect on the
economy didn’t manifest itself in the Twenties to any great
degree because of the knock-on effect of people going out of
work, there being lower tax revenues coming in and so on.
With the dire situation of the US economy in the midst of the
Great Depression, if anything, continued Prohibition would
have helped to cement that depression. What we have to think
about is the temptation for more and more ordinary people
to take a criminal path. If we are imagining an even further
expansion of organised crime, then with that comes a greater
need for the government to tackle organised crime. With
the government having less and less resources in the midst
of the Great Depression and having to spend ever-more on
enforcement it doesn’t spell a happy picture for the economy.
Would a lack of repeal have encouraged attempts by
other countries to bring in prohibition?
Blocker: A number of other countries and territories adopted
forms of Prohibition during the early-20th century. There were
various international Prohibitionist organisations at work, such
as the World League Against Alcoholism, and I suspect the
repeal of US Prohibition represented a real body blow to efforts Have your say
to internationalise that reform. Without repeal, there may How long might Prohibition have lasted if it was not Do you agree with our
well have been an instance where Prohibition became more repealed in 1933? expert’s view?
widespread around the world. Toner: If a more modified form of Prohibition had been
introduced, it might have been gradually lifted according to /AllAboutHistory
Would continued prohibition have affected the USA’s provincial interests and be replaced by regulatory systems, in
involvement in World War II? effect lifting Prohibition once its job had been done. An altered @AboutHistoryMag
Toner: The only thing that might have prevented that was an form of it could have lasted for decades, and in several states
economic situation if Prohibition had continued and affected even now Prohibition is still effectively in force. But I think the
the economy very badly. But it’s widely believed that with Sixties or Seventies would probably have been the maximum
World War II came an economic recovery because of all the life span for Prohibition in that modified form. If Prohibition
additional opportunities for exporting and manufacturing had remained unchanged in its radical original version, it’s
goods and weaponry, and that probably still would’ve had that difficult to see how that would have survived for long. The
effect in the context of continued Prohibition. If anything a mounting economic pressures, expansion of organised crime
continued commitment to Prohibition might have enhanced and generally being out of sync with the rest of the world on
the sense of the USA being able to export a kind of morale- this issue would probably have brought itself to bear by the
idealised society to other parts of the world, that kind of time of World War II. In terms of the economic demands of
evangelising undertone to US foreign policy might have the US in the post-World War II era, it’s difficult to see how
actually been heightened by continued Prohibition. that kind of radical Prohibition could have survived.

O Level of enforcement increased O Prohibition repealed O World War II O Minor Prohibition continues
The Wickersham Commission The 21st Amendment to the With a now- Several states in the US
recommends more extensive law US Constitution repeals the prosperous economy continue to keep some form of
enforcement to ensure compliance 18th Amendment, re-legalising USA enters World War Prohibition laws, allowing the
with Prohibition laws across the US, the distribution and II, swinging the war in distribution of certain types of
but it is not successful. consumption of alcohol. the Allies’ favour. alcohol.
7 January 1931 5 December 1933 1942 1960

O New Deal O Super gangs
President Roosevelt’s Super-organised
‘New Deal’ economic crime gangs emerge,
recovery plan allows taking complete
the US to emerge control of both
from the mire of the alcohol and drug
Great Depression. traffic in the country.
1936 1938

O Prohibition is modified O Prohibition continues O Economy worsens O World War II O Prohibition repealed
The Wickersham Even though Prohibition laws Despite Roosevelt’s best The US enters World War Eventually Prohibition is
Commission recommends are relaxed to allow weaker efforts with his New II, which provides a much repealed, perhaps as it has
modifying Prohibition drinks, a lack of repeal Deal economy plan, the needed economic boost to fulfilled its goals or because it
laws to allow for lower makes it increasingly difficult continued attempts to the ailing country and also cannot be maintained, although
percentage drinks like beer to tackle organised gangs police Prohibition sees the strengthens the cause of the some states keep their anti-
and light wine. peddling stronger alcohol. economy get even worse. Prohibition camp. alcohol laws. © Alamy; Corbis
7 January 1931 5 December 1933 1936 1942 1960
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