Not So Noble Experiment

The Not So “Noble Experiment”
During a time of moral and civil unrest, Herbert Hoover, the 31st president of the United States attempted a “great social and economic experiment” that led to the prohibition of alcohol. On January 19, 1920 the US enacted the 18th amendment and set forth into the Prohibition Era. This amendment outlawed the “manufacture, sale or transportation of intoxicating liquors”. Americans later coined the term the “noble experiment” to describe this event in our national history. Unfortunately, the events that took place during this decade were anything but noble. After much backlash and dire consequence, President Theodore Roosevelt would end prohibition by proposing the 21st Amendment to the Constitution that appealed

the 18th amendment. Why was this movement important? How was it ineffective? Ultimately, why was it repealed?
Various organizations prior to the 18th amendment worked diligently to speak against alcohol consumption. Morality played a large role in the organizations dislike of alcohol. Protestants, women’s right activists and the Anti-Saloon league rallied together and lobbied for anti- alcohol legislation. Their concerns were validated by new founded scientific research that determined alcohol “limited motor reaction, caused issues with nerve centers controlling the heart, interfered with digestion, and worsened diseases.” (National Constitution Center 3) The lobbyists persuaded politicians to adapt to Progressivism. Progressivism lent the idea that the government “should provide citizens with the environment and the means to improve themselves through government sponsored programs and policies as well as economic redistribution”. (National Constitution Center 4) This movement eventually thrust America into many changes to the US constitution, including the 16th, 18th and 19th amendments.
Grand ideas of increased revenue of clothing, household goods, real estate and entertainment fell short of expectation. Americans did the exact opposite of what some predicted and a decline in sales down spiraled causing a negative effect on the economy. States prior to Prohibition relied heavily on excise taxes from liquor sales. Revenue dropped at a national level leaving the federal government with a total of $11-billion-dollar debt. To enforce the new law, the government had to shell out $300 million dollars as well. On a national and local level, many citizens suffered with closed business and were forced to seek new employment opportunities.
The Volstead Act during 1920-1933 left loopholes in the law that caused innumerable consequences.

The looseness of verbiage in the law did not include consumption or possession of alcohol. The fault in the law lead many Americans to partake and provide alcohol to the masses. Pharmacists and religious leaders were still capable of distributing alcohol. Bootleggers, or citizens making and distributing alcohol illegally, capitalized on the loopholes by using pharmacies and synagogues to hide their illegal activities. Even average Americans could buy kits and home “stills” to manufacture alcohol for private use. Without proper regulation on the production of alcohol, toxic or tainted liquor was produced and caused 1,000 citizens to die annually during Prohibition. Law enforcement had the duty to uphold the law, but were met with opposition. The government created Prohibition agents to assist local police officers in enforcing the laws and combat illegal practices. Quickly bootleggers began bribing the police officers and Prohibition agents to continue with their illegal activities. Bootleggers paid large amounts of money to allow officials to turn a blind eye to the prohibited practices. Some officers succumbed to corruption themselves and joined in on the illegal sales and distribution, because bootleggers were making millions of dollars annually. Unfortunately, average citizens were not as successful. Without the money to bribe officers, many Americans overflowed the judicial

system and filled prisons. Plea bargains became popular, because the legal system could not provide court dates and trials quickly enough. Some cases took over a year to go to trial and the judicial system suffered with extensive back logging. The law eventually criminalized millions of Americans.
The turn of the decade in 1932 American were at war abroad and at home. Many organizations were swaying against Prohibition and started to change the ideas of the temperance movement and began controlling the fundamentalists ideas. Americans also found themselves in the greatest depression in history. Without the tax revenue of alcohol sales and the jobs created from the industry the government would continue to suffer. Franklin D. Roosevelt our 32nd President of the United States, easily won the presidency over his incumbent President Herbert Hoover. Shortly after his time in office, “in February 1933 Congress adopted a resolution proposing a 21st Amendment to the Constitution that would repeal the 18th” (History.com Prohibition) amendment. This change facilitated the regrowth of the American economy and appeased many upset citizens.
Prohibition failed historically and taught the Government a valuable lesson.

The law that was intended to “foster temperance instead fostered intemperance and excess”. (PBS.Org Prohibition) The repeal of the Amendment afforded the states the ability to control and enforce the laws set by their individual state. The 21st Amendment was the first time in US history that an amendment had been changed. Most states adapted quickly to the change, but it was not until 1966 that all fifty states put an end to Prohibition. Regardless of his motive, Herbert Hoover and the US government created a large national debt, fostered corrupt practices and led Americans to distrust the government, law enforcement and criminalized many Americans based on a moral idea that was not a popular decision. Learning about Prohibition through the articles I’ve read, have given me a broader ideal of the struggles during that time. The articles were informative and covered pretty much all that I learned in the notes and reading the text. “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it” is a famous quote by George Santayana (1863-1952). This holds true in most aspects and is why I love learning about

history.