Prohibition

It was 100 years ago today that the prohibition of the production, importation, transportation, and sale of alcoholic beverages began. Now just commonly known as Prohibition, it was perhaps America's worst idea. What is stunning about it in retrospect is how quickly it came and went.

It was a long time coming. Many organizations, particularly religious ones, were eager to ban liquor because of the havoc it wreaked on family life and general heath. The Women's Christian Temperance Union and then the Anti-Saloon League lobbied to have alcohol banned. Some, like Carrie Nation with her ax, were more forceful than others. In 1917 the 18th Amendment was introduced, and just two years later was ratified. To get an amendment ratified, it takes three-fourths of the states to approve it, so it's a real consensus that must be formed.

Now, those opposed to alcohol were not wrong. It does destroy lives, both of the drinker and those in their families. But what Prohibition taught us is that you can't really keep things that people love out of their hands. It's why prostitution is called the oldest profession. It's why pornography can never be stopped. You can pass laws, but people will find their way around it.

And boy did they. Prohibition really engineered what we call the Roaring Twenties. There were no legal bars or saloons, but speakeasies flourished and people had a good time anyway. It was the age of jazz and flappers, and Babe Ruth (who certainly whet his whistle on frequent occasions). It was also the age when organized crime flourished. Some experts say crime did not go up during Prohibition, but gangsters became household names, and they were making very good coin distributing illegal hooch. Organized crime has always existed to give the people want they want when the government denies it.

Prohibition ended in 1933, only thirteen years later. Again, an amendment had to be passed, this time the 21st. So in less than a generation the entire political structure of America changed its mind. Perhaps mostly it was due to loss of tax revenue, but certainly the spectacle of gang shootouts helped.

America, which was founded by Puritans, is always trying to ruin fun. As H.L. Mencken said, "Puritanism: The haunting fear that someone, somewhere, may be happy." One of the results of the repeal of Prohibition was that the scolds looked for something else to demonize, and it turned out to be cannabis. Almost 100 years later, we still haven't completely gotten over that. There are those who decry the legalization of marijuana who think nothing of having a stiff drink.

Of course some things should be illegal, like heroin. But trying to ban alcohol consumption was like King Canute talking to the waves. It remains one of the strangest episodes in U.S. history.