It’s often argued that National Prohibition was a failure. But there were some benefits of Prohibition. Here are a few.
1. Women’s Empowerment
The temperance movement gave chances for women to develop leadership skills. Also political skills. See Women Leaders of Temperance to learn more. They included, among many others, these.
2. Doctors
Prohibition outlawed the sale of alcoholic beverages. But there were exceptions. They included medical purposes. Doctors wrote many millions of prescriptions for alcohol. (Medicinal of course. Wink, wink.) For this, they made the equivalent of a half billion dollars per year.
Drug stores selling alcohol also profited greatly. Walgreens grew from 20 stores at the beginning of Prohibition to 525 ten years later.
3. Grape Growers
Prohibition created high demand for grapes. Not for eating but for home-made wine. Grape acreage in California quickly increased by 700%.
Some Benefits of Prohibition
4. Public Officials
Large numbers of police, sheriffs, mayors, and other officials profited. They included most Prohibition Bureau agents! Their income from bribes soared. And it was easy money. Sometimes entire city administrations were corrupted.
5. Builders
The rapid increase in crime led to the expansion of prisons. This profited builders. It also helped the guards and others needed to staff them..
6. Moonshiners and Bootleggers
Prohibition made the sale of alcohol illegal. So it made a market for moonshine and bootlegging. The most famous was Al Capone. He made $60,000,000 per year, untaxed!
The average industrial worker made under $1,000 per year. The mob made money from Prohibition. During that time, Las Vegas was a sleepy, dusty town. After Repeal, the mob poured money into it. Vegas has boomed ever since.
Not well-known were the hundreds of thousands of people who became bootleggers. They included the high society LaMontages brothers. They included the odd-job laborer, Edward Doneganw. He became a millionaire within four months. And the former police sergeant, Roy Olmstead. His bootlegging made him one of the largest employers on Puget Sound. He employed office workers, bookkeepers, collectors, salespeople, and dispatchers. Also warehouse workers, mechanics, drivers, rum running crews, and legal counsel. They all shared the benefits of Prohibition from his illegal activities.
7. Women’s Liberation
Saloons had been for men only, except for sex workers. But the speakeasies that arose with Prohibition welcomed women. They were with their husbands or dates. This led to equality in drinking. That continues today.
8. Those Whose Religion Opposes Alcohol
Some religious groups oppose drinking alcohol. Islam does. But some Christian groups do as well. They include Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, some Pentecostal Christian groups. Prohibition supported their anti-alcohol beliefs.
9. Cruise Lines
Prohibition helped cruise lines. “Cruises to nowhere” became popular. Ships would sail beyond the three mile limit. There, they could legally sell and serve alcohol. They also provided gambling and other entertainment. The ships would sail in circles until it was time to return to shore.
10. U.S. Maritime Law
Prohibition led to changes in maritime law. “Rum rows” of ships floated just beyond the three mile limit. Smaller vessels would obtain illegal alcohol from those ships and take it to shore.
In response, the U.S. government extended its jurisdiction to twelve miles. This make it more time consuming and dangerous for rum running boats to get alcohol from “rum rows.” Yet this increased their profits.
11. NASCAR
Prohibition led to the development of NASCAR. It became very popular. Many bootleggers had developed skill driving fast cars. After Repeal, some bootleggers used their cars and driving skills to make money legally.
12. Many, Many Others
Many people were helped from the many injuries, poisonings, and deaths caused by Prohibition. They included doctors, nurses, orderlies, and hospitals. But don’t forget morticians, casket-makers, florists, and many, many others.
These are only twelve of the many benefits of Prohibition.
Resources
Web
- Was Prohib Really a Success?
- Prohib Trivia.
- More Prohib Trivia.
- Repeal Trivia.
- Negative Effects of Prohib.
- Burns, K., et al. Prohib. PBS.
Readings
- Behr, E. Prohib. Thirteen Years that Changed the US.
- Dunn, J. Prohib. (12-15 years old)
- Merz, C. The Dry Decade.
- Hintz, M. Prohib in the US. (10-12 years old.)
- Kyvig, D. Repealing National Prohib.
- Lerner, M. Dry Manhattan. Proh in New York City.
- Okrent, D. Last Call. The Rise and Fall of Prohib.
- Orr, T. Prohib. Bio sketches of major figures. (9-12 years old.)
- Sinclair, A. Prohib. The Era of Excess.
Note
- Now you know much more than most people some of the benefits of Prohibition!