This is interesting-
Prohibition is generally known to have been related to Women's suffrage. In fact the two movements went hand in hand because it was generally acknowledged that men alone would not vote in prohibition. Also it did not help that the liquor distillers and brewers generally opposed women's suffrage for this reason but when women got suffrage then that antipathy pretty much guaranteed prohibition would become reality.
The other two related things we still have today which I didn't know are the income tax (related to the progressive movement which was related to the prohibition movement) which was necessary to replace the loss of revenue from the excise tax in the event of prohibition and worker's compensation. Industrialists became more friendly towards prohibition because worker's compensation shifted the burden of proof onto the employer and they didn't want a bunch of drunks getting injured at work. Some companies went so far as to prohibit drinking alcoholic beverages by their employee.
Mostly prohibition grew out of the rate of consumption in the 19th century (about 3 times what it is today) and the social problems caused by it especially to women and children by drunk fathers and husbands.
I'm reading the book right now.
Dave,
That must be the same book that was featured on Fresh Air.
The discussion with the author was quite interesting.
Prohibition, Speakeasies, Loopholes and Politics
Definitely recommend listening to the show if not actually reading the book.
Larry P
Yes that's where I heard about the book.
Was a HUGE mistake. The first major thing women voted on and they blew it.
Though I do believe that generally they learned from that mistake.:-D
I think that is a misconception that women put it in. The WCTU was ineffective in getting Prohibition enacted. The ASL showed them how to do it.
Prohibition was enacted mainly through political maneuvers skilfully deployed by the Anti Saloon League. Many so-called dry politicians (almost overwhelmingly male) never quit drinking. They voted dry for political survival. The US Congress proposed the amendment and the State Legislatures ratified it. The key term was "intoxicating liquor" which left room for a lot of legal alcoholic beverages such as Communion and Kosher Sacramental wines and homebrewing and home winemaking. A lot of people got rich due to prohibition such as California wine grape growers (who thought their business was over). Some California wineries got rich selling "communion" wine.
Many Canadians got rich particularly after a Canadian magistrate on the north side of the Detroit River said Canada (which was also partially dry) didn't have an obligation to enforce U.S. law.
"The prohibitionists say that the liquor issue is as dead as slavery. The wet people say that liquor can be obtained anywhere. You'd think they'd both be satisfied." -Marjorie Stoneman Douglas, Miami Herald, October 7, 1920.
"The drys had their law, and the wets would have their liquor." -Last Call, Okrent, Page 114.
Prohibition was different from Marijuana Prohibition in that they didn't outlaw the plants such as grapes, hops and barley. It wasn't illegal to drink alcohol (hence many wealthy people had well stocked cellars obtained legally before 1920). It was only illegal to deal in alcohol.
The Scotch industry in Scotland made tons of money.
A French island a few miles from Nova Scotia made huge tax revenues. The Bahamas made huge tax revenues.
The list goes on.
