June 2013 3-05: Explain why Prohibition was ended. (12 marks)

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June 2013 3-05: Explain why Prohibition was ended. (12 marks)

Causes

  • it was almost impossible to enforce.
  • law enforcement agencies unable to enforce the law.
  • it was clear that Prohibition had contributed to the growth of organised crime.
  • Opposition to alcohol was lessening.
  • loss of government tax revenue.
  • FDR's new deal
  • there was a long standing lack of popular support across the country.
  • there was a need to restore the integrity of the system.

Effects

  • There was widespread and calculated defiance of the law. There was lack of popular support across the country. Many Americans felt from the start that it was as a consequence of an infringement on their rights
  • law enforcement agencies were simply not geared up to deal with the enforcement of this unpopular law, for example there were too few agencies
  • Franklin Roosevelt was particularly keen to attack organised crime, there was a lot of corruption as a consequence of the vast amounts of money Prohibition placed in the hands of organised crime. There was a need to restore the integrity of the system.
  • the idea that alcohol had been undermining the moral fibre of the American people was discredited by 1933. The influence of Prohibitionist lobby groups had waned
  • US Governments realised by 1933 how much tax revenue had been lost through prohibition
  • FDR wanted to win popular support for his new deal.
  • Many Americans felt from the start that it was as a consequence of an infringement on their rights
  • there was a lot of corruption as a consequence of the vast amounts of money Prohibition placed in the hands of organised crime.

Overall summary

Possible to link the end of Prohibition to the impact of the Great Depression. Link the idea of the government increasing its popularity by ending Prohibition with the ideas that it was successfully bringing organised crime under control.

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