Prohibition in the 1920s-1930s
Prohibition in the 1920s-1930s
Prohibition failed in Canada because of the citizen’s disregard for the new law, bootlegging and for the difficulties in keeping this law.
First, prohibition failed in Canada because of the complete disregard for the law shown by Canadian citizens. Before prohibition was introduced drinking was a common thing especially for men. But after law of prohibition was made official many avid drinkers ignored the law and were coming up with creative ways to still consume alcohol. One of these ways was through illegal drinking establishments known as speakeasies. [i]
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[i][ii] Another thing that showed Canadians’ disregard for the law of prohibition was that people were getting so desperate for alcohol that they would begin to lie about becoming ill so that they could buy alcohol with the prescription of a doctor. This was widely abused during times like the Christmas Holidays.
Lastly, Canadian citizens would smuggle alcohol from distillers over to the United States in exchange for money. Smugglers and bootleggers made a fortune.
The law of Prohibition also failed in Canada because of the massive amounts of bootlegging after Prohibition was put into affect. Prohibition was supposed to lower crime and corruption, reduce social problems, lower taxes to support prisons and poorhouses, and improve health and hygiene. Instead, alcohol became more dangerous to consume; organized crime blossomed; courts and prison systems overloaded; and endemic corruption of police and public officials occurred.
After the illegal act of bootlegging was introduced the business of booze exploded. Liquor bought from distillers in Canada was smuggled across the border and into the United States.
Once bootlegging began, it quickly spiraled out of control. Alcohol was being bought and sold illegally everywhere and by the mid 1920’s vessels in Nova Scotia were specifically built for rum
Prohibition failed in Canada because of the citizen’s disregard for the new law, bootlegging and for the difficulties in keeping this law.
First, prohibition failed in Canada because of the complete disregard for the law shown by Canadian citizens. Before prohibition was introduced drinking was a common thing especially for men. But after law of prohibition was made official many avid drinkers ignored the law and were coming up with creative ways to still consume alcohol. One of these ways was through illegal drinking establishments known as speakeasies. [i]
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[i][ii] Another thing that showed Canadians’ disregard for the law of prohibition was that people were getting so desperate for alcohol that they would begin to lie about becoming ill so that they could buy alcohol with the prescription of a doctor. This was widely abused during times like the Christmas Holidays.
Lastly, Canadian citizens would smuggle alcohol from distillers over to the United States in exchange for money. Smugglers and bootleggers made a fortune.
The law of Prohibition also failed in Canada because of the massive amounts of bootlegging after Prohibition was put into affect. Prohibition was supposed to lower crime and corruption, reduce social problems, lower taxes to support prisons and poorhouses, and improve health and hygiene. Instead, alcohol became more dangerous to consume; organized crime blossomed; courts and prison systems overloaded; and endemic corruption of police and public officials occurred.
After the illegal act of bootlegging was introduced the business of booze exploded. Liquor bought from distillers in Canada was smuggled across the border and into the United States.
Once bootlegging began, it quickly spiraled out of control. Alcohol was being bought and sold illegally everywhere and by the mid 1920’s vessels in Nova Scotia were specifically built for rum
Cited: i. CBC News Online, Prohibition in Canada 1920s:, 2005, http://www.faslink.org/prohibition%20timeline%20canada.htm ii. CBC News Online, Prohibition in Canada 1920s:, 2005, http://www.faslink.org/prohibition%20timeline%20canada.htm iii. Susanna McLeod, Bootleggers and smugglers made fortunes, unknown, http://www.suite101.com/content/prohibition-no-liquor-allowed-a28205 iv. unknown, 1920’s Prohibition, 2005, http://www.1920-30.com/prohibition/ v. James Timberlake, 1920’s Prohibition, 1963, http://www.vintageperiods.com/prohibition.php vi. unknown, Bootlegging, 2011, http://hubpages.com/hub/bootlegging vii. Mark Thornton, Alcohol Prohibition Was a Failure, 1991, http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=1017 viii. unknown, The Problems with Prohibition: Why Prohibition Was a Failure, 2009, http://socyberty.com/issues/the-problems-with-prohibition-why-prohibition-was-a-failure/ ix. Mark Thornton, Alcohol Prohibition Was a Failure, 1991, http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=1017