The word "Prohibition" as stated in the World Book encyclopaedia "refers to laws that are designed to prevent the drinking of alcoholic beverages." The enforcement of the Volstead Act in the United States of America (USA) saw the nationwide beginning of the prohibition on the 16th of January 1920. The Prohibition brought about a change in attitude for the people of the United States (USA). It caused an extreme rise in crime; encouraging everyday people to break the law and increased the amount of liquor that was consumed nationwide. Overall this law was a failure because a law can not be enforced on a democratic society with out the support of a majority. The effect of this mistake (prohibition) lingered on American (USA) society for many years to follow.
Before the Prohibition the people of the United States of America had high moral standards, were more conservative and in many ways experienced less freedom both socially and economically.
English: Detroit police inspecting equipment found...
Prescription form for medicinal liquor
English: A lithograph by Nathaniel Currier support...Before the Prohibition period the crime rate was relatively low compared with pre - prohibition figures. There was a "78 percent increase in crime" from those crime rates that were recorded before the Prohibition. Alcohol consumption in pre - prohibition in years had begun to drop since 1910, however this may have been due to the fact that "between 1880 and the beginning World War One in 1914 many states had adopted...state wide Prohibition." Before Prohibition occurred nationwide, the economic boom of the 1920's (also known as the Roaring Twenties) had not yet taken place, therefore the changes in attitude amongst the people of the United states were not yet established, consequently pre - prohibition years were times of less social freedom, more conservatism and some would argue higher moral standards. Due to these higher moral standards some groups believed Prohibition was...