The Boring Twenties: Booze Is Not Banned

[WestVirginiaRebel]

WI prohibition fails to become the law of the land in 1919?

How are the Twenties affected by no bootlegging, if Al Capone remains an obscure small timer?

Politically, perhaps breweries, grain producers, and doctors (who were opposed to prohibition as it would have meant a ban on medicinal alcohol) become even more politically influential; with "Wets" winning national elections (perhaps Al Smith becomes President in 1928?)

Economically, does no prohibition lessen the impact of the Great Depression?

[Raygun_McGuffin]

The American Mafia and gangsters never grow so powerful.

The tommy-gun doesn't so much play in films.

Less romanticism about gangsters in fiction.

The term "speak-easy" never makes an appearance.

Some fortunes aren't made.

[lounge60]

Originally Posted by Raygun_McGuffin

The American Mafia and gangsters never grow so powerful.

And this is a very important change.

[ah-sue]

James Cagney would be remembered solely as a song & dance man, the partnership of Cagney & Eleanor Powell providing a brash challenge to the popularity of the sophisticated style of Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers.

[Mister Abbadon]

gun control wouldn't become a major issue until much later

[LordInsane]

Originally Posted by Raygun_McGuffin

The American Mafia and gangsters never grow so powerful.

Which, oddly enough, might have the effect of making the Twenties more Roaring, crime tending to be bad for the economy. Which, in turn, might speak against a Democrat president in '28 if '20 goes as per OTL (in the sense of 'a Republican president', primarily).

Hm... in the OP's terminology, the economic impact is hard to say, since it depends to a great degree on other factors. For instance, it is possible that prohibition effects things one way directly, but that prohibition's effect on politics produces a greater indirect effect the other way.

[Mark E.]

One factor is that fewer Americans would have chosen to have become "criminals" had they not been encouraged to do so for liquor. You might cultivate a higher level of respect for the law.

[Whanztastic]

Joe Kennedy has a bit less money since he doesn't jump on the opportunity to start importing booze again following Prohibition's repeal. I'm not saying he was a bootlegger; please don't hurt me RougeBeaver if I am confused about Kennedy history.

[Hendryk]

Originally Posted by Mark E.

One factor is that fewer Americans would have chosen to have become "criminals" had they not been encouraged to do so for liquor. You might cultivate a higher level of respect for the law.

Indeed, some of the cynicism that pervaded the 1920s in the US (not all of it, though, other factors were at play such as living in the shadow of the Great War) was due to the widespread disregard for the law fostered by Prohibition.

An anecdotal butterfly: cocktails don't become trendy. They were initially invented to hide the foul taste of bootleg liquor; but if alcoholic drinks remain legal, people will continue drinking them neat.

I don't know much about the history of organized crime in the US, but if the Mafia doesn't grow into a powerful clandestine operation, would that have an impact on labor relations? In OTL the perception of trade unions was tarnished by their association with the Mob.

[RogueBeaver]

Whanztastic: no, you're correct. "Never write it down" was an ironclad rule which applies to just about anything Kennedy-related, which is definitely the case in regards to JPK Sr's brewery-related activities.

[SeptimusMagistos]

If the prohibitionist groups aren't able to get exactly what they want, they might choose to go the longer route and gradually impose more and more barriers and taxes on drinking, just as was ultimately done with smoking. In the long run, that would probably end up being more effective.

[wiking]

More money flowing into the regular economy, tax dollars for the government, society more stable, less money needed for law enforcement. Big win for the US.

[Atomo]

Originally Posted by Raygun_McGuffin

Some fortunes aren't made.

Actually this one makes a bigger difference, a lot of money got into the economy via the back door during prohibition.

[Riain]

The US keeps its large demonination banknotes in circulation, IIUC they were withdrawn because it made organised crime payments too easy. If this has some sort of economic effect then perhaps the US keeps its gold specie in circulation through the depression and beyond.

[Raygun_McGuffin]

Jimmy Hoffa wouldn't have been "disappeared"

[Raygun_McGuffin]

Originally Posted by Atomo

Actually this one makes a bigger difference, a lot of money got into the economy via the back door during prohibition.

A lot of that money later went into legitimate businesses, charitable donations, and political campaigns. Yes, could be a huge set of changes.

[Janprimus]

One question from a foreigner, what was the Congress thinking when they instituted this prohibition??? This seems way to idealistic and not realistic, no other Western Country seriously considered to do this, so why?

[wiking]

Originally Posted by Janprimus

One question from a foreigner, what was the Congress thinking when they instituted this prohibition??? This seems way to idealistic and not realistic, no other Western Country seriously considered to do this, so why?

Partly to punish German Americans, who were the ones that owned most of the breweries in the nation. Silly of course, as German Americans were nearly uniformly loyal and the war was already over. As so we initiated nearly 100 years of shitty American beer....

[Janprimus]

Originally Posted by wiking

Partly to punish German Americans, who were the ones that owned most of the breweries in the nation. Silly of course, as German Americans were nearly uniformly loyal and the war was already over. As so we initiated nearly 100 years of shitty American beer....

This still makes no sense to me (very paternalistic), like their other voters* didn't like their beer, whiskey, wine etc. (*= or did the US have 'census'(= only rich tax payers (= above a certain percentage) can vote).
BTW I know that the US can make better beers than Budweiser (well I don't like Budweiser, but I do like some lesser known American (which make it to Europe) beers).

[LordInsane]

Originally Posted by Janprimus

One question from a foreigner, what was the Congress thinking when they instituted this prohibition??? This seems way to idealistic and not realistic, no other Western Country seriously considered to do this, so why?

Actually, you're wrong about that: there were other Western countries that seriously considered to do this. For instance, Sweden had a (non-binding but parliament-initiated) referendum on prohibition that failed by 49 % versus 51 %.