America's past that made Gatsby rich

Tracing back to history, American drinking habits have a long history. Long before being colonized, Indians had learned to brew their own wine from corn and figs, and the wine-making technology was introduced after Columbus arrived. During the colonial period, alcohol was not considered as something that destroyed society and morality.

During the pre-prohibition period, we can find the following changes in American society.

1. After the War of Independence, the local brewing industry developed rapidly (mainly imported from Western Europe during the colonial period), and the development of the industrial revolution also improved the efficiency of the manufacturing industry. The agricultural revolution and industrial revolution made it possible to produce wine on a large scale.

2. The development of urbanization and the influx of immigrants have caused the rapid growth of American population. The entry of immigrants has a great influence. Since 1880, the source of American immigrants has changed. Different from the early colonial countries, a large number of people and Jews have appeared in Ireland, Mexico, Italy and other regions (during this period, there was an agricultural crisis in these regions, and Jews wanted to avoid being hunted down). For people like Ireland and Italy who will die if they don't drink, alcohol is everything. When food and calories are insufficient, alcohol can survive.

3. Urbanization and population growth cause social unrest, and ethnic issues, labor disputes and social security are difficult to solve. Alcoholism also aggravates family and social conflicts. There is no doubt that alcohol has become a short-term scapegoat.

As soon as society is full of contradictions, people begin to look back on the past, just as adults are used to missing their childhood. At this time, many religious people began to launch the prohibition movement. This is mainly because the early religious people who entered the United States from Britain were Puritans. Puritans knew from their names that they were hardworking, honest, hardworking and simple, and refused to drink alcohol.

If these are the accelerant of the prohibition movement, the participation of women is undoubtedly another firewood. The American women's movement began in the middle of19th century, trying to win the right to vote. One of the victims of alcoholism is women. In order to enhance social influence and protect themselves, women point their finger at alcohol.

6. Basically, social disorder+immigration+women+religion+partisan disputes constitute the reason for banning alcohol.

The purpose of banning alcohol is to put an end to the production, sale and use of alcohol through compulsory measures, so as to eradicate a series of social problems such as poverty, crime and moral corruption.

However, alcohol is forbidden.

Fundamentally speaking, it is impossible to cut off the source of smuggling. During the prohibition of alcohol in 13, new crimes of illegal brewing, selling and smuggling of alcoholic beverages were rampant, and the underworld in the United States began to grow and develop by relying on the huge profits brought by private alcohol trade.

At the same time, the police are also colluding with enterprises, becoming increasingly corrupt and the crime rate is rising.

After the malpractice was exposed for the first time, the social opinions were seriously divided, and the differences around the prohibition even caused differences within the party. 1929- 1933 during the economic crisis, many farmers also advocated abolishing the prohibition of alcohol and expanding food consumption. In addition, there are some loopholes and problems in the specific operation of the ban.

In short, the ban that tried to violate the freedom spirit of the American people by law was finally abolished.

1933 On February 7, 2007/kloc-0, the BlaineAct was passed, and the alcohol prohibition act was amended to allow drinks with an alcohol content of 3.2%. In the same year, on February 5, 65438, 2 1 constitutional amendment was passed, and 18 constitutional amendment was abolished.

Perhaps, the biggest revelation to us is that all actions that challenge people's basic rights and desires by coercive means will not work.

(Note: Puritans mainly believe in Calvinism. At that time, England believed in Protestantism after the Reformation. These Puritans thought I might as well open up a new continent. )