The Legacy of the Debate
Prohibition could be seen as a success because it did
reduce drinking in America, as seen in the graph below.
However, Prohibition could also be considered a
failure: it was the only Constitutional Amendment to be repealed and the
only Amendment to take away citizen’s rights rather than grant them.
Prohibition showed that laws alone can't change people's behavior.
The dispute over individual rights that grew during Prohibition continues today in arguments over such issues as the legalization of marijuana, government surveillance, or the right to same-sex marriage. Just as those on both sides of Prohibition made references to freedom and patriotism in their debate, those themes are common today in debates over legalizing drugs, marriage rights, and other issues of privacy and control.
The dispute over individual rights that grew during Prohibition continues today in arguments over such issues as the legalization of marijuana, government surveillance, or the right to same-sex marriage. Just as those on both sides of Prohibition made references to freedom and patriotism in their debate, those themes are common today in debates over legalizing drugs, marriage rights, and other issues of privacy and control.
Law professor Dale Carpenter discusses current disputes over government reach into citizens' lives.