The Law That Made Al Capone

 

In 1919, the United States tried to outlaw alcohol.

 

The 18th Amendment was meant to curb drunkenness, crime, and moral decay. Supporters believed banning liquor would create a healthier, more orderly nation.

 

Instead, it created a black market. Alcohol didn’t disappear. It went underground. Speakeasies replaced saloons. Bootleggers replaced bartenders. Demand stayed high, and prices soared.

 

Someone had to supply it.

 

Criminal organizations stepped in, smuggling liquor across borders, hijacking shipments, and bribing police. Violence followed. Territory mattered. Enforcement became selective and corrupt.

 

In Chicago, one man thrived.

 

Al Capone didn’t invent organized crime, but Prohibition handed him an industry. His network supplied illegal alcohol to thousands of bars and clubs. The profits were enormous. The law that was supposed to stop alcohol consumption gave criminals structure, money, and power.

 

By the early 1930s, Prohibition was widely viewed as a failure. Drinking continued. Crime increased. Respect for the law collapsed.

 

In 1933, the amendment was repealed. Alcohol returned to legality.

 

None of it mattered. Al Capone was already a legend.