Phil Collins

It is 100 years to The Day since the ban came into force. The 18 Amendment to The Constitution prohibited anyone in the United States, the sale, manufacture, import, or even the transportation of alcohol.

Criminal gangs immediately, the industry took over. The back room-pubs originated Nationwide , selling illegal alcohol, and tens of millions in contempt of the legislation.

in 1933 and had it repealed, the only instance when an amendment to The Constitution was repealed in this manner.

ban is now regarded as an error. None of the major Political Parties or organizations supporting his return, and there is little public support for such an extreme reaction in The Future .

But alcohol remains controversial in the United States. The minimum age for alcohol consumption of 21 is higher than in other Nations, where drinking is legal. Dry counties and dry cities, where the sale of alcohol is restricted or excluded Outright - are scattered through the Country . And Gallup polling last year shows That .

A century on, a small group of Americans fighting to keep the dream, the so-called "noble experiment" alive.

"you should think about the prohibition of The Party as an exercise in Living History ," says Jim hedges, Treasurer of The Party , and is the third-oldest in the United States.

"We try to keep the concept alive and the story alive," he says of the BBC. "But as far as getting big enough to have influence, it will not happen in the foreseeable future. "

The American temperance movement, which tried to control or even ban the sale of alcohol, developed through the 19Th Century . Activists focused on the immorality of drinking as well as the impact on health. Religious groups Like the Methodists and, later, organizations such as the Anti-Saloon League helped to change The Law .

Dr. Julia Guarneri, senior lecturer in US history at the University of Cambridge, tells the BBC That The Women 's groups, particularly The Woman 's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) - were crucial prohibition in the state.

"they thought alcohol was a way, ran out of money by The Employer , the employees of the Salon, and never The Family ," Dr. Guarneri says. Women and children were also victims of abuse by alcoholic husbands and fathers.

As a Reformer, to The Right of The Women - ratified in the 19th Amendment was officially adopted, only eight months after the ban came into force - Activists That also tried to ban alcohol, see it as a further possibility, The Women downtrodden in the society.

"It's more of a connection between these two pieces of legislation, as you may be thinking," Dr. Guarneri says. "The WCTU saw the prohibition of alcohol as a way both to keep families happier and healthier and The Women happier and healthier. "

Concerns about the large number of immigrants coming to US shores at the end of the 19th and early 20th century - in particular, Catholics and Jews traveling from southern and Eastern Europe - were a further factor.

Some European Catholics, in particular, brought a beer-drinking culture, which is alien to US, and to its Protestant population. But on top of this, Catholics and Jews, the alcohol in their religious rituals. While these ceremonies were still allowed during prohibition, Dr. Guarneri says That alcohol "was a way to police and suppress those of the immigrant population".

The beginning of the second World War , I contributed more to the temperance movement. Activists won support, argue That the grains should be used for food instead of beer during The Conflict , while the German immigrants or their descendants, in the possession of many Breweries.

"So it was very easy to paint a portrait of alcohol, un-American," Dr. Guarneri says. "They call it - Pabst, Schlitz, Budweiser . it was not too much public sympathy for The Owners of the Breweries from the USA. "

But the ban was widely disregarded. Many Americans, especially the rich and privileged, dodged The Law with ease. President Warren Harding said openly served alcohol confiscated by his government in the White House .

The Law grew more and more unpopular. Politicians also missed the tax-revenue from the sale of alcohol, according to the Wall Street Crash of 1929. Franklin Roosevelt promised the repeal of the measure in his bid for The Presidency in 1932, a year of him in office, national prohibition was dead.

Sarah Ward , the former President of the WCTU, tells the BBC That the ban "has probably our organization more harm than good to the repeal".

join with the WCTU to commit the applicant, avoid alcohol and pay member contributions. Ms ward logged in as a teenager in the 1950s, and has always been the pledge to This Day .

she spent decades teaching people about the health effects of alcohol, and says she is proud That the work. But She Said the current state of the temperance movement in the United States was "very discouraging".

"We can always hope That someone is aware of it and a corner will be turned and it'll be great when it happens," Ms ward says, although she thinks That the members of the WCTU are "more realistic" now.

"Today, as far as the ban is concerned, we have That , if each individual The Choice , this is The Best way for you To Live ," She Said . "We can't restrictions at all. Everyone wants to be free and do their own thing. "

ban The Party Treasurer Jim Hedges is right. Mr hedges of The Party , was a presidential candidate in 2016, if you only took a total of 5,600 votes across the Country - if also far More Than the 518, which she won in 2012 and The Best result since 1988. He says The Party would Like to see a "Sea Change " of Public Opinion , The Return of national prohibition.

"not to impose, If we would try, That is, from top to bottom, without the public support, it would be enforceable," he says. Your plan this year the focus is on the States, the simple rules for minor parties on the ballot is.

Phil Collins , The Party 's 2020 nominated, in the hopes That you can get on the ballot in Arkansas, Colorado, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee.

"Four years ago, The Party on the ballot in only three States. And This Time it will be five States," he tells the BBC. "So, I'm sure we will get more votes than we had at the time. "

Dry counties and cities, and the so-called "blue laws" - restrictions on when and where you can buy alcohol, for example, on a Sunday or after a certain time at Night - there are in the United States.

But The General trend is for more liberalisation. Massachusetts had about 20 very dry places in the year 2000, But some have begun to allow the sale of alcohol, albeit in a limited way.

The Town of Rockport was dry, in 1856, as the organiser, Hannah Jumper and The Women gathered to attack alcohol-serving facilities, with hatchets. A referendum in 2005 finally, restaurants are granted The Right to serve alcohol with the meal, But it was only famous in the year 2019 in the vicinity of 162 years after the notorious "axe Gang" Raid -That the city granted its first retail license to sell alcohol.

Jay Smith told the BBC, after the city closed the food business, the community decided to issue a license to the First Person to open a business in Rockport. His Family opened the whistle stop market That sells beer and wine in a shopping centre at The Train station.

Mr Smith said, the city was have by an overwhelming majority, apart from "maybe one or Two People , [the] us know That you are against him. "But in the end, he says, it is a matter of personal choice.

"I think the ban was a response to the difficulties of alcohol. When we sell alcohol, we are for a responsible approach," he says. "The people may be a personal or philosophical stance against alcohol - I can't argue against That . That is their personal choice and That is what is right for you. "

Source of news: bbc.com