U.S. Temperance

You and several friends to eat together in restaurants. Interested, intend to drink little alcohol. Attendants brought beer and liquor. You and your friends Kaihuai drink, the more spirits high……

Such scenes are commonplace. But in the 20th century, the United States had 14 years of time, the above is an offence. Once captured by law enforcement departments, the parties may be a maximum fine of 1,000 U.S. dollars investment and the first half of the prison. Where the law of the » Drinking in public places an offence. At that time, the U.S. Prohibition Order clearly stipulates: all manufacture, sale and transport of alcohol content of more than 0.5 percent of the beverage is an offence. Although their drinking at home is not an offence, but with friends Gongyin or hold feasts on the law.

Temperance awareness in the United States has a long history. The United States in the early immigrants, to leave Europe, Yuanduchongyang, came to the strange desolate North American continent, many to escape religious persecution in Europe. These people are devout in religion, known as "puritanical." Puritans more attention than the average Christian religious precepts, but also stressed that strict discipline themselves. They think that drinking means indulgence and enjoyment of wine have been deeply vigilance. Therefore, the United States has been a spontaneous civil Temperance.

By the 19th century, Temperance development to the peak. This period is also the U.S. women's movement for social reform and rapid development period. Temperance legislation is to promote women into reality an important force. Many women hate her husband alcohol, then hate all Zaojiu, selling liquor act. They think wine destroyed the family, and constantly called for national legislation Temperance.

The mid-19th century, the United States in some places started using alcohol are bound by legal means. 1846, Maine passed the first official Temperance orders, triggered a number of other states to follow. Temperance began in the official legislative stage. The beginning of the 20th century, the trend of such legislation Temperance Jiancheng climate.

1914, World War I broke out. 1917, the U.S. official war. In order to save grain, to ensure that the country's food supply during wartime, the U.S. government issued a temporary Temperance measures. Temperance advocates of the people to seize the opportunity,竭力allow this temporary legislation permanent. Their efforts were successful. These people in the lobbying and pressure, after the end of a war, the United States Congress not only failed to cancel the provisional Temperance measures, but in 1919 adopted a constitutional amendment to article 18, the amendment provides that: "America and its ban in all territory under the jurisdiction of the In the brewing, selling and transporting alcohol as a beverage Zhizui; prohibition of such import or export of alcoholic beverages under the jurisdiction of America and its territories of all. "

And various other laws, in order Temperance was the Voice of the many cheers, but also by the wider opposition. At 0:00 on January 17, 1920, Temperance to come into effect. Women have mobilized destroyed Pi Jiuguan, during which, in a lot of bloodshed. The famous U.S. economist Irvine »Fisher (Irving Fisher, was the landmark book" theoretical interest ", a clear exposition of the principles of interest) is the enthusiastic support of Temperance one. He Temperance legislation to give the most active and most "scientific" proof, has a total of three books written to support the Constitution of the 18th amendment, a special written a book on the hazards of alcohol.

However, people also see that in the Temperance Act entered into force the day before, on the road transport of liquor to come. Many people are busy before the law came into effect in the wine shipped home for later use. In the evening, almost Wanrenkongxiang. We all gathered at home or in other public forums held last legitimate reception. It is said that at that time a senator in the dinner will be the words of the participants enthusiastically agreed: "This evening the Americans were deprived of personal freedom on the eve of."

After the implementation of Temperance, although stringent, but the U.S. society and did not like those who advocate the Temperance hope for, from and alcohol farewell. On the contrary, the Temperance always been many people to resist. They have a variety of ways against the law, through a variety of approaches still wine, liquor selling, Maijiu and alcohol. Government control of living of the market, but can not control people's desire to live. After all, human beings have been drinking several millennium - perhaps the last 10,000 years of history. Liquor may be the history of human society and as long history of civilization. Drinking as a hobby, it is very difficult to remove the.

More importantly, the law blindly and the old habits of human confrontation will not be able to achieve its objective, but also evoked a strong negative effect.

First of all, Temperance order to hasten the implementation of a new industry - Sijiu brewing and marketing industry. Not from a legitimate way to buy wine, but people want to drink, naturally some people to take risks, fill out the gaps in the market. Temperance the implementation of the more severe, trafficking in Sijiu higher profits. This profiteering Sijiu traffickers to do everything possible to carry out the transport and sale of alcohol: Some people in the middle of the car emptied, with wine used to, some with baby carriages to the smuggling of wines and brandy. Robert »starring De Niro's famous film" American history "on a scene and peddling contraband liquor at the time described the scene: two player in the harbour near the Sijiu warehouse liquor dealers have to demonstrate how the Miaoji clearance. When they have the clearance, Chen Chen Hua Zhao ship in the fog in the Sun He Kazakhstan on the road, many large ships float around the ball, every ball hanging under a box of liquor……

In addition, since it is illegal Sijiu, naturally can not guarantee quality. Lawless elements or methanol to ethanol blending. U.S. poisoning, blindness, disability, the number of deaths increased dramatically. January 20, 1930, the United States Metropolitan Life Insurance Company of Statistics: 1929 in the company of people insured, the number of people died of alcoholism than 10 years ago increased by 35 times.

Temperance make the most far-reaching impact may be, and promoted the development and strengthening of the U.S. triad.

U.S. triad a long time, but in the 20th century ago, in the absence of sufficient financial support - Dadashasha earn little money, the triad forces still relatively weak and small, not much harm to society. However, the 20th century, the United States triad to the fast speed of development. Prohibition Order in this regard is very significant role in promoting.

Sijiu trafficking in the face of the huge profits, the triad will naturally not remain indifferent. Their illegal organization and management of the human structure can be used to operate this is good business. Thus, the United States around the triads have run illegal Winery, production, transportation, sales through-train, through the sale of Sijiu earn high profits.

As more and more people stem from the sale of the行当Sijiu, black market traders wine has become a national villain to the polymerization. Illegal business, kind of generation will not去干, banditry Wang Mingtu the popular will. Moreover, illegal, once commercial disputes, the two sides can not seek a formal judicial settlement, had to resort to violence. This has increasingly promoted the violence that have comparative advantages of the people flourish and have great wealth and to take this. It is in the process, not only the United States underworld organizations develop and grow, and have a solid financial resources, and finally Weidabudiao, a chronic disease of American society. The Chicago-based gang have done the most prosperous. Godfather Al Peng's breweries, beer daily profits from the sale of up to 5,000 U.S. dollars. Chicago will become the future network the United States triad one of the most developed metropolis.

Moreover, Temperance returned to the competent officials continue to provide opportunities for taking bribes. Temperance support on the surface of U.S. President Harding, in private, but smoking in nightclubs to drink. His cabinet members were wantonly accepting bribes Sijiu traffickers in their power to Sijiu traffickers within the framework of providing convenience. The law provides a lot of trading power for money opportunities. Once again, the facts show that, by virtue of their own to fight against the temptation of moral Not many people.

Temperance was intended to make amendments to social morality, let people more pure, but it has become the perpetrators of crime. More and more people realize that Temperance is the United States to become a criminal empire. People began to call for the repeal Prohibition Order, these people even including some anti-alcohol Puritans.

In 1932, Franklin D. Roosevelt presidential campaign. He opened Jiujin as one of his election platform. In his office after the December 5, 1933, the U.S. Congress passed amendments to the Constitution No. 21, the Abolition of Article 18 of the amendment to the Constitution, the termination of the implementation of Temperance. U.S. national lasted nearly 14 from the Temperance Movement came to an end. The amendment to Article 18 of the Constitution has become so far the only one in U.S. history was eventually repealed the amendment to the Constitution.

U.S. Temperance and relevant legislation is a classic means out of line with the objectives, and the confrontation example. In the field of social affairs, particularly in the area of legislation, is often counterproductive, we can see the phenomenon. Act, policies that want to achieve, and they actually achieve the goal, probably a far cry from, or even nothing. And in order to avoid such a phenomenon, legislators and those in power must respect the development of human society and individual acts of the law. Ignoring these laws, wishful thinking in formulating laws and policies in an attempt to rely on moral force and to suppress these laws, we will not only fail to achieve the legislative intent, but only so that the community therefore suffer.

In addition, it should also be aware that help people choose life, this should not become the Government's objectives. This matter should be handed over to individuals to deal with. Mentioned in front of the U.S. economist Fisher-Price has written papers trying to distinguish "can not be useful" utility and "really useful" utility. He believes that the Government has the responsibility, but also has the power to ban no benefit to those of the individual things. Some things, or on its own people to addiction, or because consumers know little about its harm, or the lack of sufficient strong will, or by deceit and cunning entrepreneurs. Such consumption, reduced productivity, damage to the social environment, has an enormous negative externalities. Therefore, the Government must make a choice for those consumers, that means the ban.

This theory is actually the basis of welfare economics. The theory of implicit assumption that: the public is blind, and the political figures and social elite than the public more clearly, what harmful to the public and what more conducive to the healthy development of public individuals.

This premise is untenable. On the issues of personal matters, every person he is the best judgement of those. Negate this point, not only can not bring about efficiency, or of individual rights and dignity of the individual strong contempt. If this be regarded as legitimate contempt, then do not expect there will be any good society.