The Great Gatsby Context: Prohibition and Organised Crime

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Information 

-In 1920, the 18th Amendment said that the manufacture and sale of alcohol was now illegal, which was called Prohibition.
- However many people during this period rebelled and continued to drink and sell alcohol.
- 'Gangsters' as they were known made a lot of money during this period in America.
- There were many reasons as to why this ban was put in place and one of them was because the Anti-Saloon League argued that drinking alcohol was ruining the American way of life.
- Another reason was that some people felt that the consumption went against God's will, while others thought it was unfair for people to be drinking and having a good time while people were having to be at war
- However, In 1929 Prohibition was said to have failed and so the 21st Amendment was passed lifting the ban on manufacturing and selling alcohol. 
- Prohibition had failed for many reasons one of which being that there wasn't enough prohibition officers to re-enforce the law and also a lot of americans would go and socially drink in what were known as 'speakeasies'. These were social bars/clubs where it was claimed to be serving 'soft drinks' but really served illegal alcohol.
- However one of the main reasons that prohibition failed was because of massive outburst in 'organised crime' which people such as Al Capone were heavily involved in. Organised Crime and gang-led murders were a lot more common during times of prohibition which is anther reason why it ended in 1929.
- Organised crime is when groups of criminals have control over specific areas and they engage in illegal activity
- During this time period 'gangsters' would fight each other for control of certain city areas and they would then partake in illegally selling alcohol and make great sums of money.

How is this relevant to The Great Gatsby?

This is relevant to Fitzgerald's novel 'The Great Gatsby" because throughout the book the way in which Gatsby gains his wealth is unknown and it is referenced continually that he may have achieved it through 'bootlegging'. Bootlegging was a term used at the time for when you make, distribute or sell alcohol illegally. Of course considering the context of Prohibition, (as discussed above), this was extremely relevant and would explain why Gatsby had so much money. Although this is never fully explained in the novel and has a somewhat ambiguous tone throughout the book. 

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