How might life in the 1920s have been different without Prohibition?

Answer 1

Honestly, Prohibition was quite ineffective in its cause, in fact it did the opposite of what the Temperance Crusaders hoped for (believing it would protect families, women, and children from the effects of alcohol abuse). The 18th Amendment was ratified and in place to eliminate the sale and use of (drinking) alcohol. However, Prohibition didn't even come close to doing so. Instead, organized crime (robbery, bootlegging, murder, etc.) increased due to the outlawing of alcohol. Not to mention that increased efforts to enforce Prohibition simply resulted in the government spending more money, rather than less. The economic cost of Prohibition became especially pronounced during the Great Depression, and eventually in 1933 state conventions ratified the twenty first (21st) amendment which repealed the prohibition of alcohol. Therefore, the only thing that would have been different without prohibition would be less organized crime and more money in the government.