Happy Twenty-first Amendment day everyone!

[MaxDepth]

On this day (Dec 5) in 1933, the Prohibition of alcoholic beverages in the United States officially ended when the Twenty-first Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified.

:beer: and :wine:

Could you imagine this country sober by law now? We were for almost 15 years!

 

[Brainonska511]

I should crack open a beer to celebrate, but I have to do some studying for my math and physics finals tomorrow.

 

[Dirigible]

What's weird is that it was Utah (!) that pushed the amendment over the top and into the constitution. So I'll raise a drink to Utah tonight.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

Prohibition had a great effect on the alcohol industry. One of the best inventions in the history of drinking was the advent of the cocktail, which was developed largely in the era of prohibition because the bootleg liquor was of such terrible quality that it had to be mixed with juices to be palatable. Speakeasies blurred the lines between nightclubs and saloons, helping pave the way for the dance clubs of later decades. And the prohibition era really motivated people. The era after 1933 saw some of the most productive workers the US has ever produced. People generally attribute the rise in productivity to Roosevelt's New Deal, but clearly, it was the motivation of determined alcoholics who were finally able to drink (legally) again.

Making something illegal is just about the best thing you can do to spur innovation. Do you think anyone would have thought of freebasing or knife hits if cocaine or marijuana were legal? Well, yes they would have, but it would have taken longer. People hiding their behavior from the authorities will come up with incredibly inventive ways to subvert the laws.

I'm drinking a 6 pack of moderately priced domestic microbrew in celebration of a glorious day in history!