October 18
Al Capone
“I am like any other man. All I do is supply a demand.” (Al Capone)
On October 18, 1931, Al Capone was convicted of Tax evasion. While Capone ran a wide range of illegal businesses, his focus was on illegally selling alcohol during the Prohibition Era. The 18th Amendment to the Constitution, one of the so-called Progressive Amendments, prohibited the manufacture, sale or transportation of alcohol, as well as the importation or exportation of it. It went into effect in 1920, and was repealed in 1933. Why do you think it is called a progressive amendment? The 18th Amendment was repealed by the 21st Amendment, the only time this has happened. It was repealed because, on one hand, it was widely broken, and on the other, it was seen to be contributing to criminal activity, such as that of Capone. Can you think of other examples of laws which were repealed as a result of widespread disregard? What effect do you think it has on the rule of law, one of the foundations of a good society, when unpopular laws are widely ignored?
Questions:
- Can you think of other examples of laws which were repealed as a result of widespread disregard?
- What effect do you think it has on the rule of law, one of the foundations of a good society, when unpopular laws are widely ignored?