Corruption of the 1920s

Have you ever wondered what it was like to live in the “Roaring Twenties?” Having all that freedom and that mind set, “If it feels good do it,” your initial though would probably be that it was a wonderful time. Some people would even go as far to say that it was the greatest era of U.S. History. Unfortunately there was a dark side, a side that involved corruption, guns, money, women, car’s, you name it, and it was probably there. The government at the time was corrupt, and the streets were filled with crime. There were mobsters, bootlegging, dirty cops, and even dirty government officials. You may have thought the government was there to prevent these things, but unfortunately it played a major role in contributing to the corruption.

When you think of the 1920s, what “Big Mobster” comes to mind? Al Capone, born in New York, moved to Chicago to avoid a murder charge. Capone, notorious for evading the law enforcement, ran a huge crime filled organization. “During a fight in a bar he received a razor cut on his cheek, which gained him the nickname “Scarface”” (Tyle).Due to Prohibition, Capone became a bootlegger, (someone who makes and distributes alcohol illegally). Prohibition was a law which outlawed the production and sale of alcoholic products, in turn, making it easier to get but more expensive.

Being one of Chicago’s most famous gangsters, Capone made millions. “Caponewas grossing some $100 million annually by the late 1920s” (McElvaine). Al Capone owned many “Speak Easies,” shops that sold alcohol illegally at a high price, contributed to his wealth. “He controlled more than ten thousand speakeasies” (Howes).

Even though Capone was talented at covering his tracks, he was finally arrested in 1931. Capone had been suspected of being involved of hundreds of unsolved murders, “The St. Valentine’s Day Massacre is widely believed to have been carried out by Al Capone and his gang, although this was never proven in court” ( Lerner). Even though he may have been involved in many murders, he was not arrested for this. In fact in 1931 he was accused and arrested for income-tax evasion (not paying his taxes).

Even though Prohibition may have been one of the most unsuccessful events of the 1920s, it was not the only one. The Great Depression was one of the main contributors of the economic failures of the 1920s. Due to the artificial inflation of stocks by credit, the Stock Market crashed in 1929. The depression did not only affect the U.S., it also affected people as far as Britain, Germany and France. Even though the depression was devastating, “The Great Depression in the years of 1929 to 1933 brought some continuity but also major changes as well as public exposure to crime.” (Hanes).

Because of the Depression, crime also rose with the rate of unemployment. “As the various gangs competed with one another, the rate of violence increased” (Howes) Crime didn’t only rise in the U.S. the effects of unemployment affected those same countries who were affected by the depression. Prohibition may have been one of the main factors to the rise in crime, but it wasn’t the only thing that contributed to the problem. The rise in unemployment and starving people did as well.

During the 1920s crime rates soared. They were and still are some of the highest rates in U.S. History. Unfortunately crime wasn’t only committed by civilians. One major scandal that was committed by the government was the “Teapot Dome Scandal.” “The scandals involved public officials who had taken advantage of their position to gain something for themselves” (Howes). These officials happened to be friends of Harding. This scandal was investigated by Senator Thomas J. Walsh. “Walsh’s investigations eventually revealed that Doheny and Sinclair had together given Fall approximately $404,000 (about $4 million in 2000) either as loans or as investments in Fall’s New Mexico cattle ranch while he was serving in the cabinet” (Kutler). In the end “Fall” was convicted of bribery and became the first presidential member to go to prison. Daugherty and Denby, other government officials were forced to resign.

Even though the 1920s may have been one of the greatest eras in U.S History, it was also one of the most dangerously corrupt. Having major crimes and gangsters didn’t help either. Also having some of the highest crime rates didn’t help shed light on this dark era. But even though crime may have thrived, people never stopped fighting it, fighting for what they though was right.