Atlantic City, in modern times, is regarded by many to be a failing city. However, as its rather famous status suggests, the city was not always so bad. At one time, economic forces like tourism propelled the city to amazing heights. The city’s infrastructure, community, and industries all lead to a bustling economy. The condition of the city is not a random draw, of course; it has ups and downs that correlate with the success of its economy. Seemingly, the level of economic success that the city experiences can only be explained by the spontaneous decisions of customers to spend time and money in the city. However, during Atlantic City’s prime in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, beneath the surface level, other forces were at
…show more content…
Industry leaders still had unofficial dominion over the city, but a brand new force entered the city and overthrew the reigning monarchs. During the twenties, Prohibition was instituted; the ban of alcohol and subsequent demand for underground acquisition of it drove the United States’s economy to such an extent that those who dealt it became extremely rich (Broughton). Atlantic City was no exception to this effect; in fact, quite the contrary, Atlantic City began to flourish because of Prohibition, and the men leading bootlegging operations started gaining unprecedented amounts of influence. One particular man went above and beyond in how he handled the money and power granted to him by bootlegging operations; this man was Enoch Lewis “Nucky” Johnson (Ch. 5). While he was certainly not the only crime leader in the city, he was doubtlessly the most influential and powerful. He used his earnings from bootlegging as well as his foothold as a legitimate politician to rule the city. His reign encompassed a nearly three decade span, during which time few people disputed his position as the boss, if not emperor, of Atlantic City. Nucky’s dominion spread across almost all of Atlantic City’s constituent parts, including its politics and …show more content…
The city was founded upon tourism, recreation, and other industries related to having fun. This led to the establishment of a natural cultural preference for any variety of enjoyable activity. This attitude, which could be easily construed as hedonism, lead to people ignoring Prohibition laws because, in the end, drinking was regarded as a fun activity regardless of its legal status. Thus, the hooch had its home in a hedonistic haven. As a matter of fact, Atlantic City’s enforcement of Prohibition was loose at best, likely because of the attitudes of the people who made up the city’s populace. However, there was a more practical reason that Atlantic City was such a good home for bootlegging operations; being an island in the Atlantic Ocean off of the United States’s eastern coastline, the city was a very popular drop off point for foreign alcohol (Britannica). With such a prominent role in getting alcohol to the United States, why Atlantic City became such a success in the bootlegging business is immediately clear: towns built as stops for transportation almost always attain this type of success. Even though other products were shipped through Atlantic City, alcohol was a very important one that provided the city with much of its economic power. It is only natural that the city came to rely on the success of alcohol, to the point where even after the
Industry leaders still had unofficial dominion over the city, but a brand new force entered the city and overthrew the reigning monarchs. During the twenties, Prohibition was instituted; the ban of alcohol and subsequent demand for underground acquisition of it drove the United States’s economy to such an extent that those who dealt it became extremely rich (Broughton). Atlantic City was no exception to this effect; in fact, quite the contrary, Atlantic City began to flourish because of Prohibition, and the men leading bootlegging operations started gaining unprecedented amounts of influence. One particular man went above and beyond in how he handled the money and power granted to him by bootlegging operations; this man was Enoch Lewis “Nucky” Johnson (Ch. 5). While he was certainly not the only crime leader in the city, he was doubtlessly the most influential and powerful. He used his earnings from bootlegging as well as his foothold as a legitimate politician to rule the city. His reign encompassed a nearly three decade span, during which time few people disputed his position as the boss, if not emperor, of Atlantic City. Nucky’s dominion spread across almost all of Atlantic City’s constituent parts, including its politics and …show more content…
The city was founded upon tourism, recreation, and other industries related to having fun. This led to the establishment of a natural cultural preference for any variety of enjoyable activity. This attitude, which could be easily construed as hedonism, lead to people ignoring Prohibition laws because, in the end, drinking was regarded as a fun activity regardless of its legal status. Thus, the hooch had its home in a hedonistic haven. As a matter of fact, Atlantic City’s enforcement of Prohibition was loose at best, likely because of the attitudes of the people who made up the city’s populace. However, there was a more practical reason that Atlantic City was such a good home for bootlegging operations; being an island in the Atlantic Ocean off of the United States’s eastern coastline, the city was a very popular drop off point for foreign alcohol (Britannica). With such a prominent role in getting alcohol to the United States, why Atlantic City became such a success in the bootlegging business is immediately clear: towns built as stops for transportation almost always attain this type of success. Even though other products were shipped through Atlantic City, alcohol was a very important one that provided the city with much of its economic power. It is only natural that the city came to rely on the success of alcohol, to the point where even after the