What factors led to the breakdown of enforcement of the Eighteenth Amendment?

The Eighteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which established the prohibition of alcoholic beverages, ultimately failed due to a multitude of factors that led to its breakdown of enforcement:

1. Public Opposition: A significant portion of the public never fully supported Prohibition, and opposition grew over time as people wanted to retain their freedom to consume alcohol.

2. Rise of Organized Crime: The prohibition of alcohol created a lucrative black market for the substance. This led to the emergence and growth of organized crime syndicates that trafficked and distributed illegal alcohol.

3. Limited Enforcement Resources: The agency tasked with enforcing the Eighteenth Amendment, the Bureau of Prohibition, was underfunded and understaffed. As a result, it could not effectively monitor the vast illegal trade in alcohol.

4. Corruption: The lure of easy money from illicit alcohol trade led to widespread corruption among law enforcement officers and public officials who were supposed to enforce prohibition laws.

5. Economic Reasons: The Great Depression, starting in 1929, shifted public focus to much more pressing economic concerns. Additionally, the potential tax revenue from legal alcohol became more attractive as the government sought ways to increase revenue.

6. Ineffectiveness: It became clear over time that Prohibition was not achieving its intended goals of reducing crime and improving health and social behaviors - in many cases, the opposite occurred.

7. Changes in Political Climate: The election of Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1932 brought to power politicians who were sympathetic to the cause of repealing Prohibition.

These factors, both individually and collectively, led to the widespread flouting of Prohibition laws and eventually to the passage of the Twenty-first Amendment, which repealed the Eighteenth Amendment in 1933, thus ending Prohibition.