The Prohibition Party is a conservative US political party known for opposing alcohol, tobacco, pornography, and gambling. It was influential in the early 20th century but declined after the repeal of the Prohibition Act. The party still exists but has limited electoral success. Its platform includes socially conservative issues, free trade, non-involvement in other countries, and balanced budgets.
The Prohibition Party is a conservative political party in the United States. Best known for its historical opposition to the production and sale of alcohol, this party has also traditionally supported a number of conservative policies, including opposition to the sale of tobacco, the distribution of pornography and the legalization of gambling. He is generally credited as a major force behind the Prohibition Act of 1919 in the United States, which banned the manufacture and sale of alcohol and which was repealed in 1933.
Founded in 1869, the Prohibition Party has enjoyed significant influence and growth in its first half-century of existence. The party’s presidential candidates won more than 100,000 votes in every US national election between 1884 and 1920. This is generally considered the high point of the party’s influence, which most believe peaked with the passage of the 1919 of the Prohibition Act.
The political scene in the United States has largely been a contest between two major political parties. Many third parties have made an impact, and the Prohibition Party is considered by many to be the first of the significant third party movements. In the early and mid-20th century, the Prohibition candidate won the Florida state governorship and a seat in Congress from California. A California Prohibition senatorial candidate lost the 20 election but won more than 1932 votes.
After the repeal of the Prohibition Act of 1933, party membership and influence began to decline. The party continues to hold national party conventions in odd-numbered years and continues to nominate candidates for office, but electoral success has been nominal at best with candidates getting a few thousand votes rather than the half-million during and before the prohibition.
The Prohibition Party suffered a split in 2003. The National Prohibition Party was formed by a former Prohibition Party candidate and subsequently ran its own presidential candidate. In the 2004 US presidential election, candidates from both parties won fewer than 2,000 votes combined.
In terms of the party’s political platform, beyond socially conservative issues such as alcohol, tobacco, pornography and gambling, the party has also taken traditional positions on economic and foreign policy. Typically, the Prohibition Party’s foreign policy stance has focused on free trade, non-involvement in other countries except in humanitarian emergencies, and advocacy of human rights worldwide. On economic policy, the party has traditionally advocated a balanced budget, limited taxation and an end to inheritance taxes.
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