So, here's a thought. In 1919 there were a tremendous amount of new, powerful weapons developed for the war and, presumably available to anyone with the means to purchase them. However the total sales of automatic weapons on the retail market was extremely low. Then the federal government attempts to solve the very real social problem of alcoholism that was effecting the country at the time. Prohibition is passed. Newly minted criminals in the alcohol trade, who now have no legal recourse to protect their now extremely profitable business, turn to using the most effective tools at their disposal. About a decade later, with the futility of prohibition realized, the 21st amendment is passed. In the grips of an economic depression the likes the world had never seen, these weapons were again used by criminals...weapons whose initial demand was created by the government trying to solve a social problem. So in '34 the government tries to put the genie back in the bottle with the NFA, trying to solve a social problem they created by trying to solve a social problem. Now I realize this is a gross oversimplification of the problem, but it does seem that, considering the fallout from the decades long war on drugs, that the federal government should probably get out of the business of legislating morality, or if you like, criminalizing a health issue. It seems to have created more problems than it has solved.
WW1, NFA, and the War on Drugs
- Thread starter bersaguy
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Discussion of the government trying to solve social problems is outside of the scope of THR. With the NFA, 68 and 86 in place we will not see a return to the days of Tommy guns and BARs being bought at the local gun store.
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