| Historians agree that U.S. prohibition amounted to a "bonanza" for Juarez, providing much needed employment for citizens and revenue for the municipal government during economic conditions that offered few other opportunities. What is not agreed upon is the actual cost. This study explores Mexico's border history relevant to tourism far beyond the years of civil war and revolution that occurred just before the prohibition era of the 1920s. By combining the more general work of three prominent historians with the only definitive volume to date specifically addressing the impact of prohibition on Juarez-El Paso, a different interpretation evolves. Recognizing that prohibition possessed negative characteristics, this study argues that, far from being a victim of U.S. reform, Mexico shoulders responsibility for much of the ill effects of prohibition and failed to capitalize on a fortunate opportunity that made Juarez the Monte Carlo of the Southwest. |
