--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Prohibition didn't work, so why should…" description: "\"Prohibition didn't work, so why should emancipation work? I think we should just stick with a system that has proven to be effective.\" — Zach Braff" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c4/zach-braff-854_emancipation_prohibition-didn-t-work-so-why-should-em_1556420.png" --- # Prohibition didn't work, so why should emancipation work?… ![“Prohibition didn't work, so why should emancipation work? I think we should just stick with a system that has proven to be effective.” quote by Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c4/zach-braff-854_emancipation_prohibition-didn-t-work-so-why-should-em_1556420.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c4/zach-braff-854_emancipation_prohibition-didn-t-work-so-why-should-em_1556420.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c4/zach-braff-854_emancipation_prohibition-didn-t-work-so-why-should-em_1556420.png) > “Prohibition didn't work, so why should emancipation work? I think we should just stick with a system that has proven to be effective.” [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. It questions the effectiveness of emancipation by comparing it to prohibition, suggesting reliance on proven systems. **In simple terms:** Compare emancipation to prohibition’s failure. Key Takeaway Consider proven systems before change. Themes politics history social policy Mood skeptical critical Type philosophical analytical When to use this quote - legislative reform - civil rights movements - public health initiatives Key Concepts effectiveness analysis policy critique Questions to Reflect On - Should we trust past failures to predict future outcomes? - What evidence supports a new system? A Different Perspective Historical contexts differ; what works once may not work again. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Emancipation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emancipation/) [Prohibition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prohibition/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I may be doomed to the stake and the fire, or to the scaffold tree, but it is not in me to falter if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-walker/i-may-be-doomed-to-the-stake-and-the-fire-or-to-the-scaffold-tree-but/) [David Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-walker/) > [Women are in bondage; their clothes are a great hindrance to their engaging in any business which will make them pecuniarily independent, and since…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-stone/women-are-in-bondage-their-clothes-are-a-great-hindrance-to-their/) [Lucy Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-stone/) > [Prohibition didn't work in the Garden of Eden. Adam ate the apple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vicente-fox/prohibition-didn-t-work-in-the-garden-of-eden-adam-ate-the-apple/) [Vicente Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vicente-fox/) > [I'm questioning it. We're trying to get a lot of money for health and education and I'm wondering... You look at these gangs, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-douglas/i-m-questioning-it-we-re-trying-to-get-a-lot-of-money-for-health-and/) [Michael Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-douglas/) > [“The Volstead Act, prohibiting the production, sale, and transport of “intoxicating liquors,” became law on January 17, 1920. Prohibition didn’t prohibit much, and incited…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-churchwell/the-volstead-act-prohibiting-the-production-sale-and-transport-of/) [Sarah Churchwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-churchwell/) > [I think slavery was an awful, awful period in our history, but when I look at what's become of black culture since emancipation, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/i-think-slavery-was-an-awful-awful-period-in-our-history-but-when-i/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [Abstraction allows man to see with his mind what he cannot physically see with his eyes... Abstract art enables the artist to perceive beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arshile-gorky/abstraction-allows-man-to-see-with-his-mind-what-he-cannot-physically/) [Arshile Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arshile-gorky/) > [“Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/bringing-the-gifts-that-my-ancestors-gave-i-am-the-dream-and-the-hope/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Wherever capitalism appears, in pursuit of its mission of exploitation, there will Socialism, fertilized by misery, watered by tears, and vitalized by agitation be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-v-debs/wherever-capitalism-appears-in-pursuit-of-its-mission-of-exploitation/) [Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-v-debs/) > [Before and after emancipation, the Negro, in self-defense, was propelled toward the white employer. The endowments of wealthy white men have developed great institutions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/before-and-after-emancipation-the-negro-in-self-defense-was-propelled/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) > [In emancipation from the fears that beset the slave of circumstance he will experience a profound joy, and through all the vicissitudes of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/in-emancipation-from-the-fears-that-beset-the-slave-of-circumstance/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [And with iPods and iPads, and Xboxes and PlayStations - none of which I know how to work - information becomes a distraction, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/and-with-ipods-and-ipads-and-xboxes-and-playstations-none-of-which-i/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The history of woman is the history of the continued and universal oppression of one sex by the other. The emancipation of woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-celeste-claflin/the-history-of-woman-is-the-history-of-the-continued-and-universal/) [Tennessee Celeste Claflin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-celeste-claflin/) > [The strongest reason for giving woman all the opportunities of higher education, for the full development of her faculties, forces of mind and body;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-cady-stanton/the-strongest-reason-for-giving-woman-all-the-opportunities-of-higher/) [Elizabeth Cady Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-cady-stanton/) > [Throughout the last century there were multiple attempts at giving Afghan women more autonomy, to change marriage laws, to abolish the practice of bride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/throughout-the-last-century-there-were-multiple-attempts-at-giving/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) ## More by Zach Braff > [The thing about hitting kids is, think about if you were doing the same thing to another adult. Hitting your kid is really the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-thing-about-hitting-kids-is-think-about-if-you-were-doing-the/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [The greatest charity you can contribute to is yourself. Instead of spending a dollar to help feed hungry children, why not spend that dollar…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/the-greatest-charity-you-can-contribute-to-is-yourself-instead-of/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [When you're the director and the writer, you never have to remember your lines, and there's no one to call you on it. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/when-you-re-the-director-and-the-writer-you-never-have-to-remember/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [Yea, he's alright...but he's no Zach Braff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/yea-he-s-alright-but-he-s-no-zach-braff/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [It was really starting to get pathetic, everyday they would come in looking for one thing or another. 'Zach, can you give me some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/it-was-really-starting-to-get-pathetic-everyday-they-would-come-in/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [People ask me, 'Did the fame come too fast? Do you ever wish for your old life?' I always tell them that there's nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/people-ask-me-did-the-fame-come-too-fast-do-you-ever-wish-for-your/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [I wouldn't exactly call it 'Intelligent', but somebody has to be behind designing the human form other than just biological necessity. Why else would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/i-wouldn-t-exactly-call-it-intelligent-but-somebody-has-to-be-behind/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [People have called me fake, but personally, I don't think I'm fake because I'm so insincere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/people-have-called-me-fake-but-personally-i-don-t-think-i-m-fake/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [When things seem to be slowing down, there's this little trick I like to play. I'd plow this virgin who's on her period, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/when-things-seem-to-be-slowing-down-there-s-this-little-trick-i-like/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [I want to take piano lessons, I want to study at university, I want to travel, I want to do other parts, make another…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/i-want-to-take-piano-lessons-i-want-to-study-at-university-i-want-to/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [If John McCain were really a war hero he would've won Vietnam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/if-john-mccain-were-really-a-war-hero-he-would-ve-won-vietnam/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [If I could change anything about Garden State, it would be to cast somebody else for the female lead. Natalie just isn't really that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/if-i-could-change-anything-about-garden-state-it-would-be-to-cast/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [Well it's not that I HATE them, but honestly if I saw two homeless people begging for money, one white and one black, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/well-it-s-not-that-i-hate-them-but-honestly-if-i-saw-two-homeless/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [I never looked at bread the same way again](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/i-never-looked-at-bread-the-same-way-again/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [I don't belive Oprah's sexual abuse stories, I mean who would take a black girl when there are plenty of white?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/i-don-t-belive-oprah-s-sexual-abuse-stories-i-mean-who-would-take-a/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) [Explore all 349 Zach Braff quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) ## More Emancipation quotes > [Throughout the last century there were multiple attempts at giving Afghan women more autonomy, to change marriage laws, to abolish the practice of bride…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/throughout-the-last-century-there-were-multiple-attempts-at-giving/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [The strongest reason for giving woman all the opportunities of higher education, for the full development of her faculties, forces of mind and body;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-cady-stanton/the-strongest-reason-for-giving-woman-all-the-opportunities-of-higher/) [Elizabeth Cady Stanton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-cady-stanton/) > [The history of woman is the history of the continued and universal oppression of one sex by the other. The emancipation of woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tennessee-celeste-claflin/the-history-of-woman-is-the-history-of-the-continued-and-universal/) [Tennessee Celeste Claflin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tennessee-celeste-claflin/) > [And with iPods and iPads, and Xboxes and PlayStations - none of which I know how to work - information becomes a distraction, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/and-with-ipods-and-ipads-and-xboxes-and-playstations-none-of-which-i/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [In emancipation from the fears that beset the slave of circumstance he will experience a profound joy, and through all the vicissitudes of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/in-emancipation-from-the-fears-that-beset-the-slave-of-circumstance/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Before and after emancipation, the Negro, in self-defense, was propelled toward the white employer. The endowments of wealthy white men have developed great institutions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-e-b-du-bois/before-and-after-emancipation-the-negro-in-self-defense-was-propelled/) [W. E. B. Du Bois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-e-b-du-bois/) > [Wherever capitalism appears, in pursuit of its mission of exploitation, there will Socialism, fertilized by misery, watered by tears, and vitalized by agitation be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eugene-v-debs/wherever-capitalism-appears-in-pursuit-of-its-mission-of-exploitation/) [Eugene V. Debs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eugene-v-debs/) > [“Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave, I am the dream and the hope of the slave.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/bringing-the-gifts-that-my-ancestors-gave-i-am-the-dream-and-the-hope/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Abstraction allows man to see with his mind what he cannot physically see with his eyes... Abstract art enables the artist to perceive beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arshile-gorky/abstraction-allows-man-to-see-with-his-mind-what-he-cannot-physically/) [Arshile Gorky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arshile-gorky/) > [Abraham Lincoln would have been happy to have solved the slavery problem by compensation - in fact, drew up a gradual, compensated emancipation plan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-c-guelzo/abraham-lincoln-would-have-been-happy-to-have-solved-the-slavery/) [Allen C. Guelzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-c-guelzo/) > [The Emancipation Proclamation is predicated upon the idea that the President may so annul the constitutions and laws of sovereign states, overthrow their domestic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melville-fuller/the-emancipation-proclamation-is-predicated-upon-the-idea-that-the/) [Melville Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melville-fuller/) > [“The discourse of work as pure emancipation depends on blocking out class and age constantly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nina-power/the-discourse-of-work-as-pure-emancipation-depends-on-blocking-out/) [Nina Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nina-power/) > [The truth alone has never set anyone free. It is only DOUBT which will bring about mental emancipation. Without the wonderful element of doubt,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anton-szandor-lavey/the-truth-alone-has-never-set-anyone-free-it-is-only-doubt-which-will/) [Anton Szandor LaVey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anton-szandor-lavey/) > [He will see himself and life and the world as truly as our human limitations will permit; realizing the brevity and minuteness of human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/he-will-see-himself-and-life-and-the-world-as-truly-as-our-human/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [You point out that war is only a symptom of the whole horrid business of human behavior, and cannot be isolated. And that, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rose-macaulay/you-point-out-that-war-is-only-a-symptom-of-the-whole-horrid-business/) [Rose Macaulay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rose-macaulay/) [Browse all 302 Emancipation quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/emancipation/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Prohibition didn't work, so why should emancipation work? I think we should just stick with a system that has proven to be effective.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Zach Braff" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/prohibition-didn-t-work-so-why-should-emancipation-work-i-think-we/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Emancipation" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/prohibition-didn-t-work-so-why-should-emancipation-work-i-think-we/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c4/zach-braff-854_emancipation_prohibition-didn-t-work-so-why-should-em_1556420.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c4/zach-braff-854_emancipation_prohibition-didn-t-work-so-why-should-em_1556420.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2c4/zach-braff-854_emancipation_prohibition-didn-t-work-so-why-should-em_1556420.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Prohibition didn't work, so why should emancipation work? I think we should just stick with a system that…” — Zach Braff", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Zach Braff", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Prohibition didn't work, so why should...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/prohibition-didn-t-work-so-why-should-emancipation-work-i-think-we/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/prohibition-didn-t-work-so-why-should-emancipation-work-i-think-we/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```