Crossing over the Line: Legislating Morality and the Mann Act (Worlds of Desire: the Chicago Series on Sexuality, Gender, and Culture)
Langum, a professor of law and a historian, discusses the underlying basis of the Mann Act (1910), which made it illegal to transport women across state lines for "immoral purposes," and the difficulties that past and present governments have in enforcing "morality codes." He provides an excellent analysis of broader purposes of the legislation and its effects upon American culture through the sexual revolution of the 1960s and 1970s. Arguing that this law was "at odds with the American system of limited government," Langum points out that women, who were supposed to be protected under the act, ironically became its chief victims. He also suggests that the Mann Act was a classic example of government tyranny against the moral standards of dissident minorities and that this form of repressive legislation was a failure of the liberal, democratic society. Readers interested in American history, cultural movements, and government enforcement of moral standards will find this book thoughtful and provocative. Highly recommended for academic and larger public libraries.Steven Puro, St. Louis Univ.Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.