The Gilded Age: Political Machines & Party Bosses

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Bibliography

• A Survey, American History by Alan Brinkley
• Bosses, Machines, and Democratic Leadership: Party Organization and Managers in Indiana, 1880-1910 by Philip R. Vandermer, Social Science History, Vol 12, NO. 4(winter, 1988) pp 394-428
• en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_machine#Political_machines_in_the_United_States
• wikipedia/wiki/political_machine
• shmoop.com/gilded-age/summary.html

Political Machines were often very benifical for immigrants despite corruption.

The conditions and actions that allowed for the rise of Political Machines?

In a nut shell, poor conditions in the economic situation and the living situations, and sectionalized conmunites, allowed for Party Bosses to easily bribe their way into power.

• Ethnic communities were formed as a result of high immigration. These communities provoked fear and resentment.
• Expansion of cities caused wide spread and desperate poverty, despite the growth of urban economies.
• Political Machines "...owed it's exsistance to the power vacuum that the chaotic growth of cities(and the very limited growth of governments) had created."
• Wealthy businessmen bought their way into their government positions. Once they got there, they would use bribery as a way of gaining support. "...Political Machines turned elections into excersizes in fraud and manipulation."

How did Political Machines function?

The heart of Political Machines was immigrant votes, loyalty of contituents from occational relief, and money. created the"invisible government".

Political Machines & Party Bosses

• It was a product of immigrant community voting power.
• The purpose for the party boss was to win votes for his orginization, which meant winning loyalty of his constituents.
• The machine began with "the supreme chief."
• The boss might give occasional relief- groceries, coal- save individuals from jail, and he would find jobs for the unemployed.
• Machines would deal with city contracts.
• It was an "invisible government."

Corruption and Benefits

Katlyn Hall & Bryn Matthews

Although Political Machines were corrupt, they were able to create opportunities for many immigrants.

• Bosses would reward some followers with patronage.
• They often elected(and often controlled) police.
• Machines became "vehicles for making money." They "enriched themselves and their allies through... forms of graft and corruption.
• Machines had no idea about public polices and were incapable of understanding principles.
• Bosses also did not necessarily control their organization.
• Even though corrupt, they were said to be efficient and responsive.
• Machines created many jobs for immigrants and pulled them from poverty.

How long did the Political Machine era last, and why did they fall?

The Bosses

Political Machines were very common in both small and large forms but few reached huge reconistion.

The political machine era finally came to an end when disheartened individuals and government policies took action against them.

• The most famous is William M. Tweed because of his Tammany Hall project.
• Boss Keuf in San Francisco.
• Tom Bennison in Omaha, Nebraska.

• Political Machines came about in the late 19th century and came to an end in the mid 20th century.
• Corruption was finally recognized against the Machines.
• Theodore Roosevelt's time (progressive era) had millions of votes against Machines. Roosevelt held a national civil service reform, and worked to replace local patronage systems.
• Loss of highstanding bosses created less influence in the government, and caused a lost support for the Machines.