Objective 2.5 -- Political Machines

Summary

This script explains the rise of political machines in urban cities, where corrupt structures like Tammany Hall manipulated voters and controlled local governments. These machines were hierarchical, with city bosses at the top, ward bosses in the middle, and block captains at the bottom. They exploited immigrants and businesses by promising favors in exchange for votes. Political bosses also engaged in illegal activities such as graft and voter fraud, enriching themselves through public contracts. Public outrage over these corrupt practices eventually led to reforms aimed at making governments more accountable and reducing fraud.

Takeaways

• 🏙️ Urbanization and migration led to chaos, which political machines took advantage of to gain control over political offices.
• 🗳️ Political machines manipulated voters by offering favors like jobs, housing, and court decisions in return for votes.
• 🔝 The structure of political machines was hierarchical, with the city boss at the top, followed by ward bosses, and block captains/precinct workers at the bottom.
• 🤝 City bosses selected candidates, who often acted as puppets, to maintain control over political affairs and ensure the prosperity of the political machine.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Political machines exploited newly arrived immigrants by promising quick naturalization, housing, and employment in exchange for votes.
• 💼 Businesses benefitted by receiving quick licenses, bypassing paperwork, and eliminating competitors by providing cash and votes to the machine.
• 💰 Graft, the illegal use of political power for personal gain, was a key motivation behind political machines, including skimming money from city projects.
• 👮 Political machines often controlled the police, ensuring they turned a blind eye to fraud and corruption within the system.
• ⚖️ Voter fraud was rampant, including multiple votes by individuals, fake names, and even using names of deceased people to secure election results.
• ⚡ The most infamous political machine was Tammany Hall in New York, run by William 'Boss' Tweed, whose excessive graft led to widespread outrage and reform.

Q & A

What is a political machine?

A political machine is an organized group of political officials who control the activities of a political party within a city. It often functions like a fraternity, where favors are exchanged for political support.

How did political machines manipulate voters?

Political machines manipulated voters by offering favors, such as jobs, housing, or quick naturalization, in exchange for votes. They also engaged in illegal activities like voter fraud to secure election outcomes.

What was the role of the city boss in a political machine?

The city boss was the top leader of the political machine, controlling local services and choosing candidates for public office. They were the most powerful figures, ensuring that their chosen candidates would follow their directives once elected.

Who were the ward bosses and what did they do?

Ward bosses were middle-level officials in the political machine. They gave local favors to ensure that precincts secured votes for the machine’s chosen candidates, reporting directly to the city boss.

What were block captains and precinct workers responsible for?

Block captains and precinct workers were the lowest level in the political machine hierarchy. They had direct contact with voters, escorting them to the polls to ensure they voted for the machine's candidates.

How did political machines take advantage of newly arrived immigrants?

Political machines exploited immigrants by offering them housing, jobs, and quick naturalization. They hired second-generation immigrants to communicate with the new arrivals in their native languages to secure their votes.

What is 'graft' and how did political machines use it?

Graft is the illegal use of political power for personal gain. Political machines used graft by skimming extra money off public works projects and taking kickbacks in return for awarding contracts or political favors.

What methods of voter fraud did political machines use?

Political machines committed voter fraud by having people vote multiple times, using fake names, and even registering votes under the names of deceased people by copying their names from tombstones.

Who was William ‘Boss’ Tweed and what was his role in Tammany Hall?

William ‘Boss’ Tweed was the leader of the Tammany Hall political machine in New York. He was notorious for his corruption, using graft to defraud the city out of tens of millions of dollars through schemes like inflating the costs of public works projects.

What led to the downfall of political machines like Tammany Hall?

The downfall of political machines like Tammany Hall was driven by public outrage over their blatant corruption, such as graft and voter fraud. Investigations, negative press, and political reforms helped dismantle their power.